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Don't forget the other areas of lee County that are a huge part of it. Lehigh Acres, San Carlos Park, Estero, Bonita Springs to name a few.
FUN THINGS TO DO IN LEE COUNTY
Fort Myers Beach, Shell Factory, Cape Coral has a nice nature trail right off 4 Mile cove.
BEACHES
Sanibel, Fort Myers beach, Sunsplash water park in Cape Coral.
GOLFING
There are endless possibilities in this area, every mile or 2 is a golf course, heck, where Ilive we have our own private 9 hole course.
NATURE
Naples Zoo, Cape nature preserve, I am sure I am missing a lot more.
CULTURE
Have not seen anything in this catagory...
SHOPPING
Endless shopping possibiliteis. Bell Tower shops, Tangier outlets. and a million other stores...
DANGEROUS THINGS TO DO IN LEE COUNTY
Drive around in any area off MLK Blvd, or in Dunbar, basically anything north of Colonial are crap areas, also Harlem heights and Pine Manor are serious hoods.
TOURISM/HOTELS
This would be a 10 page report... There are so many.
SNOWBIRDING
A time for us locals to cringe, and it is the end of peaceful shopping, going out to eat and driving around without pulling all of your hair out.
MOVING TO LEE COUNTY
Depending on of you have a job lined up it can be a good thing, also if you pick up a low priced house/condo and already have money to live on. If you do not have either of those(job or money saved) you are in for a serious rough ride. Then you might become one of the many malcontents on City data.
INSURANCE
Through the roof, both house and car...
JOBS
13.7% unemployment, and what jobs?
SCHOOLING
School choise is a thing Lee county need to make go away. It can be good(we suprisingly always got first choice) or a nightmare.
CAPE CORAL
Cheap to live by most standards. The best parts in my opinion are SW CC, and SE CC, NW is ok, NE is pretty blah. One thing I think is annoying about CC is the toll bridges, they collect money to improve the roads, but take a ride up CC parkway.... I think someone forgot to repave that mess....
FORT MYERS
Has its really nice areas. And the other 70% isn't... Mcgregor top to bottom is great IMO.
FORT MYERS BEACH
Nice to go to when all the snowbirds are gone. Is complete insanity on holidays, traffic really sucks. Nice beach.
BONITA SPRINGS
Nice, except old Bonita is run down and pretty nasty looking.
SANIBEL
Want to get there, have never seen it, and I have been here 5 years!!!!!
These are my opinions, some will disagree. This is my take on SWFL.
WEATHER
It's all about dew point. No, it does not feel as hot in New Jersey during a heatwave like it does in swFlorida. The dew point makes the difference.
Higher than 80 °F Severely high. Even deadly for asthma related illnesses
75 – 80 °F Extremely uncomfortable, fairly oppressive
70 – 74 °F Very humid, quite uncomfortable
65 – 69 °F Somewhat uncomfortable for most people at upper edge
60 – 64 °F OK for most, but all perceive the humidity at upper edge
55 – 59 °F Comfortable
50 – 54 °F Very comfortable
< 49 °F A bit dry for some
Simply take that into account. SwFlorida is a completely different climate then what most people are use to. Don't try to convince yourself otherwise.
Having said that, it is not that bad for a lot of people. Some people don't mind it at all, some hate it and the majority of people run from their car to the house in the summer heat, the opposite of what happens in the winter for northerners. They make do. A very hot summer usually lasts five months. Sometimes it is a bit more by a couple of weeks, but that is a good rule of thumb.
Once again, most people nicely deal with it. The people that absolutely love or hate the swFlorida summers are in the minority.
If you are retired or buying a second home, then weather should definitely play into your decision. You've worked your entire life and if never shoveling snow again is your goal, then this will be your place. Just know that heat when you are older can slow you down as much as the cold can bother you.
If you have to work you need to understand that more than weather should play into your decision, especially if you have children to support.
If you are young and single then weather can be a factor for you, too, just know that the demographic for the area is much older than you are use to and you might want to look elsewhere, like Orlando or even Tampa.
FUN THINGS TO DO IN LEE COUNTY
BEACHES
BOATING
Lee County is a boating paradise. Period. Fishing is fabulous, too. Snook is a great tasting fish, even if you only eat cod and haddock. Try the snook. Unfortunately, you have to catch one to eat it. There is a limit.
GOLFING
NATURE
CULTURE
SHOPPING
OTHER
Fort Myers is home of spring training for the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins.
DANGEROUS THINGS TO DO IN LEE COUNTY
Please do not be afraid of spiders, snakes or gators. You will probably have seen more snakes where you came from and you may never see a gator unless you go to a zoo. Further, back in the day, my husband and I use to swim with the gators. However, because of folks feeding the gators a lot of them have become fearless of humans. That is a very bad thing. Do NOT feed the gators. It is also a crime to do so.
TOURISM/HOTELS
VACATION HOMES
Right now, there are tons. VRBO.com is a great resource.
SNOWBIRDING
Most people love it, some people - usually one partner that is part of a couple - hates it. There is a lot of work involved in running two households and sometimes one person gets stuck with the worrying and grunt work. I think if both people take an active part there is less resentment. It can be the best of both worlds.
MOVING TO LEE COUNTY
If you are retired or looking for a second home, this is a great time to buy. If you are being transferred because of a job then you are that much ahead of the game. If you do not fall into that category then at the very least do not move until you have secured a solid job offer that is in writing. Even then, Florida is a Right-to-Work state and they do not have to hire you.
NON-CITIZENS
Don't believe what you have heard about the US. More than likely, positive and negative, it is not true.
PROPERTY TAXES
INSURANCE
JOBS
Check the current unemployment rate. Now compare the rate where you live. No, the entire country is not going through the same thing.
Further, this rate pertains to you. You are not special. The other people that you are competing with for jobs are most likely highly-qualified northerners, just like you.
SCHOOLING
Schools are probably not what you are use to, especially if you are from the north. School Choice is difficult. Kids may end up in a school you don't want them in. Kids usually don't attend school with their neighbors. There can be tears. If it is a failing school, you have the right to move them out of there. They don't tell you this. If it is not a failing school, you are stuck. Children often sit on buses for hours while they run these kids all over the county. If you can pick up and drop off they will be much better off.
Someone seriously needs to form a group and start making some noise about School Choice. I know that they are getting funding for the busing. I am not sure what other goodies they are getting. You will be fighting that. But everyone that I know hates School Choice and getting signatures on a petition is not going to be difficult. Lee County says that 93 percent of parents love School Choice. Hard to believe.
HOSPITALS
It is tough to get appointments during "season" and the ER has very long waits. I mean it could be a couple of months, at least, to see some doctors. Expect to wait in the ER for 2 to 8 hours, year-round. There are a lot of uninsured people in the area that have no alternative but to get their care at the ER.
"Good" care is subjective. The Mayo Clinic is not in Lee County. However, I haven't heard of the wrong body parts being amputed, either. There is a preponderance of doctors that like the ease of dealing with a large population of Medicare patients. Do what you will with that information.
CAPE CORAL
Started in the mid-1950s by the Rosen Brothers. Previously there was not much there. They created canals and roads that can sometimes seem illogical. It is a delivery guy's nightmare but a boater's paradise, especially for those on a budget.
Right now, only the south region has city water and sewer. There is talk of adding the north to the system. This is what is referred to as "assessments." It has been said that it could cost the homeowner as much as $20,000, but I have also heard $10,000 and $15,000. They could have up to 20 years to make payments, though. Right now, it is up in the air, due to the economy.
However, the cost of homes in the north are much cheaper and even if you would have to pay off a $20,000 assessment, down the road, you will probably come out ahead.
Cape Coral can be very barren in the north. Even though the city is 55 years old, it is enormous and has taken years to develop and there is still a lot of vacant land and property, hence the lack of vegetation. To some, it can be unsightly, to others the area has potential.
Some people are bothered by the toll bridges. You can get over to Fort Myers without paying a toll but you have to head north and come down. It is not as far out of the way as you would think. Locals usually buy a transponder.
Cape Coral has the second lowest crime rate in the state of Florida. It is the ninth largest city in Florida by population and the third largest geographically.
FORT MYERS
Fort Myers was a fort built to fend off the Seminoles. It was a place of escape for many slaves. The side of the federal building, downtown, depicts the black regiment that fought in the civil war for the union. Looking at that takes my breath away.
Fort Myers has a charming and pretty downtown. Its biggest challenge is that the approach from the international airport and the main highways bring first-time visitors through blighted neighborhoods.
Nightlife is geared to the younger folks in Lee County. If a safer approach was created and more adult activities were brought in, the downtown area would probably become more utilized, especially after dark.
McGregor Boulevard is known for its majestic Royal Palms that line the road and why Fort Myers is called "The City of Palms." Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had summer homes here, across the street from each other. They were friends due to their interest in mass production of tires. Edison's botanical gardens were filled with his latex experiments.
Due to Edison, Fort Myers was one of the first towns to get public electric lights. A celebration of this is held every February, including a parade, and called the Festival of Lights.
Per capita, Fort Myers has a higher than average crime rate.
FORT MYERS BEACH
Not upscale, not honky tonk. Somewhere in the middle. Like most beaches, traffic can be a bear and parking can be expensive. There is a shuttle that is very easy to take and affordable.
At sunset, Times Square performers come out. Everything from comedy, dancing, music and art can be found there. Very nice and as charming as Key West.
There can often be algae blooms that are caused by chemical runoff caused by local lawn fertilizer and Big Ag in the middle of the state that flows down the Caloosahatchee. It can cause red tide, fish kills and respiratory problems.
BONITA SPRINGS
Mixed bag. Most better areas are gated. There are more than a few seedy areas. Location is central to Fort Myers and Naples. Bonita Beach is quieter than Fort Myers and Doc's Beach House is a nice, fun, waterhole with pub fare that is frequented by the locals.
SANIBEL
And Captiva. Beautiful. If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it. The locals have intelligently kept growth to a major minimum, like old money can do. Simply unspoiled.
It is the shelling capital of the world and as soon as you get to any of its wildly beautiful beaches you will see why the "Sanibel stoop" is the local joke. You can't pick just one.
The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a beautiful 5,200 acre preserve. It one of the largest protected mangrove ecosystems in the country. Darling started the wildlife federation and was a Pulitzer-Prize winning cartoonist. There is a very informative welcome center.
The toll bridge is expensive. That is to wisely discourage the riff-raff.
UNINCORPORATED NEIGHBOURHOODS
Estero
Nice, friendly, fairly upscale area. Home of Florida Gulf Coast University, Germain Arena and Koreshan Historic State Park. The Koreshans were a sect that created a "Utopian" community. Membership peaked about 100 years ago, but was almost dead by the middle of the last century mostly due to celibacy.
Bell Tower shops are there, as well as the Coconut Pointe Shopping Center, although that does border Bonita Springs.
Estero can be very quiet in the summer due to a large population of snowbirds.
Germain Arena is home to the Everblades Hockey Team (EHCL), arena football and FGCU hockey. Recreational skating and lessons are offered.
Lehigh Acres
Started in the 60s by pest control guy and Chicagoan Lee Ratner as a tax shelter, it was originally known as The Lucky Lee Ranch, a cattle investment. When Ratner couldn't make a go of that, he started selling lots. No room was set aside for parks and planning did not seem to be the order of the day. In its heyday, 20 buses of prospective buyers were coming in to see the prospective town. By 1991, the area was declared blighted. Community redevelopment took control with a new developer to put in infrastructure.
Lehigh remained a quiet town until the boom of the last decade. Some homes were sold at a high price, but more importantly, Lehigh Acres became the last affordable outpost in Lee County. As if in a perfect storm, a Fort Myers low-income apartment facility was closed down around the same time. Many of the residents, with nowhere else to turn, headed to Lehigh.
Since then, the housing bust occurred and Lehigh has become less sleepy and more crime-ridden. There are excellent deals to be had and not all neighborhoods are unsafe. Due diligence regarding a potential home's neighborhood is highly advised.
LINKS
Most of this was done off the top of my head. I know more about the area then even I realized. That, and 25 cents, won't buy me a cup of coffee, though, but I hope it helps someone in the future.
Most of this was done off the top of my head. I know more about the area then even I realized. That, and 25 cents, won't buy me a cup of coffee, though, but I hope it helps someone in the future.
WOW!!!! I mean WOW!!!!!! Great post, stuff I didn't even know. Great post H.
Lee county bussing has become a big issue for us this year. It never bothered us until this current school year. My daughters school is 10 minutes from door to door here in Estero. Last year her bus pickup time was 7:05 AM. And 6:50 during daylight savings time. It was early, but not bad. THIS YEAR however... Her morning pickup time is 6:05 AM. It was 6:23 AM, until last week, then they decided to add 3 more stops on making it a 6 AM pickup. Now how in the hell are these kids supposed to go to school and function fully after waking up at 5:30 in the morning? Ride a bus for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.? I was so PO'd it's not funny. I now bring her in to school in the morning and let them drop her off, he drop off time is the exact time as last year and I pick her up at the front of our property, no problem. But this school system in Lee County is a complete joke. All other areas of FL were great when she was at them(Brevard, Polk). One big reason for me leaving FL after this school year, is to get her to the MA school system where I went. I will not let her go to middle or high school down here. I am not being snobby, but I want her to have a good education, and the schools here are below grade. Her school in MA a couple winters ago when we went up was 2 months ahead of FL... And instead of the teachers teaching strictly what is on the FCAT, the schools up in MA teach about butterflies, nature, they go on day trips to the nature trails... Things other than what Florida wants them to know. It's just a different world in school up there.
So... If you are coming here with children, keep in mind it is NOT the same as the north or midwest...... Lee County is an issue of its own, FL education is another, look at the US rankings and see.
The moving to Lee County - I would change "time" to "place." Hopefully the real estate market moves back up. "Time" dates when this sticky was made - we would like to hope that this sticky stays around long after we're gone
MOVING TO LEE COUNTY
If you are currently an out of state resident, the State of Florida currently requires all new and used cars being initially registered to be assessed a 225.00 fee on top of all other fees.
In the state of Florida, a motor vehicle is required by law to be registered within ten days of the owner either becoming employed, placing children in public school, or establishing residency. Registering your motor vehicle goes hand in hand with the titling process.
Thanks guys. I use to do that stuff for a living. Hopefully, my love of the area and my frustration with the things that don't work well shines through. I think wherever I live I fall in love, a little bit, with the area. But Lee County was really changed when it was "discovered" in the past 50 years, or so. Some of it was for the better, some of it not so much.
I really hope that this will help folks. I cannot stress enough how I have wanted to help people moving to the area for years. It can be a great experience but it is very, very different than most places in the country and some sort of a heads up is helpful. Hopefully, I won't have to write the same darn stuff over and over, again.
Chris, I understand your frustration regarding busing. Growing children need their rest and the extra hour or two on the bus is unforgivable. That the school department does this without any regard for the students is very, very unnerving.
I think that Lee County overdoes teaching to the test, too. Up here they don't do that, either.
Be careful with those stats, too. It is a dirty little secret that the states created their own goals and most set the bar too low, on purpose. TN recently raised their standards. It was an amazing thing to witness. They said they did it because ultimately the students will be prepared to meet today's challenges and come out ahead.
Stahl: Great remembering the registration fees and the time frame. I completely forgot!
Most of this was done off the top of my head. I know more about the area then even I realized. That, and 25 cents, won't buy me a cup of coffee, though, but I hope it helps someone in the future.
Excellent Hik! I will blend in other comments and my 2 cents and then I think we will have the bones of our FAQ page to look at and make further improvements.
for non-citizens, I did not intend to open up the illegal workers issue...meant to address Canadians and British taking up residency year round and what they need to consider.
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