Ft. Myers, located on the shorelines of the Gulf of Mexico along the banks of the Caloosahatche River on the western side of Florida, has been dubbed the City of Palms thanks to its sub-tropical climate and generally relaxed air. The origins of Ft. Myers are in cattle, and in the 19th century the town was little more than a handful of stores and cattle ranches.

Famous inventor Thomas Edison established his winter home here in 1885, and the presence of this local celebrity first drew visitors from the then-elite of US industry and science, and later families and other vacationers who came for the mild climate and safe reputation of the city.

Things to See and Do

While there is little that is 'off the beaten path' in Fort Myers, it has its own minor history of controversy. It was while vacationing here that Edison first concocted his plan to sabotage  scientist Nikola Tesla (the Serb-Croat inventor who is the little-known true father of electricity). By encouraging Tesla – whose plans for electricity were centered around transmitting power in free-for-all form – to work with him, Edison was able to steal his plans and patent the better known cabled form of power that we are used to paying for today. Ft Myers was the site of the ensuing legal and scientific wrangles, which Edison eventually won.

The Edison-Ford estates are now one of the major drawcards of the area, and the homestead is set up as a museum to the inventor, detailing his prolific ideas and lifetimes work. Although his profiteering is not well-evidenced here, it is still an interesting insight into both the man and the times he lived in, when science was burgeoning into a major driving force behind modern life.

Beaches

The beaches of Ft. Myers are also popular with visitors. As the area is sub-tropical, the region experiences mild climates and warm waters almost year-round. The only time to avoid visiting is hurricane season in the spring, when tropical storms are almost guaranteed to ruin plans.

Museums

There are several museums in Ft Myers, but those visitors who have kids should head to the Imaginarium Children's Museum. As well as having hands-on exhibits dedicated to the natural resources of the Florida region, there are several science-based exhibits inspired by Edison's work. Ironically, the most popular attraction for kids here is the Tesla Ball, a glass ball filled with 'lightening' that has the entertaining static side-effect of making a visitor's hair stand up on end when both hands are in contact with it.

Arts and Theater

Catch a performance at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in the evening (which hosts an eclectic mix of traditional shows and avant garde experimental theater), or the Broadway Palm Dinner theater which stages modern plays with more of an identifiable storyline than some offered by Barbara B. Mann's.

Outdoors

For the outdoorsy types, a swamp buggy ride at the Babcock Wilderness Adventures - located just north of Ft. Myers – is an entertaining way to kill a couple of hours. Page Field (the nearby airstrip) offers rides on a sightseeing airplane flight over the beaches and bayous of Ft. Myers.

Hotels

Accommodation in the area can be pricey, especially in peak season. Some of the least expensive hotels include the Crowne Plaza at Ft. Myers, which is located near the Lee County Sports complex (room rates start at around $100 dollars a night) or the Lighthouse Resort Inn and Suites which offers you a view of the beaches and the Gulf of Mexico and have online-booking specials in the neighborhood of $100 a night (two people twin share).

Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Fort Myers, Florida.

(Photo:iStockPhoto/Typhoonski)

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