As fall arrives in Lee County, Florida, the region is preparing for a series of events and new developments that highlight its appeal as a travel destination. The Island Hopper Songwriter Fest, now in its 11th year, will take place from September 19-28 across Captiva Island, Cape Coral, downtown Fort Myers, and Fort Myers Beach. More than 60 singer-songwriters are scheduled to perform over 80 shows during the ten-day festival.
The event features both free performances and ticketed experiences. On September 20, Frank Myers will play with Cut the Chord String Quartet and Jimmy Nichols at the Captiva Civic Center. A Songwriter Sunset Cruise with Ruby Amanfu and Sam Ashworth is set for September 21 via Captiva Cruises. LOCASH headlines in Cape Coral on September 22 at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village. Other notable acts include Lilly MacPhee on a sunset cruise (September 23), Julianne Ankley and Tim McGeary at Luminary Hotel & Co.’s dinner experience (September 24), Essex County returning for another dinner show (September 25), Danny Myrick and Katrina Cain performing during Canvas and Chords on Fort Myers Beach (September 27), and Chris Young closing out the festival with a poolside performance at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on September 28.
The festival is presented by BMI, iHeart Radio’s Cat Country 107.1, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, and Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods. For full details or tickets visit IslandHopperFest.com or use the official app.
Several area hotels are reopening or debuting after renovations or rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Ian. The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs is completing a multimillion-dollar renovation of its meeting spaces this fall. Shalimar Beach Resort on Sanibel Island plans to reopen on September 28 as the first fully rebuilt resort post-hurricane; it features hurricane-resilient construction methods such as impact-resistant doors and windows as well as turtle-friendly lighting.
Other properties reopening include South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island with amenities like pools, restaurants, golf courses, and fitness centers now available; Best Western Plus Beach Resort in Fort Myers Beach after extensive renovations; Jensen’s Twin Palm Resort and Marina on Captiva Island; while White Pelican Villas—formerly Beachview Cottages—plans to open in early 2026.
Attractions also report new offerings: Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve continues its wet walk programs through October; Lovers Key State Park has free nature programs throughout September; Sun Splash Family Waterpark in Cape Coral has opened Paradise Cove—a $4 million wave pool—and Causeway Islands Park has reopened after serving as a staging ground for Sanibel Causeway reconstruction efforts by FDOT [https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/causeway]. Phase Two improvements are planned for late next year.
Environmental awareness remains important due to ongoing sea turtle nesting season through October. Residents and visitors are encouraged to shield lights visible from beaches to protect turtles during nesting [https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/sea-turtle/lighting/], avoid leaving litter that could harm wildlife [https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marinedebris.html], fill holes dug into sand before leaving beaches [https://conserveturtles.org/information-sea-turtles-faqs-filling-beach-holes/] ,and observe nesting turtles only from a distance.
New digital passes such as “Sanibel Wild Mile” offer opportunities for visitors to explore natural attractions like J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge while earning rewards [https://www.visitfortmyers.com/digital-passes/sanibel-wild-mile]. Another initiative called Parks, Points & Perks encourages visits to parks across Lee County—with check-ins earning points toward prizes including local hotel stays [https://www.visitfortmyers.com/ParksPass].
Dining options have expanded with several restaurant reopenings: The Bubble Room returns after three years of renovations caused by hurricanes; Slipaway Food Truck Park & Marina opens in Cape Coral featuring multiple food trucks plus boat slips; The Beach Bar reopens on Fort Myers Beach after storm recovery work; Tap 42 Craft Kitchen launches at Bell Tower with live music; Lazy Flamingo reopens on Sanibel Island with its classic menu; Key Lime Bistro resumes service in Old Captiva Village; Sweet Melissa’s returns under Chef Melissa Donahue’s leadership after relocating from Sanibel due to hurricane damage.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) announces new air services from airlines including Frontier Airlines (Atlanta), Southwest Airlines (Orlando-McCoy starting daily service soon), Porter Airlines (Toronto now year-round), Allegiant (new destinations starting November), American Airlines (Phoenix limited holiday service), Delta Air Lines (Salt Lake City weekly starting December), and Sun Country (Appleton weekly beginning January).
Annual festivals continue through fall into winter: Wet walks at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve run until October 25 [https://sloughpreserve.org/wet-walk-season-2025]; Lovers Key State Park offers free programs throughout September [https://loverskey.eventbrite.com]; Edison and Ford Winter Estates hosts fall festivals [https://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org]; Oktoberfest celebrations return to Cape Coral [http://capecoraloktoberfest.com]; film festivals appear at BIG ARTS Sanibel Island [https://bigarts.org/event/inaugural-fall-film-festival]; sand sculpting championships take place November 20-24 [http://fmbsandsculpting.com]; holiday events occur across various venues into December.
For more information about these updates or upcoming events visit www.visitfortmyers.com.
