This story appears in the
January 2001 issue of
Entrepreneur.
Subscribe »
Florida's West Coast is often called the "forgotten
coast," but Fort Myers isn't as quiet as you might expect.
The community is becoming more than a mecca for winter visitors,
attracting technology, manufacturing and other non-tourism
businesses. Nearby Southwest Florida International Airport plans to
build a new $356 million terminal within the next four years to
accommodate a surge in business and leisure travel to the
region.
What to do: Check out J.N.
"Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a nearly
7,000-acre wildlife refuge on Sanibel Island. It's home to 291
species of birds, more than 50 types of reptiles and at least 32
different mammals. Edison-Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers has an
extensive botanical garden, a laboratory and a museum.
Where to stay: The Sanibel
Inn, which features a meeting center and a beautiful sandy beach.
Go to www.sanibelinn.com or
call (800) 237-1491.
For more information, contact the Lee County Convention and
Visitors Bureau at (888) 231-6933 or online at www.leeislandcoast.com.
Christopher Elliott is a writer in Annapolis, Maryland.
Contact him at www.elliott.org.
Contact Source