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Shops offer everything from upscale gift and resort wear to authentic surf gear.
Explore Shopping
Balmy weather means shoppers on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel can make their purchases inside, or out-of-doors, if they prefer, at shopping centers crafted around palm trees, tropical foliage and soothing waterfalls and fountains. Spend a few hours, or a day, in retail rapture.
Balmy weather means shoppers on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel can make their purchases inside, or out-of-doors, if they prefer, at shopping centers crafted around palm trees, tropical foliage and soothing waterfalls and fountains. Spend a few hours, or a day, in retail rapture.
  Miromar Outlets |
Large malls provide one-stop shopping for department store needs, as well as boutiques and specialty shops, and are generally open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 or 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Beautiful outdoor shopping areas festooned with architectural details and ample greenery have similar hours and can be found throughout the region.
Bargain hunters will be pleased to find two outlet malls covering the gamut of consumer wants, including designer and casual clothing, shoes, house and home and electronics. And weekly flea markets, where everything from fresh produce to knick-knacks cover acres of indoor and outdoor spaces, cater to shopaholics with a weakness for daylong excursions.
 Fort Myers Beach Shops |
Shoppers and browsers will adore the collection of boutiques amassed in small, easy-to-navigate outdoor spaces and stand-alone communities. Like Balinese longhouses connected by airy boardwalks, the architecture at Periwinkle Place on Sanibel Island hints at the laid-back resort wear and whimsical gifts inside the outdoor shopping area’s boutiques. And there’s a spa, to boot.
The Village, also on Sanibel, is reminiscent of a New England settlement and transports shoppers on an elevated boardwalk around corners and through passageways to its gathering of galleries, clothing boutiques and jewelry shops.
The intersection of Andy Rosse Lane and Captiva Road on Captiva Island sports a general store, where visitors can stock up on essentials and catch up on the local gossip, with a couple of art galleries and specialty shops further down each of the cross streets.
Fort Myers Beach has Times Square, an anchor for shopping, dining and nightlife. Brightly colored buildings in pop-art colors emanate from this central pedestrian area, and shops offer everything from upscale gift and resort wear to authentic surf gear. There are nearly a dozen beach specialty shops where visitors can find beach towels, swimsuits, shells and keepsake trinkets.
Bonita Springs has a historic district with thrift stores and a few antiques shops and The Promenade, a Mediterranean-inspired outdoor shopping area for the well-heeled, where even the Bennigan’s has an elegant outdoor bar in the round.
Modern Malls
Those who absolutely must fall into the GAP or discover a little more about Victoria’s Secret can explore area malls, replete with regional and national department stores such as Dillard’s, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Fort Myers’ Edison Mall, recently renovated, is Lee County’s largest.
A visit to Bell Tower Shops is a complete day out; along with upscale department stores are trendy boutiques and fine restaurants, as well as a 20-screen movie theater. Royal Palm Square in Fort Myers features a dinner theater and Lulu's Emporium, a place for gifts, home decor and accessories.
Between Fort Myers and Estero sits the brand-new Gulf Coast Town Center, anchored by Southwest Florida’s first Bass Pro Shops, which caters to the outdoor enthusiast. Restaurants include local Asian hotspot, BluSushi.
In Estero is Coconut Point, the newest Main Street-style shopping area featuring, among others, Marciano (of GUESS? jeans fame) for fashion mavens, and West Elm and Design Within Reach for those seeking to make their homes as stylish as themselves. The outdoor mall will also have several sit-down restaurants.
Retail Outlets
Don’t be alarmed at the size of Miromar Outlets in Estero, one of the southernmost communities on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Shoppers are easily transported past more than 120 stores by the beauty of large piazzas with decorative fountains and through loggias that lead to bargains for men, women and children. There’s even a water playground surrounded by indoor/outdoor restaurants so parents can watch kids play while they dine.
Tanger Outlets captures the attention of shoppers heading to and from Sanibel and Captiva islands and Fort Myers Beach. Offerings include outlets from mall regulars, such as the GAP, as well as Liz Claiborne and Polo Ralph Lauren factory stores.
Homegrown Finds
The downtown Fort Myers Farmer’s Market is a weekly occurrence at the edge of Centennial Park. Vendors include farmers, florists, fishermen and horticulturalists. Of note are the interesting local vegetables and fruits, including farm-grown mangos, and shrimp, mangrove snapper and grouper.
Flea markets include Ortiz on Ortiz Road near I-75, primarily local produce and Mexican handicrafts, Fleamasters in Fort Myers – with more than 900 vendors – bills itself as “Southwest Florida’s No. 1 Tourist Stop," Flamingo Island in Bonita Springs, has 800,000 items at liquidation prices, and a vast tract in North Fort Myers, the Northside Drive-In Fleamarket, akin to a very large garage sale.
If you go…
Bell Tower Shops, 239-489-1221, www.thebelltowershops.com
Centennial Park, 239-338-2287, www.cityftmyers.com/home.aspx
Edison Mall, 239-939-5464, www.simon.com
Flamingo Island, 239-948-7799
Fleamasters, 239-334-7001, www.fleamall.com
Gulf Coast Town Center, www.gulfcoasttowncenter.com/shop/gulf.nsf/index.nsf
Miromar Outlets, 239-948-3766, www.miromar.com
Northside Drive-In Fleamarket, 239-995-2254
Ortiz, 239-694-5019
Periwinkle Place, www.periwinkleplace.com
The Promenade, 239-261-6100, www.bonitasprings.com/promenade
Royal Palm Square, 239-939-3900
Tanger Outlets, 239-454-1974, www.tangeroutlet.com
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