Estero Island, FL: Honeymooning!

Wow, was this vacation needed. After a whirlwind of the ongoing pandemic, planning and a wedding, student teaching, then graduating from college, moving home from college, getting married, and then moving both James and myself from Minnesota to North Carolina, all while both having full-time jobs, I thought we were going to lose our minds. Ha, let's be real, ask our families and friends, I'm pretty sure we did lose our minds.

Fast forward to all of those events and here we are. This beautiful, calm piece of bliss is called Estero Island, Florida. It is hidden just a short drive away from Fort Meyers, right below Sanibel and Captiva, and is home to Fort Meyers Beach. Through Vrbo, we rented a beachfront condo at a tennis resort that had a private pool, private beach, laundry access, fully functioning kitchen, balcony sunset views, and all you could ever want as far as pool and beach accessories. The complex is part of 3 and very quiet, especially since it was August and the off-season for vacationers. The best part of all this is that it totaled only about $700 for the week, well within our budget. Here at this little piece of heaven, we spent a full week from a Saturday to a Saturday living on nothing but island time and fruity drinks. Besides the gorgeous daily sunsets and beach walks, we enjoyed a little different piece of paradise every day.

In our trip plans, we decided not to rent a car this time around. And let me tell you, not renting a car was the perfect option for us because the island had a trolley that rode up and down the whole island and is sponsored by its Chamber of Commerce. You can get to restaurants, shops, businesses, beaches, and even Lover's Key State Park for only $0.75 per ride per person. Also, we avoided the pressure of picking up and paying for the car, returning it by a certain time, feeling the need to be driving and doing more, and neither of us was 25 yet so there would have been additional fees that we just did not want to deal with. This may not be the same feeling for everyone, but it let us slow down and enjoy our time by walking to the places we wanted to go.

Now, you may be thinking that a full week without a car and wanting to explore the island is crazy considering there are limitations on the trolley hours. However, the location of the property itself was on the Southern portion of the island, right across the street from a strip mall. We found everything we needed at the CVS within short walking distance and found wonderful food at The Sandbar and Grille across the street. We visited here often to find on-tap beer and delicious foods. Some of our favorites that, I kid you not I am still thinking about now 6 months later, were the nachos, coconut shrimp, and calamari (pictured below).

Now just a little down the road, or as a stop accessible from a gorgeous walk on the beach, is Pinchers' Restaurant and Tiki bar. Their margaritas and sangrias are wonderful. If you find yourself there, the wings are also a must-try. Since this was our honeymoon and our only goal was relaxation, let me say that their sangrias and margaritas come at 2-for-1 prices if you catch them on a deal day, and you know we took advantage of that. Further, you are sitting on the beach sand with the birds walking right up to you. It is more than just an eating experience.

Other than wonderful food and drinks, James and I left our property, caught the trolley, and headed South just three minutes to Lover's Key State Park. We found beautiful beaches but agreed that they did not compare to the private one we were staying at. However, Lover's Key State Park also had trails that made you realize how much you were truly in the tropics, Pirates of the Caribbean vibes for sure (shameless plug for my favorite movies).

We saw a lot of wildlife including tropical birds, crabs, speedy little geckos, small turtles, colorful butterflies, and even familiar squirrels on Black Island. Unfortunately, did not see any dolphins, manatees, or alligators (maybe this one is okay that we missed them) but there has been word of their sightings.

Besides the awesome trails, and because of my teacher lens, I have to mention another awesome feature of the park: its accessibility. Visitors can drive right into the North or South entrance and even take a tram right onto the beach. This park is wonderful for families and is definitely stroller friendly. I also noticed big-wheeled wheelchairs that were sand friendly and available for use. Right at the tram stop is also a place for renting kayaks, umbrellas, and just about any other beach equipment you could think of and may have forgotten or otherwise do not have access to. Oh, plus there's a local ice cream truck!

If this description did not convince you enough to visit the park, take a look at the pictures for yourself. Again, the trails far outweighed the beach in our opinion, but we were spoiled with our private beach at our Vrbo.

Overall, this vacation at Estero Island was exactly what we needed. By the time we were leaving, we were already talking about what we wanted to do the next time we came back, and how we could plan to go with others and stay in the same condo buildings. It is not my personal favorite spot in Florida but definitely an affordable option with beautiful tropical weather and offers a relaxing stay. Let me know your favorite Florida spots in the comments!