Explore Southwest Airlines® destination Fort Myers/Naples.

Set up shop on the southwest coast of Florida and take in much more than just sunshine during your stay. A flight into Southwest® Florida International Airport gives you a chance to explore the breathtaking coastline, quaint beach towns, and unique wetlands ecosystems that can be found from Fort Myers/Naples all the way down to the Everglades. Whether you prefer to dig your toes in the sand or search for new bird species among the mangroves, you’ll find your patch and then some while you’re on the Gulf Coast.

While the cities of Fort Myers/Naples and Cape Coral are situated on the banks of the melodiously named Caloosahatchee River, beach bums and sandcastle engineers will still find an abundance of seaside possibilities within easy reach. Barefoot and Bonita beaches, both found among a series of barrier islands just off the Gulf Coast south of Fort Myers/Naples, offer two especially popular options, each with ample space to spread out your towel and enjoy the sunshine. A bit further off the coast, but still conveniently connected by road, Sanibel and Captiva Islands offer long stretches of bright white sand and some added seclusion. The islands’ unique geography also makes them particularly attractive sites for seashell collectors.

If you’re looking to take a break from the surf, then head inland, where historical sites and parklands abound. Just blocks from the Caloosahatchee near downtown Fort Myers/Naples, for instance, travelers can find the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the site of inventor Thomas Edison and industrialist Henry Ford’s former winter homes. The adjacent homes sit on a beautiful 20-plus acre property that contains a number of (well air-conditioned) exhibits, including one of Edison’s research laboratories, and an extensive botanical garden that features more than 1,700 plants representing more than 400 species from six continents.

To get a taste of the unique wildlife that’s entirely native to southern Florida, visitors can head just east of Naples to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary that’s headed up by the aviphiles at the Audobon Center. In addition to its astonishing population of wading birds, songbirds, and raptors, nature lovers can find gators, otters, and red-bellied turtles, as well as the largest old-growth Bald Cypress forest in North America—all living just off the park’s famous boardwalk trail. Those interested in a longer day trip can make the drive down to Everglades National Park to mingle above the mangroves and tour some of the park’s jaw-dropping 1.5 million acres of wetlands.

However you choose to spend your time in Fort Myers/Naples, you can get there conveniently by booking a flight into Southwest Florida International Airport on Southwest Airlines. Find the flights that work just right for you with Southwest—then dig your sandals and beach towels out of the closet and get ready to enjoy a spell of easy living along the Gulf Coast. Learn more about the Southwest® Experience that awaits and book your flight to Fort Myers/Naples today.