Are you headed to Fort Myers for Spring Break?
Fantastic! We’ve got all the essential elements needed for an epic spring break—brilliant sunshine, gleaming white beaches, sparkling clear water, friendly locals, and an on-fire nightlife.
But even with everything you want in one place, it still takes a little planning to bring it all together. And we know you probably still have some exams to make it through.
So, to help you out, we’ve compiled a complete list of all the quintessential spring break scenes, our local favorite places to hang out, and must-do-while-here activities to help you plan the most incredible spring break yet.
Where to Stay and Where to Go in Fort Myers for Spring Break
Let’s start with the spring break icon…Lani Kai. Lani Kai has been Fort Myers Spring Break Headquarters since 1977. This right-on-the-beach resort boasts that they throw the best beach party in the state. How do they back up that claim? With three tiki bars, two roof-top restaurants, one pumping dance club, and a beachfront full of activities and events. Oh, and year-after-year happy crowds. They are the undeniable epic center of spring break in Fort Myers.
Lani Kai hosts several spring break events. One of the most popular is the annual skits performed by the Cincinnati Fireman. Not what you were thinking of as your week off in the sun’s entertainment? It’s all for a good cause, but each year the crowd on the beach just cannot get enough of these hilarious first responders that sing, skit, dance, twerk, and joke their way through spring break. It’s not to be missed!
If you can, simply grab a room at the Lani Kai and stay in the middle of it all (Plus be able to catch your breath on your private, gulf-view balcony when you need to).
If you don’t get your room reserved there in time, there are plenty of other spring-breaker friendly hotels just a few beach towels down the shore. If you are researching reservations online and want to keep close to the party, search for a hotel close to Times Square. Pierview Hotel and Suites and Edison Beach House are two well-regarded options.
Or, gather your friends and find one of the many Airbnb beach houses available. From sprawling pool houses to cute cottages, there are plenty of choices to fit your version of an epic Fort Myers spring break.
Fort Myers Spring Break on the Water (Literally)
It’d be hard to come to Florida and NOT get out on the water, right? I mean, yes, you’ve got to do the beach, but getting OUT on the water is even better. Don’t worry, you won’t leave the party behind!
In fact, a boozy cruise like the ones offered from Lagerheads Cycleboats can take your party to the next level. They provide the ultimate combo of BYOB and bar hopping all in one fantastic experience.
Pack a cooler of your favorites bevs and hop aboard one of their peddleboats. You and your friends gather around the boat’s bar while perched on cycling stools and peddle off down the waterfront for one memorable night. And—just in case you are curious—yes, your delightful captain can just turn on the engine and you don’t actually have to peddle. (But it is ridiculously fun.)
What really makes it fun is while you’re floating past San Carlos Island and Fort Myers Beach you will pull up to all the hottest waterfront bars and grills. Hello, how magnificent is that?
There are other boating options as well. Feeling theatrical? Have a swaggering good time on the Salty Sam’s Pirate Cruise. This 21 and up pirate party does it up with costumes, cannons, dancing, and—in their words—nautical nonsense. The 65-foot Spanish galleon replica ship has a full bar to keep the grog (or rum runners) flowing. Yo Ho Ho… and a bottle of Rum.
Make the Most of Your Fun in the Sun
Ok, you’ve done the beach, went for a boat ride, and STILL need some more water with your Fort Myers spring break?
How about trying one of those hydro propulsion jet packs? Yes, those things that have you levitating above the water and doing outlandish stunts—you’ve seen the videos.
Skyhigh Jetpack and Flyboards can get you geared up and in the air. They even guarantee that if you don’t fly, your second flight is free. Just make sure someone gets your tricks on film for you—your spring break might just go viral.
Or, get a seagull’s perspective of the Fort Myers Beach with Paradise Parasail. Harness in under a huge, yellow smiley face sail and soar up to 500 ft for an exhilarating view. The color of the water, bright beach umbrellas, and palm trees below you make for great photos. When you’re ready to return to earth, glide down and drag your toes in the water.
For a little less-extreme water adventure, Lover’s Key offers Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) rentals. This is your chance for a VERY close up encounter with the dolphins and manatees that skinny-dip in our Florida waters. If you need a way to bring a little balance to your spring break week of wildness, they offer Yoga classes too—choose between on-the-beach or on-the-board.
What to Eat and Where to Drink
Fort Myers has an abundance of options when it comes to finding a place to refuel yourself. From award-winning chefs working their magic with freshly caught seafood to waterfront shacks serving heaping helpings of deliciousness off paper plates, this city can feed your cravings.
They are probably best known, though, for their seafood and Caribbean flavors. With fantastical restaurant names like the Mucky Duck, Junkanoo Beach Bar, Yucatan Beach Stand, The Beached Whale, and Parrot Key, you know it won’t be hard to find some satisfying tropic-inspired menus. It’s just trying to decide which one to try first!
That list up there is a good place to start. But here are a few more of our absolutely-don’t-miss Fort Myers local’s favorites:
- Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille-They’ve got the freshest seafood, a dock on the water, and the locals love them. With menu items like Caribbean Jerk Tostados, Conch Chowder, Dinkin’s Bay Boil Shrimp, and Campeche Fish Tacos, you can’t go wrong. And we haven’t even gotten to the drinks yet…
- Nauti Parrot Dock Bar-They’ve got waterfront dining served with a side of Key West ambiance nailed. The Caribbean inspired menu is worth getting excited about, and so is their entertainment schedule. They top it all off with a happy hour that makes you happy.
- Nervous Nellies- They’re the ones with all the colorful Caribe-hued umbrellas to rest under while sipping your just-as-bright beverages and watching the yachts cruise by. Oh, if you can, save room for the Pina Colada Bread Pudding. Oh, glory, heaven in paradise.
Keep the Party Going After the Sun Goes Down
Eventually the sun is going to give you the nod and trust you to keep the party going on until it sees you again in the morning. Where should you go to dance, dine, and drink the night away?
Our favorite spot is the Buddha Rock Club. This once Chinese restaurant, now a local icon, earned its name from the, well, big ol’ Buddha left behind. They keep it lit with a packed calendar of live music and plenty of room to dance.
If you are looking to experience the South Florida vibe, Celsius Nightclub will keep you swaying to the island sounds all night on their neon-lit dance floor. The DJ’s are doing something right because they get non-stop rave reviews. The bartenders do too.
Another popular downtown hotspot is City Tavern. They promote a feel-good mix of great pub food, awesome music, and they also have a sweet dance floor.
Close by, Indigo Room has mastered that sweet spot of a dive bar done right. The right music, the right atmosphere, the right bartenders. They even have you covered when you need a late-night Mexican food fix. Tac-O-Rama. Right there. Heck, this tiny taqueria’s tacos are crave-able even when you are sober.
Or, keep it simple, and go full circle—the Lani Kai night club will have you dancing until morning right on the water’s edge. Nothing makes it feel more like a Fort Myers spring break than salty night air.
See You at Fort Myers Spring 2019!
There you go, everything you need to plan the most epic week of your life. Have a blast.
(And if you do want to book that bar-hopping booze cruise, give us a call 239-312-3137