Southwest Florida from A to Z

Animals of all sorts, many of them quite peculiar, make their homes in Southwest Florida. The anole, an ubiquitous lizard that scampers about gardens, driveways and the occasional living room, is harmless and eats bugs, so don't squash it. The manatee, a gentle sea cow on the endangered species list, feeds in our warm waters, particularly around the Florida Power & Light Co. plant on the Caloosahatchee River east of Fort Myers. Manatee zones established in the river require boaters, the lumbering manatee's only enemy, to slow down. And alligators are plentiful, often visible sunbathing on a cushy golf green, lying stump-like in lakes and roadside canals, and, come spring, on the move looking for love. It's illegal to feed them (because they lose their fear of man and become dangerous) and it's always advisable to steer clear of them, especially in the summer when momma gators fiercely defend their nests, eggs and hatchlings.

Beaches and boating are big deals year-round in Southwest Florida. Shell-laden beaches draw millions of visitors each year to Sanibel Island, where you can also see specimens in the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. Among other popular beaches are Lover's Key, just south of Fort Myers Beach and the only beach where dogs are allowed; Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area in north Collier County; and Marco Island's Tigertail Beach. More than 75,000 boats are registered in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties, which means there's a whole lot of fishing, water-skiing and nature watching going on. Beware the local waters' one curse: lots of shallow water. Get a chart and use it. They don't call the channel at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee "Miserable Mile" for nothing.

Concert halls bring stars to earth. The Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Naples and the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers provide venues for all sorts of celebrities and shows. The Phil, which has its own symphony orchestra, is the west coast home for the famed Miami City Ballet. Big-name shows, musicians and comedians grace both stages mainly from fall through spring. TECO Arena in Estero was built primarily for hockey (the home team, the Everblades, belongs to the East Coast Hockey League) but has also hosted concerts by luminaries such as Elton John and Sting.

Dining is bountiful in Southwest Florida. From casual beach joints hawking hot dogs and soft drinks to sophisticated restaurants where the tuxedo-clad wait staff serves haute cuisine, there are choices suited to any budget, taste and occasion. A world of ethnic eateries showcases the foods of Asia, Europe and the Americas. And growing numbers of Floribbean restaurants feature zesty unions of local produce and fish infused with the bright flavors of the Caribbean islands.

Edison, as in Thomas Alva, remains one of Fort Myers' most famous snowbirds. He and wife Mina escaped New Jersey winters at their riverfront estate along McGregor Boulevard. The winter respite didn't mean Edison took a break from work, though. His laboratory and gardens across McGregor from the house also are maintained by the city of Fort Myers. Edison's friend, Henry Ford, bought the house next door and the two properties now comprise the Edison-Ford Winter Estates, popular tourist attractions just west of downtown.

Festivals celebrating heritage, history and a bounty of local foodstuffs take place year-round, with the majority held during the cooler months. Seafood, swamp cabbage (the heart of the cabbage palm), mangos and watermelon each have their day, as do Greek, Indian and soul food. The area's biggest annual bash is the Edison Festival of Light, a three-week affair held in February celebrating the life of Thomas Edison and concluding with the nighttime Festival of Light Parade.

Golf and its trappings are big business all year. The region is reputed to have more golf holes per capita than any place in the country, but the number of golfers who want to use them is pretty large, too. More than 60 golf courses are private; some are private during the winter but public during the off-season; and more than 50 are open to the public all year. Prices are higher and tee times harder to get in the winter. In the summer, heat and afternoon storms make it advisable to start and end games early. The first streak of lightning is a divine sign to get off the course right away.

Hurricanes take up a lot of time on local weathercasts each summer, but Southwest Florida has been blessedly unscathed by these fierce tropical storms since Hurricane Donna made landfall in September 1960. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, with close to 90 percent of storms striking in August, September and October. Home closets should contain a hurricane survival kit filled with essentials such as batteries, canned goods and water.

Island time is the standard by which things move on the region's westernmost edge. While located within the same time zone as the mainland, communities such as Sanibel, Captiva and Pine Island seem to run at a more leisurely pace. Life is slower still on the barrier islands that are accessible only by boat. Cayo Costa is virtually undeveloped and a prime spot for shelling, swimming and sunbathing. There's a bustling restaurant on nearby Cabbage Key. The lunch menu includes shrimp, burgers and beverages. The island is said to be the inspiration for Jimmy Buffett's hit "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

Jobs are plentiful in Southwest Florida. The region's reputation as a retirement mecca is well deserved, but because all those retirees require such services as medical care, groceries and banking, it's become an increasingly good job market. There are also an increasing number of high-tech and other "smart" companies hungry for trained workers. According to labor experts, Southwest Florida's workforce is expected to expand by more than 26 percent between 1996 and 2006, while the nationwide increase is expected to be closer to 14 percent.

Kitsch is a commodity no self-respecting tourist destination could be without. The pre-eminent purveyor is the Shell Factory in North Fort Myers. A wild animal showcase, bumper boats, a video arcade, an aquarium and room after room of exotic shells, sponges and corals draw crowds day and night. It's also a great place for stocking up on shell lamps and plastic pink flamingos.

Lightning strikes often here. Florida ranks No. 1 in lightning-related deaths and injuries, reporting twice as many as any other state. Living in Florida doubles your odds of being struck by lightning, although commonsense safety precautions will keep you out of harm's way. Get off the golf course at the first hint of an oncoming storm. Stay indoors. Stay off the phone. And don't handle metal objects until the storm subsides.

Medical care may be hard to come by in some tropical outposts, but that's not a problem in Southwest Florida. The Cleveland Clinic has opened a branch in North Naples, bringing to 13 the number of hospitals from Port Charlotte to Naples. Lee Memorial's Healthpark Medical Center looks more like a hotel than a hospital, with a soaring and lushly landscaped atrium lobby and a cafeteria that draws people even when they have no health-related reason to be there. Lee Memorial also has a growing Children's Hospital with a pediatric specialty staff that can care for children locally, rather than sending them to Tampa or Miami.

Names, some of which confound the tongue, quickly separate newcomers from the pack. Take the Pine Island community of Matlacha for example. It is not matt-LATCH-a; it's MATT-lash-SHAY. Its origin is murky, with some claiming it's derived from a French word, although no one can say which one, while others believe it's a derivation of an Indian word for "defender." Others worth boning up on are: Ochopee (oh-CHOP-ee), a tiny town in eastern Collier County that lays claim to the world's smallest post office and is an Indian word for "big field;" and Immokalee (im-MOCK-a-lee), an Indian word for "tumbling waters," and also an agricultural town in eastern Collier County that's home to the region's only on-land casino.

Outlet shopping is a major form of recreation in Southwest Florida, with plenty of great opportunities for conspicuous consumption. Among the hot spots are Tanger Sanibel Factory Stores on Summerlin Road in Fort Myers, Coral Isle Factory Stores on State Road 951 between Naples and Marco Island and Miromar Factory Stores at Exit 19 of Interstate75 at Estero. For those who get more of a thrill paying full price, Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers, The Promenade in Bonita Springs and Waterside Shops in Naples offer stylish settings with tenants to match. Those who seek the stores they loved in (enter name of hometown/city here), can check out the sprawling Edison Mall in Fort Myers and Coastland Center Mall in Naples. Boutique devotees can shop and be seen along Fifth Avenue and Third Street South in Olde Naples or Periwinkle Place on Sanibel's Periwinkle Way.

Preservation through refuges and sanctuaries ensures that the natural beauty that brings so many people to Southwest Florida endures through generations. The five-mile Wildlife Drive through the 5,000-acre J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel is home to more than 200 species of birds, including roseate spoonbills, ospreys and wood storks. Other residents include gators, turtles, raccoons, possums and such. East of Naples, the National Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is home to North America's largest nesting colony of wood storks, an endangered species. A two-mile boardwalk gives humans a high and dry vantage point from which to check out the cypress trees, swamps, wet prairie and the creatures that call them home.

Quick reflexes are vital for navigating Southwest Florida roads. Consider that the region attracts many visitors and new residents who don't know their way around and so are likely to drive slowly and/or turn unexpectedly. This happens a lot, especially during the winter when the area's population usually doubles, so drive defensively.

Real estate remains a hot commodity in this balmy subtropical locale. One of the region's big draws is its vast range of prices. The median home price in Lehigh Acres is about $75,000; in Fort Myers, it's $106,632; in Cape Coral, $130,000; Bonita Springs comes in at about $135,000; in Naples, it's $172,000; and Sanibel's median price is $454,500. Historic homes are scarce; developments planned around golf courses and country clubs are not.

Seasons occur here, although they're subtler than those of northern climes. Summer is when you carry a sweater to wear inside to combat air conditioners set at arctic levels. Locals know it's fall when the license plates start to change hues, as Northerners make their annual migration south. During the winter, trees hang heavy with all manner of citrus. And spring officially begins when the boys of summer and their fans flock to the region for spring training. The Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins hold spring training in Fort Myers while the Texas Rangers are based in Port Charlotte. There are, in fact, a lot of seasons here, including stone-crab season, alligator-mating season, sea turtle nesting season and hurricane season.

Tourism is the region's lifeblood, with more than 4 million visitors spending more than $2 billion a year. It's because of tourists and the money they spend that Florida has no income tax. It's also largely responsible for the Southwest Florida International Airport's rapid growth, the smorgasbord of restaurants, shops and well-maintained roads. Be nice to the tourists. You were most likely one not so long ago.