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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- North America
- United States of America
- Florida
- Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast
Off Florida's west coast adjacent to the pretty inland city of
Fort Myers is a sprinkling of coastal islands resting in the
tranquil Gulf waters. Many have been carefully developed as
pristine and appealing resorts which, together with Fort Myers
Beach and the sophisticated town of Naples further down the coast
on the mainland, have made this area with its subtropical climate
an extremely desirable holiday destination.
South west Florida is the ideal place to enjoy leisure and
pleasure in the great outdoors, it being one of the warmest areas
of the United States. In the height of summer ocean breezes keep
things cool while visitors enjoy swimming, sunning, shelling or
playing a round of golf. Nature lovers are drawn here because of
the area's close proximity to the Everglades National Park, the Big
Cypress Swamp and numerous other wetland reserves, wildlife refuges
and habitats. Then, of course, there are the miles of beautiful
beaches, washed by the warm Gulf waters and covered in a
fascinating array of seashells. Winter is 'in season' in this part
of the world, which stays warm while the more northerly states
freeze. Little wonder that the Gulf Coast has become a magnet for
visitors whom locals term 'snowbirds' migrating from the north to
winter here.
Information & Facts
Climate
The climate in southern Florida is subtropical and humid, with
temperatures ranging from 60°F (16°C) in midwinter (which is peak
tourist season) to around 80°F (27°C) in summer. The summer heat
and humidity along the coast and on the islands is tempered by the
ocean breezes from the Gulf of Mexico, and by frequent afternoon
and evening thundershowers, which accounts for most of the region's
rainfall. The winter months are dryer. The area is prone to being
hit by tropical cyclones, but local communities have adapted to
cope with these occasional storm threats.
Getting Around
The main Gulf coast cities of Fort Myers and Naples both have
public buses. Greater Fort Myers is served by Lee Tran, which
connects to the beach trolley service on Estero Island and the
resort area of Fort Myers Beach. The beach trolleys operate every
15 minutes from 7am to 9.30pm and cover the full length of Estero
Boulevard on the barrier island. In Naples visitors enjoy riding
the trolley, which makes 25 stops between Olde Naples and
Vanderbilt Beach every day. Not only is this a useful
transportation service, but the two-hour loop comes with a
narration from the driver, which makes it an informative
sightseeing tour as well. There is no public bus service connecting
to Sanibel and Captiva Islands, and no public transportation on the
small islands themselves. Cars are not encouraged on the streets
with no parking permitted anywhere except on the Sanibel Causeway
or some municipal pay lots. Bicycles are the favoured means of
transportation on the resort islands. The resorts and cities of the
Gulf Coast all have cab services available.
Language
English is the most common language but Spanish is often
spoken in south-western states.
Money
The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into
100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are
widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widely
accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoid
hassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.