Why Canadians Love Fort Myers

It makes sense that Canadians would be interested in Florida, especially during the sometimes harsh winter weather up north. Fort Myers seems to be particularly enticing.

Some consider this part of Florida more laid-back, plus you’ll find no shortage of things to do, see, or experience. In recent years, the number of Canadians flocking to the area in and around Fort Myers each winter has grown, year-over-year.

In 2018 alone, an estimated 3.5-million Canadians were said to have visited the State of Florida. That was higher than the previous year, and more than the number of travelers from the UK, Brazil, and Colombia, combined.

As of a few years ago, about half of all Canadian visitors were coming from Ontario, and about half were also ages 55 and older. In past years, Canadians chose Florida and New York state above all other U.S. states to visit.

Getting from Canada to Fort Myers is even easier now that non-stop, seasonal flights are available from such locations as Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. Apart from noticeably warmer temperatures, Fort Myers has plenty to offer seasonal visitors.

You’ll find around 50 miles of white sand beaches in the region, full of hundreds of different varieties of seashells. In fact, this part of Florida is known for having some of the best shelling in the world.

Watersports are also plentiful, with world-class fishing, kayaking, and boating opportunities everywhere you look. For those interested in a little history and culture, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates is a popular location for visitors.

Fort Myers isn’t the only Florida city that Canadians seemingly flock to in the winter. Many of them are also known to head to the Orlando area, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, the Tampa Bay area, Palm Beach, and the Florida Keys.