Discover Southwest Florida

Southwest Florida Symphony, 4560 Via Royale, (239) 418-1500. Classical and pops concerts November through April. Also the home of Symphony on Sanibel and a new traveling choral series. www.swflso.com.

Theatre Conspiracy, 10091 McGregor Blvd., (239) 936-3239. Nonprofit theater group performs everything from the classics to cutting-edge works and world premieres. www.theatreconspiracy.org.

Live Music/Dancing

Brick Bar and Sky Bar, 2224 Bay St.,
(239) 332-7425. Two-level establishment, with the Sky Bar on the roof patio. Live rhythm and blues, rock, jazz and DJ.

Buddha Bar & Grill, 12701 McGregor Blvd., (239) 482-8565. Live entertainment Tuesday through Sunday. 21 and up.

Cachet Bar & Grill, 2245 Winkler Ave., (239) 277-7622. Latin dance club Friday and Saturday nights.

Cin Cin Mediterranean Bar & Grille, 13451 McGregor Blvd., (239) 415-2007. Live music in the Red Room Wednesday through Sunday. www.cincingrille.com.

City Tavern, 2206 Bay St., (239) 226-1133. Live music with Soapy Tuna and more.

Club 1527, 1527 Hendry St., (239) 461-9744. Four bars on three levels.

Cyrus Nightclub, 2213 Main St.,
(239) 226-0292. Late-night entertainment.

Dwyers Pub, 13851 S. Cleveland Ave., (239) 425-0782. Irish pub hosts Screaming Orphans (sister act from Ireland), Celtic Stew and traditional Irish folk.

EnVie, 2213 Main St., (239) 337-0909.
Sophisticated lounge downtown with live jazz and Miami-style spin doctors.

Fat Cats Drink Shack, 1512 Hendry St., (239) 226-9272. Frozen drinks and happy hour. Pool tables, dartboards and video games. 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Groove Street Grill & Discotheque, College Plaza Shopping Center, corner of College Parkway and Winkler Road,
(239) 437-2743. Ladies’ night Thursday; ’70s disco, ’80s dance music and Top 40 hits Friday and Saturday. www.groovestreet.com.

Indigo Room, 2219 Main St., (239) 332-0014. Open mike, DJ and dancing.

Knuckleheads, 17250 Tamiami Trail S.,
(239) 267-1400. Live music with Heather Brooks & Funky Sea in south Fort Myers.

LJ’s Lounge, 16500 S.R. 31, east Fort Myers, (239) 694-4287. Karaoke with live music accompaniment Wednesday; live entertainment Friday and Saturday. No cover.

Patio 33, 33 Patio de Leon, downtown, (239) 461-2727. DJ and dancing. Three bars, dance floor and outdoor patio. 21 and up.

Ricochet, 3853 S. Cleveland Ave., in the Kmart Plaza, (239) 277-5700. Ladies’ night Friday; dance party on Saturday.

Spirit of Bacchus, 1406 Hendry St., (239) 689-2675. Live music and spirits downtown.

Viper Club, 16520 S. Tamiami Trail, Island Park Shopping Center, (239) 437-2177. Live entertainment nightly; dance bands.

Comedy

Comedy Asylum, (239) 332-7992. Performs monthly at the Café Cabaret at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 1380 Colonial Blvd.

Laugh-In Comedy Café, College Plaza Shopping Center, corner of College Parkway and Winkler Road, (239) 479-LAFF. Featuring national touring comedians and a full menu Friday and Saturday at 8 and 10 p.m; 8 p.m. show Friday and Saturday is smoke-free. 21 and up. Thursday night 8 p.m. show $5.

FORT MYERS BEACH

Live Music/Dancing

Channel Mark, 19001 San Carlos Blvd., (239) 463-0117. Live jazz 7 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Sunday night reggae band and dancing. Hurricane Bay boat access.

The Bridge, 708 Fisherman’s Wharf,
(239) 765-0050. Live music 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reggae dock party 2 to 11 p.m. Sunday. No cover.

Jimmy B’s, 1130 Estero Blvd., (239) 463-9759. Live music.

Junkanoo Beach Bar, 3040 Estero Blvd., (239) 463-6139. Reggae beach parties.

SANIBEL ISLAND

Performing Arts

The Schoolhouse Theater, 2200 Periwinkle Way, (239) 472-6862. Home of the Off Beach Players, (239) 481-9111, and Encore Productions. The 160-seat theater presents shows ranging from comedy and vaudeville to musicals and drama.
www.theschoolhousetheater.com.

Gulf Coast Symphony, (239) 481-4849. The only nonprofessional community orchestra in Southwest Florida. Performs a variety of concerts each year.
www.gulfcoastsymphony.org.

Live Music/Dancing

Dolce Vita, 1244 Periwinkle Way, (239) 472-5555. Supper club with piano bar.

Ellington’s Jazz Bar and Restaurant, 937 East Gulf Drive, (239) 472–0494.
Live jazz.

Jacaranda, 1223 Periwinkle Way, (239) 472-1771. Entertainment seven nights
a week.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

There’s nothing to do." that line from childhood doesn’t work here along the Gulfshore, where there truly is adventure and sport for every taste. Golfers make the sacred journey to this land of lush greens and tropical fairways designed by the greatest legends of our time. We claim the most golf holes per capita in North America, and we play approximately 364-and-a-half days a year. Pro-quality tennis facilities lure the serious and recreational player as well as professional tournaments. And speaking of spectator sports, we’ve got exciting Everblades hockey plus the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins for spring training.
Gulf breezes make sailing our countless miles of coastline a dream. We have the biggest purse tarpon tournament in the world (Boca Grande); meanwhile, grouper, redfish, snook and others are lurking not just in the backwaters and offshore, but beneath the docks and along the beach. Sometimes it’s calm enough to see snook running just below the surface, and other times nature sends in the waves to lure surfers and skim-boarders out to play.
A vast population of wildlife attracts birders and naturalists from all over the world. There are so many choices of things to do that sometimes it’s best to stretch out on that float and do, well, nothing. For more great ideas, start here.

Boat Tours and Charters, Watersports and Marinas

EVERGLADES CITY

Captain Doug’s Everglades Safari, one mile past the bridge on S.R. 29, (800) 282-9194. Learn about native plants and wildlife. Alligator park.

Eden of the Everglades, 903 Dupont Road, (800) 543-3367. One-hour Everglades boat tours. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Everglades National Park Boat Tours, S.R. 29, Chokoloskee Causeway, (800) 445-7724. See mangrove forests, manatees, dolphins, bald eagles and roseate spoonbills. $21 adults, $11 children. www.nps.gov/ever.

Everglades Private Airboat Tours, 31000 E. Tamiami Trail, (800) 368-0065. $30 adults, $15 children. www.epat.cc.

Everglades Wildlife Safari Tours, 31222 E. Tamiami Trail, (877) 695-2820. One-hour airboat rides, safari rides.

Jungle Erv’s Airboat World, S.R. 29, (800) 432-3367. Everglades airboat ride. www.jungleervairboatworld.com.

MARCO ISLAND

Airboat Experience, 3200 Highway 92 at the Goodland Bridge, (239) 642-3141. See manatees, dolphins, birds and alligators. www.airboatexperience.com.

Blue Runner Charters, 610 Lewis Court, (239) 642-7585. Offshore fishing for groups up to six. Children welcome. www.bluerunner-charters.com.

Caxambas Park, 909 S. Collier Court, (239) 642-0004. Boat ramp, restrooms, fuel, bait, tackle, refreshments and picnic area. 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Cedar Bay Marina, 705 E. Elkcam Circle, (239) 394-9333. Boat rentals, fuel, bait, tackle, ice and ship’s store. www.cedarbaymarina.com.

Eagle Excursions, 3200 San Marco Road, (239) 642-1925. Dolphin and manatee tours. www.eagleexcursions.com.

Factory Bay Boat Rentals at Cedar Bay Marina, 705 E. Elkcam Circle, (239) 642-6717. Boats, dry storage and service. www.cedarbayrentals.com

Marco Island Ski and Water Sports, 400 S. Collier Blvd. at Marriott Marco Island Resort & Golf Club, (239) 642-2359, or 560 S. Collier Blvd. at Marco Island Hilton Beach Resort, (239) 642-3377. Parasailing, WaveRunners, eco-tours and more. www.marcoislandwatersports.com.

Marco River Marina, 951 Bald Eagle Drive, (239) 394-2502. Daily shuttle to Key West. Rental boats, tackle shop and ship’s store; service and boat sales. www.marcoriver.com.

Sea Excursions, 705 E. Elkcam Circle, (239) 642-6400. A conventions services company offering support services to meeting planners for fishing, sailing, shelling and sunset tours. Dinner cruises, dolphin watching. www.seaexcursions.com.

Stop’s Marine Charters, 385 Angler Drive at Calusa Marina, (239) 394-8000. Fishing, shelling, sightseeing, eco-tours and snorkeling. www.stopsmarinecharters.com.

Marco Island Princess at 951 Bald Eagle Drive Marco Island, FL 34145 (239) 642-5415. Daily cruises include lunch buffet, sightseeing, sunset hors d’oeuvres and sunset dinner buffet cruises.
www.naplesprincesscruises.com.

NAPLES

A & B Charters, at the City Dock, 880 12th Ave S., (239) 263-8833. Half-, full- and multiday deep-sea or inland fishing trips, shelling and cocktail charters for six to 12 passengers. www.aandbcharters.com.

All Water Excursions, (239) 594-0213. Customized sunset charters, eco-tours, fishing excursions, luxury charters, party boats trips and water activities. www.allwaterexcursions.com.

Bayview Park, Danford Street off Thomasson Drive, (239) 353-0404. Two-lane boat ramp, restrooms, picnic shelters and playground. $3 ramp fee. Sunrise to sundown.

Cocohatchee River Park and Marina, 13531 Vanderbilt Drive, (239) 566-2611. Tackle, fuel, rental boats and dockage. Overnight dockage is also available. $3 ramp fee. 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.

Collier Boulevard Boating Park, S.R. 951 at C.R. 952, (239) 353-0404. Two-lane boat ramp. Sunrise to sundown.

Day Star Charters, 1500 Fifth Ave. S., (239) 417-3474. Flexible private boat charters deep-sea and backwater fishing, dolphin watches, sunset cruises. www.daystarcharters.com.

Double Sunshine/Lady Brett, U.S. 41 at Tin City, (239) 263-4949. Double Sunshine offers nature cruises, dolphin watching and sunset cruises. $28.30 per adult; half price children under 12; Lady Brett offers offshore fishing and half-day trips. $60 per adult; $50 12 and under. www.tincityboats.com.