Southwest Florida Day Trips

Southwest Florida day trips and one tank trips are generally off the beaten path.

I-75 is the the north-south interstate in this region. It comes into Florida near Jasper and meanders down the center of the state until it starts veering west toward Tampa.

It goes all the way to Miami and stays pretty close to the west coast in this region.

The interstate exits are crowded with gas stations, fast food restaurants and motels. You can travel the state quickly and easily on this highway (except during rush hours), but not see much scenery or real towns.

The town signs you do see are usually a few miles from the downtown section. The fun begins when you get off the interstate and hook up with the less traveled roads.

There are many state and county highways off the interstate that offer better scenery and a look at real towns. In Florida, some backroads are even four-laned.

Here are a few Southwest Florida day trips that I recommend:

1. SR-771 from Port Charlotte to Boca Grande.
2. McGregor Boulevard from downtown Fort Myers south to Iona. Magnificent palms planted in the day of Thomas Edison. Fine old homes, including the Edison and Ford Estates.
3. SR-29 from LaBelle to Immokalee. See how much of Florida is still grove and farmland.
4. SR-78 from LaBelle west to SR-31. Meanders along the Caloosahatchee River, huge trees, rural areas. Stop in Alva, not named after Thomas Alva Edison. Visit the Eden Winery.
5. SR-78 (Pine Island Road) from Cape Coral to Pine Island through Matlacha. Up and down Pine Island on Stringfellow to Bokeelia and St. James City. A different kind of place. Home of author Randy Wayne White.
6. From Vanderbilt Beach Road in Naples south through Pelican Bay and Crayton Drive to the end of Gordon Drive in Port Royal. Then back to Third Street. The finest most expensive homes in Florida.
7. Fifth Avenue in Naples. A redeveloped downtown area with fine dining and shopping. Extends from the Gulf across Third Street South to US-41. This is the heart of Old Naples .
8. Immokalee Road to Ave Maria via Oil Well Road. A brand new city built by the Domino Pizza king and the Collier family.
9. SR-29 from US-41 south to Everglades City and Chokoloskee . Lost in time, fishing village and low lands.
10. US-41 from Naples to Miami through the Everglades. Wilderness, Indian villages, scenic overviews. The lonely Big Cypress Loop Road . Don't do this if it's been raining raining hard for hours. The road is likely to be flooded.

THINGS TO DO IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Southwest Florida Art Festivals

Southwest Florida Day Trips

Southwest Florida Heritage Sites

Southwest Florida Museums

Southwest Florida Parks

Southwest Florida Theater

Southwest Florida Tourist Attractions

Southwest Florida Wineries

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