Shopping

There is a PUBLIX about a 5-minute walk away. Very well equipped and highly recommended for shopping in between!
There is an ALDI about a 5 minute drive across Santa Barbara Blvd.
On - or no, THE- WALMART of Cape Coral is located on Del Prado Blvd S, about 10-15 minutes away. You can really get almost anything there. Make sure you don't leave at Walmart speed, otherwise it can become a day trip there (kudos to my wife...).

Beaches

The closest beach is Cape Coral's Yacht Club Public Beach on the Caloosahatchee River. Travel time by car just under 10 minutes, by bike a good 15 minutes.
The entire area is currently being rebuilt after Hurricane Ian. As soon as this is rebuilt (and that happens very quickly in the USA), THE BOATHOUSE TIKI BAR & GRILL will be there again, THE meeting place in Cape Coral.

The beautiful beaches of Fort Myers Beach or Sanibel can be reached in 30 minutes by car.
White wide sandy beaches invite you to linger, the water is usually pleasant.
Umbrellas, beach chairs and an ice picnic box are provided.

Our personal favorite is Naples Beach. At the Naples Pier you can meet one or the other dolphin next to you in the sea, especially in the morning or just before a beautiful sunset. A driving time of about 50 minutes, if you do a whole day at the beach, has always been worth it for us.

Other tips, albeit with a bit more driving time, are:
Venice Beach:

diving is worthwhile here, as there are relatively many fossil shark teeth to be found near the shore. A holiday memory that not everyone has.

Siesta Beach in Siesta Key:

It's not for nothing that this beach is rated NUMBER 1 in the USA. The white, very soft sand (similar to flour) is not hot in summer and feels really comfortable. It is a very large, wide beach where you can always find a quiet spot. The sea is gently sloping and mostly a turquoise dream.

Everglades

Not far away are the Everglades. In addition to many guided tours, there are also state information centers that have settled on Route 41, where you can always see a few aligators.

Boating

A highlight for us is to rent a boat at least once on every trip. The boats can be driven without a license, at the beginning you only have to take part in a short briefing.
So far we have always been very enthusiastic about Salty Sam's Marina, just before Fort Myers Beach. There you have the opportunity to either drive around in the rear bays or in the Gulf of Mexico, all the way to Sanibel.

And on every trip we could watch dolphins or sometimes manatees.

Restaurants

Here we always like to differentiate between where you can eat well and where you can eat well and cheaply. Especially when you are traveling with three children, eating out like this can quickly hit your wallet. Here are our experiences we were able to make in both categories (and the list will only grow longer):

Cicis Pizza: On the one hand in Cape Coral, on the other hand in Naples - with 3 adults and 2 kids we are around $50, but pizza, pasta, salads and soups ALL YOU CAN EAT (with drinks). Big highlight for dessert: cheesecake pizza. Sounds kind of perverse, but it's really delicious!
Lehne Burger:
Leoni's Pizza:
Bubba's Roadhouse & Saloon:
Ford's garage:
Bubble Room (currently closed):

Orlando and parks

Disney World
- Magic Kingdom
- Animal Kingdom
-Hollywood Studios
Universal Studios
Sea World
NASA (Cape Canaveral)

Ostküste mit Miami