Water activities like boating, charter boating, fishing, swimming, canal sightseeing, sunbathing are a big part of the quality of life.

One out of every 10 people owns a boat and many are moored in canals behind beautiful homes.

Golfers flock to over one hundred, 18-hole championship courses located in Lee and Collier County. Gyms, racketball and tennis courts, are located throughout the county.

Great variety abounds in area restaurants including The Veranda (in Old Ft. Myers city), the Prawnbroker (on Mcgregor Blvd.), Stonebridge (corner 41 and College), Dolce Vita (located on Periwinkle-Sanibel), and Dwyers (located on 41 below Cypress Lake Dr.) There are hundreds of wonderful restaurants to choose from: Italian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Mexican, Greek, French, Japanese, Asian and more.

Other attractions are Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, Children's Science Center, Edison-Ford Winter Estates, Everglades Day Safari, The Imaginarium, Koreshan State Historic Site, Lakes Park, Railroad Museum's Train Village, The Shell Factory and Nature Park, J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel , the Spring Training complexes of the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins and many many more.

Dozens of organizations rely on Volunteers to sustain and round out programs that serve residents such as Lee Memorial Health System, Dept. of Children and Families, American Red Cross, St. Xenia Food Pantry, Senior Friendship Center, Department of Juvenile Justice, Hope Hospice, and many many more. If you like to volunteer, there is a place for you to do so and help a great deal.

In closing, I would just like to say that Southwest Florida is Paradise. With the weather that we have and the many things to do, it just doesn't get any better.