Boardwalk Park Place - Fort Myers, FL

Fort Meyers, which contains the Boardwalk Park Place development, began its history as a fort along the Caloosahatchee River, which was utilized to defend settlers against the Seminole Indians during the American Indian Wars. Fort Meyers was incorporated in 1885 with 349 residents claiming their stake in the small town's future.

By the turn of the century, Fort Meyers had already evolved into a resort town with the construction of the Royal Palm Hotel. In 1904 Fort Meyers became one of the stops for the Atlantic Coast Railroad, which opened up the area for development and more rapid growth. Today Fort Meyers and its suburbs house the waterfront entertainment district, the Boston Red Sox spring training program, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates and the Imaginarium Science Center and remain a popular tourist destination for those preferring the calm gulf waters to the Atlantic.

While there is no central restaurant location in the neighborhood, residents can never get bored with the large selection of eateries in the area - many of which sell fresh seafood. You can head north into the city of Fort Myers to grab a bite to eat, or take a short jaunt to Sanibel Island or Fort Myers Beach to enjoy the sea breeze while you have lunch or dinner. If you seek a romantic meal with your significant other, try out Flippers On the Bay, which is part of Lovers Key Resort. This romantic spot located a few minutes south of Boardwalk Park Place draws locals during the weekend. Enjoy alfresco dining as you sample a Spanish-style shrimp cocktail or fresh salmon in a pesto cream sauce. You can spend the night and wake up to lobster eggs Benedict while watching the dolphins play tag in Estero Bay.

Culinary adventurers flock to Angelina's Ristorante on 24041 South Tamiami Trail for authentic Italian cuisine. Be sure to order a glass of wine before you delve into Angelina's extensive menu. For an appetizer, you can tempt yourself with buttermilk marinated calamari and grouper before ordering the divine duck breast with ravioli. Don't forget to save room for dessert, though, as you'll have to make a heart-breaking decision between the perfect pumpkin cheesecake and the dark chocolate mousse over hazelnut praline almond cake.

After your satiating meal, head over to the City Tavern for some live music and a cocktail. This Fort Myer's hot spot, located at 2206 Bay Street in the River District, has been packing in the locals for years. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, patrons dance to live music, while on Wednesdays, everyone joins in on the fun with karaoke. City Tavern also offers Sunday drink specials during football season, so pop in when you have the chance.

If you like to dance in an electric atmosphere, the heat is always on in Celsius Nightclub. This 21+ club located at 2213 Main Street in downtown Fort Myers is the place to be if you enjoy beautiful people, an awesome lighting system and DJs cranking out the latest tunes. Every Friday night, Southwest Florida's ladies drink free. You can try out the VIP bottle service with your friends at your own private table.

Most of the retirees and commuters in Fort Meyers utilize their own personal vehicles for transportation. You may experience some difficulty hailing a taxi outside of the downtown and beach areas, so you might want to consider contacting Uber should you have pressing business.

Public parking prices vary in Fort Meyers. You can pay a dollar or two an hour, or $5 to $10 dollar flat fees, depending upon the garage. Hopping on the highway is a jiff since I-75 runs right through the city. Fort Meyers has a number of designated bike lanes and trails, so the streets and neighborhoods can be considered cyclist and pedestrian friendly.

The Boardwalk Park Place development lies a few minutes from Regional Park on 7330 Gladiolus Drive. Be prepared to pay a $5 fee per vehicle, but it is worth the extra change. Fitness buffs can push themselves to the limit on one of the biking or jogging trails while the kids run around on the huge playground.

Dad can check his email from one of the wireless access points and then go fishing on the lake. You can also rent a bike or a boat for the day. Should you have a family pet, you will need to head to a different location. Dog owners can bring their furry friends to "Barkingham Park" (part of Buckingham Park) at 9800 Buckingham Road to give Fido the run he needs.

The cost of living in Boardwalk Park Place rates a little below the median amount for the Fort Meyers area. The average rental price for the district lists at $621. The development lies so close to downtown Fort Meyers that you can catch a bus for $1.25 or pick up an all-day pass for $1.25. Tossing back a cold brew in one of the local pubs will run you $7, and you can count on paying 11 percent above the national average to fill up your tank at the local gas station.

Since this area of Southwest Florida sees a lot of tourists throughout the year, you have an endless supply of boutiques and shops to browse through. High-end clothing stores can be found as well as shops specializing in moderately priced yet fashionable beach wear.

Eliza Lee Boutique on 17901 Summerlin Road carries clothing, accessories and all kinds of cool things to make your home a more comfortable place. Ask them to help you choose the perfect party invitations, and while you're there, peruse Eliza Lee's lines of nautical clothing or the latest styles of vegan leather handbags. It also gives a 20 percent discount to clients who arrive with a bag of dry cat or dog food to be donated to the local shelter. The one-on-one attention staff provide is second to none.

Another shop that you should put at the top of your list is Hollie's Boutique, located at 9671 Gladiolus Drive. Hollies carries full lines of the latest offerings by Splendid, AG, Dear John and WildFox among others. This reasonably priced boutique has the perfect selection of clothing for Fort Meyer's beachside climate. And it always has some nice sale items. Pick out a jumper or dress with some matching jewelry.

Boardwalk Park Place residents usually go to the conveniently located Publix Supermarket on 4600 Summerlin Road to do their weekly grocery shopping. Organic food lovers will have to hold out for the Lakes Park Farmers Market held every Friday on Gladiolus Drive. It sells a nice choice of organic produce and goodies, so be sure to get there early.