FORT MYERS, Florida -- This is not the waterfront view that most travelers dream about when planning a trip to the Fort Myers area.
But the view of the Caloosahatchee River from my table at lunch in downtown Fort Myers was unexpectedly lovely.
Located inside the city-owned pier building, Oxbow Bar and Grill opened in spring 2021, with food as good as the scenery.
I’ve been coming to the Fort Myers region for decades, and I’ve never experienced this view. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been to downtown Fort Myers.
I’ve been missing out.
Most of the people who travel to this region come for views of the Gulf of Mexico, not the Caloosahatchee. And no urban center, including this one, is a substitute for the sun and sand on nearby Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach. But while those two towns are largely out of commission for the upcoming tourist season, downtown Fort Myers is open for business.
Downtown did sustain some damage from Hurricane Ian, which hit all of Lee County hard in late September. Several blocks closest to the river were flooded during the storm, but most of the affected businesses have reopened.
Downtown’s new 243-room Luminary Hotel, which operates the Oxbow, was closed for less than a week, according to Megan Dunphy, director of sales for the property.
The hotel, which opened in late 2020, is part of an ongoing transformation of downtown, which has evolved into a charming, lively neighborhood also known as the River District.
The hotel’s parent company, Mainsail Lodging and Development, also operates the city-owned Caloosa Sound Convention Center and the new Caloosa Sound Amphitheater, a riverfront outdoor concert venue that’s part of Centennial Park.
“Downtown has sort of come into its own over the past five years,” said Tamara Pigott, executive director of the Lee County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
With beaches near Fort Myers still closed, head to Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island for sun and sand
Overnighting in old Florida, at Pine Island’s Tarpon Lodge
Rebuilding Fort Myers Beach: Hurricane Ian prompts debate over island’s future
Sanibel Island after Ian: Causeway reopens to public Jan. 2, but recovery will take years
The population of Lee County has exploded in recent years, almost doubling in the past two decades to nearly 800,000. Fort Myers, the county seat, has nearly doubled in population, as well.
All those people have to live and dine somewhere, and they’re not all heading to the beach.
Key downtown attractions include the historic Arcade Theatre, built in 1915 and home to the Florida Repertory Theatre; the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, which houses exhibits and special events inside the former federal courthouse; and numerous restaurants and stores, including the Franklin Shops, a collection of dozens of small galleries and boutiques inside a former historic hardware store.
It’s all spread across a compact, easily walkable space, with brick streets, few traffic lights and a small-town vibe.
In addition to lunch at Oxbow, during my brief stay I enjoyed dinner at the Veranda, a long-time special-occasion restaurant in town, with fresh seafood on the menu, live piano at the bar, plus a waitstaff in tuxedos.
And one final stop on my downtown tour: Love Boat ice cream, which opened its newest outpost on Hendry Street just days before my visit.
This ice cream shop is a family favorite on Sanibel, where its store is temporarily closed. And that just gives me one more reason to include a trip downtown the next time I’m in the area.
The Luminary Hotel opened in Fort Myers in 2020 and is part of downtown's evolving transformation.
A memorial for victims of Hurricane Ian in downtown Fort Myers.
Outdoor dining in Fort Myers' River District.
If you go: Downtown Fort Myers
Information: myriverdistrict.com, visitfortmyers.com
Where to stay: I stayed one night at the lovely Hibiscus House Bed and Breakfast, in a century house just south of downtown near the Edison & Ford Winter Estates; overnight rates start at about $200.
More: Check back next month for a story on Thomas Edison’s winter home in Fort Myers.