Nature Parks

Looking to do a little hiking, and take your pooch, too?

Fort Myers

• Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve (on-leash only): 1290 acres located at 17100 McDowell Drive and 10130 Bayshore Rd., North Fort Myers (two entrances on either side of I-75)
• Prairie Pines (on-leash only): 2654 acres located at 18400 N Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers

Dog Parks

Fort Myers

• Barkingham Park at Buckingham Park: 9800 Buckingham Rd.  I haven't visited this one myself, but I've spoken to people who have. So far all of them have said that it is a beautiful park, but "aggressive". I guess there are a lot of aggressive/high strung dogs, and the owners don't control them very well. So the people have driven long distances to seek out calmer places to let their dogs roam free.
• Pooch Park at Judd Park: 1297 Parkview Ct.  This is a great little park. There's a small dog park and a large dog park, although you will usually find a number of small dogs over with the big ones. Good group of people bring their dogs here!
• Woof-A-Hatchee at Wa-ke Hatchee: 16760 Bass Road

Stores and Shopping Centers

Fort Myers/Cape Coral

• Bell Tower Shops: Many of the stores at the Bell Tower welcome dogs, and the shopping center even hosts a monthly "Yappy Hour", which caters to dogs and their human companions.
• Home Depot
• Lowe's
• Starbucks: The last I heard, the local Cape Coral Starbucks located on Pine Island Road and Pondella had a monthly dog night. I think it was held on Mondays, and proceeds would go towards a local animal rescue.

Dog Friendly Beaches

Fort Myers

• Dog Beach: Estero Blvd on Fort Myers Beach. Just north of the New Pass Bridge.
• Fort Myers Dog Beach: 3410 Palm Beach Blvd. (Must have a copy of health records with you at all times)
• Lee County Off-Leash Dog Beach Park: Route 865, Fort Myers Beach. Dogs are allowed off-leash at this beach. Located South of Fort Myers Beach and north of Bonita Beach on Route 865. Parking is near New Pass Bridge.
• Lovers Key/Carl E. Johnson State Park: south of Fort Myers beach at 8700 Estero Blvd, between Big Carlos Pass and New Pass.
• Sanibel Causeway Beaches: Just pull off at any of the number of beaches lining the Sanibel causeway.
• Lighthouse Beach & Fishing Pier: Located on the eastern tip of Sanibel. Turn left on Periwinkle Way from Causeway Road.
• Gulfside City Park (Algier's Beach): Turn right onto Periwinkle Way, then left onto Casa Ybel Rd. Located at the other side of the island off of Algier's Lane.
• Tarpon Bay Beach: Located at the south end of Tarpon Bay Road at West Gulf Drive.
• Bowman's Beach: Long walk to the beach from the parking lot, or ride the train. Also has BBQ grills and trails to hike. Located off Sanibel-Captiva Rd, turn left on Bowman's Beach Road.

Non-specific Events and Places

There are some general places and events that often welcome dogs. You may need to check with an event or location to confirm whether dogs are welcome:

• Outdoor events, like art and craft shows and music festivals.
• Parks and campgrounds
• Restaurants with outdoor eating areas

Pet Friendly Restaurants

A list of restaurants that either welcome dogs, or have outdoor dining areas convenient for dog lovers:

Cape Coral

• The Joint Restaurant in Cape Harbour. 5785 Cape Harbour Drive # 108, Cape Coral, 33914. (239) 542-0123

• Bubbas RoadHouse off Pine Island Rd. 2121 SW Pine Island Road, Cape Coral, 33991. 239-282-5520

• The Monkey Bar in south Cape Coral.1428 Lafayette St, Cape Coral, 33904. 239-549-8800

• The Working Cow Ice Cream Parlor. 520 Cape Coral Pkwy E, Cape Coral, 33904. 239-945-0654 

• "The Dog" Bar & Grille hosts an outdoor dining area for dogs and their human companions.3522 Del Prado Blvd S, Cape Coral, FL 33904. 239-541-8304

Fort Myers

• Parrot Key, Fort Myers Beach.

• Pinchers in Fort Myers.

Surrounding SW Florida islands 

(Captiva, Sanibel, Pine Island, Matlacha, Marco)

• RC Otters, Captiva Island.

• Dairy Queen, Sanibel Island.