ECHO tour. FILE PHOTO

North Fort Myers is a community unlike any other in Lee County. It has its urban qualities, but rural ones as well, which makes it unique.

It also has its history, with facilities that date back decades and preserves you can walk that go back even further. It’s that feel for nature that separates North Fort Myers from the more urban areas of Lee County.

It also is home to a pair of international stars – Southwest Florida’s most popular eagles – which have returned home from summer break to get ready for their next clutch of eaglets. Mating pair M15 and F23 have a worldwide following on the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, where they get literally millions of view each nesting season as they rebuild, lay eggs and care for their brood on the Pritchett Farm off Bayshore Road until the latest hatchlings take wing. (Visit www.dickpritchettrealestate.com for a 24/7 livestream.)

Looking for a place to grab a bite or a place to enjoy some shade or sun in nature? North Fort Myers has plenty of options for either or both.

Merchants Crossing at Pine Island Road and U.S. 41 offers a selection of restaurants as well as a movie theater and 24-hour fitness center.

Nearby, North Fort Myers Regional Park off U.S. 41 at Recreation Way, has a recreation center, ball fields, shuffleboard courts and a new library,

PLACES TO GO

ECHO Global Farm

ECHO Global Farm is a teaching, training and research center dedicated to help feed people worldwide. It is open for tours year-round and features plants and trees from all over the world as well as a gift shop and plant nursery.

The Global Food & Farm Festival, the biggest event of the year for ECHO, keeps getting bigger and better, with more things to do during the five-day event. The event happens in mid-March. The exact dates have not been announced.

It also hosts workshops and other events. Their annual International Agricultural Conference, which was done remotely because of COVID for a couple years, is back live from Nov. 7 -9, with many of the world’s delegates coming to the farm.

More info: Visit https: www.echonet.org for current tour hours or more information.

Address: 17391 Durrance Road, North Fort Myers

Lee County Posse Arena

The Lee County Posse Arena, operated by a non-profit organization that assists a variety of youth organizations, holds numerous open-to-the-public events, including rodeos and equestrian performances offering a look at “old Florida” at its best.

The arena has undergone some changes, including some new bleachers and a second scoring tower at the other side of the arena, with a bridge adjoining the two over the chutes.

There usually is lots of barrel racing, with jackpot races every first Friday of the month.

The annual Cracker Day Rodeo, one of the oldest events in Lee County, will be from Friday, Jan. 24 to 26, 2025. The PRCA Pro Rodeo will return, from Feb. 21 to 23.

More info: Check their website www.leecountyposse.com for their current calendar of events.

Address: 17401 Palm Creek Drive

Lee Civic Center

While the 44-year-old facility faces lots of changes in the immediate future, there still are things going on there. The facility has hosted the Southwest Florida and Lee County Fair for decades and will host it again (under the renamed Southwest Florida Ag Expo) from Feb. 27 through March 9, 2025.

More info: Check out the web site www.leeciviccenter.com for updates on the progress of the facility.

Address: 11831 Bayshore Road

THINGS TO DO

Love the outdoors?

North Fort Myers is home to numerous county preserves and parks.

Among the highlights:

• Prairie Pines Preserve off U.S. 41 at 18400 N. Tamiami Trail, where you can hike the trails – there are 17 miles of them – and bring a horse if you so desire. There also is a path that may be used for on-leash pet walking. The large preserve encompasses 2,654 acres and is popular for bird watching and wildlife observation.

• Caloosahatchee Creek Preserve, at 17100 McDowell Drive, hugs the east side of I-75 on Bayshore Road and actually has two access points.

The east side features a 1.5-mile boardwalk while the west offers access for canoes and kayaks into Pop Ash Creek. Both sides offer picnic pavilions and areas for on-leash pet walking.

• Pop Ash Creek Preserve may be found off of Nalle Grade Road at 9451 Nalle Grade Road. It’s another Conservation 20/20 property where you can see the wildlife, again on horseback. There are more than six miles of hiking and equestrian trails.

• For those who like things a little closer in, North Shore Park at 13001 N. Cleveland Avenue along the Caloosahatchee River, offers beautiful water views and an opportunity to picnic but no swimming.

For a full look at Lee County’s many parks and preserves, visit www.leegov.com.