Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 239-283-4412;
www.redsfreshseafood.com
; 10880 Stringfellow Rd, Bokeelia; mains $8-28;
4-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat; )
This enormous, barn-like restaurant is perpetually buzzing with the chatter of happy eaters
who plough through pounds of coconut crab cakes, Boom Boom shrimp and homegrown
Pine Island clams. Do as they do and order tried-and-tested classics. The blackened
grouper and baby back ribs are winners; the Big Bomber burrito not so much.
Shopping
Lovegrove Gallery
ARTS & CRAFTS
( 239-283-6453;
www.leomalovegrove.com
;
4637 Pine Island Rd, Matlacha; 11am-5pm Fri-Mon)
If Matlacha is unexpectedly groovy for such a sun-faded fishing village, you can thank
artist Leoma Lovegrove. Her gallery has transformed a fishing shack into a whimsical vis-
ion of tile mosaics and paintings, with a loopy 'Tropical Waterways Garden' in back. Now
the whole block is a bona fide slice of roadside Americana, with unusual gift and craft
shops.
Information
For more information, visit
www.pineislandchamber.org
and
Getting There & Around
Pine Island is due west of North Fort Myers and is not accessible by public transportation.
By car, take US 41 to Pine Island Rd (Hwy 78), and head west.
Boat charters and water taxis are available at Pineland and Matlacha Marinas.
Fort Myers
Nestled inland along the Caloosahatchee River, and separated from Fort Myers Beach by
several miles of urban sprawl, the city of Fort Myers is often defined by what it's not: it's
not an upscale, arty beach town like Sarasota or Naples, and it's not as urbanely sophistic-
