A couple buddies and I are shipping our bikes to Ft Meyers this weekend on 12/9. We opted for this area, as one of the guys Dad's lives there and is able to receive the bikes for us...so we wont be wasting time flying in and waiting around for the transport to arrive. We will then fly down 12/15 for the first of several trips this winter.

We intend to store the bikes in Ft. Meyers at a storage unit while we are back here in Chicago. We only need to start and finish our weekends and trips in the Ft Meyers area. I would love some suggestions of rides to take, places to stop for a drink, dining, and places to stay.

I have done some googling, and have spent some time in Marco, Naples, Orlando, and the Keys. I have a few ideas as to places I would like to go, but I am sure there is so much more that isn't even on my radar. Any help is appreciated!

 

Head north on 75 up to Hwy17 (Punta Gorda ) and head east about 7 or 8 miles and on the left hand side of the road is a little biker bar called Cafe 17 (or something close to that ), I pass it all the time when I'm driving down here for work, the weekends it is jammed!! Keep heading east on 17 all the way up to Zolfo Springs and grab Hwy 64 back towards Bradenton and then you have that area to explore.

 

I have shipped my bikes to Harley dealers. They rec’d, stored and washed my bikes. You may want to check them out.

 

if you head north toward Tampa, I've heard that Peggy's Corral is pretty cool and gets a lot of bikes.
I do want to get there sometime to check it out.

 

I check the map and pick out of the way places on the map. Also, be sure to check out Herb's Limestone Cafe.

 

From Ft. Myers, ride the Tamiami Trail ( old highway 41) over to the East coast. It's the original, and for many years the only way to get across the state that far South. Many examples along the route of OLD Florida. Stop at the Shark River tower to get a look at the Everglades all the way to the horizon. Seminole tribal lands, and a lot of pull-offs to view the critters in the canal along the way. One thing to know ( this is what we call "local knowledge" down here..) those big lizards laying on the canal bank can outrun you. Don't do like one Yankee tourist I watched one day. His wife ( who was sitting in the car with her movie camera) kept hollering "Morey..Make him move..!!" Morey was about 5'-nothing, maybe 80 yrs old. throwing rocks at a 10-12 ft gator laying on the bank. As I sat on my bike, watching him stepping closer to the Gator...I finally felt compelled to advise him of the relative sprint speeds between them. Yea, I know...shoulda left well enough alone.

 

I live and ride in the Ft Meyers area. Sounds like you are familiar with the area some. As you are aware....the farther north towards Tampa and Orlando you go the more traffic you will encounter. I like to stick to the back roads, but everyone has their own ideas.
If you go north to Port Charlotte, Black Widow Harley Davidson has a cool restaurant, with a large outside stage with live entertainment every weekend, the Twisted Fork Restaurant is open every day, but really you need to see the weekends. Twisted Fork – Eat. Drink. Enjoy. This place will be full of bikes too, GoTonight - Bar 17 - Venue Info and Upcoming Events A couple of other places going north but not biker bars
Sharky's On The Pier - Waterfront Dining -Venice, FL (sharkysonthepier.com) another Location & Contact - SandBar Tiki & Grille (sandbartikigrille.com) This last place its a nice place.....but parking can be a pain...Lighthouse Grill & Tiki Bar | Best Waterfront Restaurant in Englewood, FL (lighthouse-grill.com). These are all north of Ft. Meyers, all easy day trips up Rt. 41. Traffic on the weekends can be terrible, on Rt. 41. A lot of places are still recovering from the hurricane. This place just reopened, haven't been their yet, but was a nice place. Nav-A-Gator Bar & Grill | Food, Boat Tours / Rentals, Live Music & More ...GoTonight - Herb's Limestone Country Club - Venue Info and Upcoming Events....Rattlers Old West Saloon - Live Music Bar in Arcadia (business.site)
Ft. Meyers/Cape Coral/Pine Island. Boathouse Tiki Bar & Grill – Two Waterfront Locations – Open 365 Days a Year! (theboathouseusa.com)-
Waterfront | Miceli's Restaurant | Matlacha (micelis.com)
Low Key Tiki – Low Key Tiki @ Mile Marker 1 Saint James City, FL ....Ragged *** is in St. James City as well but still not reopened.
You said you were familiar with Marco, Naples so the only one I will mention down that way is Stan's Idle Hour Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Restaurant in Goodland, FL (stansidlehourgoodland.com)
Hope this helps some....there are more, these are just a few that I ride to. Enjoy

 

Who did you use to ship your bikes?

 

Lots of great suggestions here! Thank you all for the responses. We made the decision to postpone our trip until Monday, because the weather forecast was not good for the weekend.
Hopefully we get good weather.

Now that this will be weekday riding, does anything change with your advice?
Do you have any suggestions where to stay? We'd like a safe place, with walking distance to some bars and food options. Bonus points for near the water, but not necessary.
We had planned to just wing it and find a place to stay when we decide we were done riding, but I am reconsidering that idea and maybe we should be aiming for a particular spot.

 

My buddy was in charge of shipping, I will find out.