Fort Myers Beach is a great location for shell hunting, and the soft sand is perfect for making sculptures.Supplied
Looking out at the gulf waters from the top of the Pink Shell Resort’s epic outdoor staircase will likely remain the image most seared into my memory from my family’s trip down to Fort Myers Beach, Fla. But as we took in that breathtaking sunset shortly after arriving, it was hard not to imagine the scene of devastation that played out in that spot just 18 months before.
On Sept. 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian damaged or destroyed all of the buildings along the beach, and in the town, putting an area that relies on tourism out of commission. Nineteen-foot surges of water reached as high as the second storey of the Pink Shell’s main building, while Category 4 winds damaged its roof.
When we visited at the end of February, most of the larger hotels along the white-sand beach were not yet open, and where smaller ones had been were empty lots awaiting new development. Most of the Pink Shell’s rooms survived the storm, and became a temporary home to relief workers, displaced residents, and then construction crews and contractors. We stayed there almost exactly a year after the hotel began welcoming guests back – and the fact that it felt like the normal snow-bird getaway it’s been for decades is a testament to the resiliency of the people in the region. We were glad to see a hotel filled with tourists supporting their recovery.
My nine-year-old son, Louis, did wonder before we left Toronto if we would be in any danger, but I reassured him that the forecast was all sun. What I couldn’t have predicted was encountering something else frightening on our first morning: an alligator on the beach. Louis alerted me to it as he slowly backed away, but the reptile, it turned out, was actually made of sand. This part of Florida, with the most fine, powdery sand I’ve ever laid feet on, seems made for amateur sculptors. Inspired, my son later recreated our much-missed dog, Rio – and I made my childhood cat Romeo.
The Pink Shell Hotel in Fort Myers was damaged during Hurricane Ian in 2022, but recovered quickly and was able to invite guests back only six months later.Supplied
This area of Florida is also known for superior shell-hunting, but since there was a lot of competition in front of our hotel, one day we drove over to the nearby islands – Sanibel and Captiva. The causeway that connects the mainland with them was still being rebuilt, but traffic moved briskly. At one point, so did a pelican that flew alongside our car for at least half a kilometre.
We stopped at Blind Pass Beach Park, where we were treated to a free lesson from an avid sheller who noticed our newbie enthusiasm. One of them she called a mermaid’s slipper, which did look like that – if the mermaid was about six inches tall. Then she showed us a kitten’s paw, the shape of which was exactly like my old pal Romeo’s foot. We also collected many angel’s wings, moon shells and cones.
If the sunset view at the top of the Pink Shell has any competition for favourite sight of the trip, it would be the moment we saw a family of three dolphins crest the water in unison during our lunch at the Mucky Duck on Captiva. As we gasped, shouted and pointed for the benefit of everyone else on the pub’s patio, they all played it cool as if they’d seen this before. And, based on the number of dolphins we saw that day, they probably have.
The Pink Shell's Octopool is a popular social gathering spot at the hotel, and hosts activities for families all day long and into the night.Supplied
After lunch, during a Captiva Cruises dolphin-spotting tour, we saw many more pods hunting and playing. Not to be outdone, during that one-hour boat ride, a stingray flung itself three feet above the surface of the water, flapping its whole body as if to fly, before landing in a belly flop. As the captain explained to us that the tours were back to full capacity only that week, I could hear the relief in his voice.
Back at the Pink Shell’s beach the next morning, I noticed that if you look south you can see the remnants of the destroyed pier – now just some wooden poles of different lengths poking out of the water. It will be rebuilt in the next few years, but the loss of that gathering spot hasn’t stopped the community from getting together.
On our last day on Fort Myers Beach, a Saturday, we visited the weekly farmer’s market at what they call Times Square. It’s slightly less bustling than the more famous landmark that shares the same name, and there, we enjoyed delicious fresh strawberries, tacos from the Yo! Taco truck and had a family caricature drawn by an artist who delivered on his promise to make my wife look 10 years younger. (The result was that I looked like the father of two children).
Our trip took place in a region beset by tragedy, but the story of our trip was, in the end, a comedy. I know this because most comedies, at least the classic ones from Shakespeare’s time, end in weddings. On the way to the airport, we visited the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, where tourists can view the famous inventors’ cold-weather getaways, some very old cars, and the lab where they endeavoured to discover a local plant or tree that would produce suitable rubber for tires.
We collected many angel’s wings, moon shells and cones on our trip.Talia Rogers/Supplied
Being transported back a hundred years was incredible, but the real magic started when Ave Maria began playing over a loudspeaker. Everyone at the museum paused their audio tours to watch as a young couple marched toward a towering banyan tree to exchange their vows.
You won’t see that scene on any postcard, but to me, it embodies how this part of Florida has carried on, moving forward together through good weather and bad.
If you go
Where to stay: The Pink Shell Resort’s rooms all have kitchenettes with stoves and fridges, so you can really settle in and feel at home. But down by the central pool is also Bongo’s Beach Bar & Grill for a family-friendly meal, or Rae’s Real Italian, which is perfect for a grown-up date night. When booking your flight, look to arrive at Southwest Florida International Airport.
Shell-hunting: Blind Pass Beach Park on Sanibel Island is a favourite among avid shellers. From the Pink Shell Resort, it’s about a 45-minute drive, and is located on the northernmost point of the island, just before the bridge to Captiva Island. The beach has a small parking lot, with a QR code posted to pay by the hour.
Baseball day trip: Fort Myers is the spring training home for the Boston Red Sox, a 40-minute drive from the Pink Shell – and you can preorder tickets at MLB.com. But don’t eat too many ballpark hot dogs because just down the street is South Florida indie pizza joint Fine Folk Pizza, which is itself next door to Norman Love Chocolates, the creation of the Ritz-Carlton’s former executive pastry chef.
Historical highlight: The Edison and Ford Winter Estates is a window back in time: Model T’s from the early 1900s, a beaker-filled laboratory straight out of Frankenstein, and the small (by today’s standards) winter homes of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, which are still furnished as they were nearly a hundred years ago. And minutes away is downtown Fort Myers, with its gorgeous First Street strip of shops and restaurants. To stay on theme, head to Ford’s Garage for some comfort food.
The writer was a guest of Visit Florida. It did not review or approve the story.