Creekside RV Resort

Fishing from the park on Alligator Creek is a fine way to pass a lazy afternoon or three; for bigger stuff head 15 minutes by car to Port Charlotte. The merging of the coastal waters with the freshwaters of the Peace, Myakka and Caloosahatchee rivers makes for a special ecosystem and a fishing paradise, packed with tarpon, snook, barracuda and grouper; take charters out to sea or explore the rivers by canoe or pontoon boats. For beach days, Port Charlotte Beach State Park is a 20-minute drive away and popular for watersports, picnics and volleyball. If you’re seeking solitude, drive out to Pine Island (40 minutes) for deserted sands and shell-strewn coves; paddle through mangroves and swim in protected waters so clear you can see the teeming marine life on the seabed. For more wildlife encounters, kayak your way out to meet the manatees from Manatee Park (20 minutes) or to spend longer on the sea take a day cruise from Fort Myers half an hour away, down to Key West. Further afield, it’s an hour to see the stingrays and sharks in Sarasota’s aquarium and experience the oddly cool quartz sands of the beach underfoot. A similar distance away, Naples (the other one) is known for its chic boutiques, fine dining and high culture.