There’s no question that Fort Myers and all of Southwest Florida is a boater’s paradise, and whether you need deep-water dockage for your yacht or simply want to launch from your backyard canal for a day on the water, Lee County offers some of the most desirable waterfront residential communities centered around the boating lifestyle.

With its easy access to the Caloosahatchee River, Gulf of Mexico and countless bays, inlets and lakes, Fort Myers is one of the most popular boating destinations for those relocating to Florida. The appeal of being able to cast off your lines and take to the sparkling waterways on your own boat is a top reason people find this such a desirable place to call home.

Let’s look at some of the Fort Myers area’s most impressive waterfront boating communities:

Town & River Estates – South Fort Myers

Town & River Waterfront Homes

Located in a prime south Fort Myers location on the way to Fort Myers Beach, Town & River is an older community dedicated to boaters, with the vast majority of single-family estate homes featuring wide canals in their backyards with simple, quick access to the river and gulf beyond. Developed in the 1970s, most of the homes in Town & River have now been replaced or remodeled into some of the area’s most prestigious waterfront properties, and residents here can boat to Sanibel or Captiva, Fort Myers Beach, and the bays of the Lee Island Coast in just minutes via the Caloosahatchee River. 90% of homes here are on direct-access canals deep and wide enough to accommodate up to a 50-foot vessel.

Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club – Estero

Miromar Lakes Waterfront Homes

Awarded the distinction of #1 Community in the United States, Miromar Lakes is located in south Lee County off Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, and life here offers so many outdoor activities. This upscale residential community features large, freshwater lakes, including the 700-acre Lake Como, providing the perfect setting for recreational boating, kayaking, paddleboarding and more. Many homes here feature waterfront access, allowing you to keep your boat right at your back door. Additionally, the Miromar Lakes Beach Club & Marina provides dock space, power and sailboat rentals, fuel, paddleboat rentals, fishing excursions, boat concierge services and other amenities for the boating enthusiast.

Gulf Harbour Yacht & Country Club – South Fort Myers

Gulf Harbour Real Estate

Just south of Town & River along the scenic and historic McGregor Boulevard is Gulf Harbour, a private, gated waterfront paradise directly on the Caloosahatchee River. Here boaters can dock their boat up to 97-feet in length in one of the 186 slips in the deep-water marina and get out to the river in just minutes. With their own ships store, harbormaster, fuel service and other upscale amenities, boaters at Gulf Harbour will experience the ultimate enjoyment of life on the water in Southwest Florida. In addition, residents here can take advantage of the club’s upscale dining, 18-hole golf course, tennis and other benefits. The marina is open to the public, and allows overnight and longer-term dockage.

St. Charles Harbour Yacht Club – South Fort Myers

st. charles harbour real estate

With 63 deep-water boat slips just a stone’s throw from where the Caloosahatchee River opens into the Gulf, St. Charles Harbour may be the ultimate boater’s paradise, offering a protected harbor for yachts up to 55 feet. The opulent surroundings, full-time harbor staff and private yacht club here is home to some of the area’s most affluent yachtsmen, and the grand estate homes provide the ultimate environment for serious boaters to enjoy life on the water.

Hidden Harbor – South Fort Myers

This idyllic boating community is in south Fort Myers off U.S. Highway 41 and is well known for their boating lifestyle and desirable waterfront location. Hidden Harbor offers Gulf access and 52 private slips for mooring boats of any length. Boaters here enjoy instant access to the Ten Mile Canal, Estero Bay and the best sportfishing in the world in the Gulf of Mexico, all just a short cruise from home. There is a private clubhouse, pool and other amenities for residents, and the majority of the grand, distinctive homes are situated on wide canals, allowing easy boating access right behind your home.

Cape Coral

cape coral boating community

It would be hard to mention waterfront housing communities without the inclusion of the City of Cape Coral. Developed beginning in the 1960s, the creators of Cape Coral took a raw piece of land on the northern shores of the Caloosahatchee River, just across from Fort Myers, and dredged 400 miles of navigable canals, planning their homebuilding to offer boating access for homeowners. The result was a huge success, with Cape Coral now being the largest city in Southwest Florida. There are residential waterfront properties from modest – those built in the 1970s during the Cape’s infancy – to newer, multi-million estate properties located on 120-foot wide canals with multiple private docks and boat lifts.

If you live for the boating lifestyle, the Fort Myers area is sure to offer the type of residential setting to fill that need, providing the ultimate opportunity to enjoy life on the water.