Fort Myers - Florida With a Difference

Henry Ford is one of the pioneers of industrial car manufacturing. Less well known is his friendship with Thomas Alva Edison, who not only invented the light bulb, but also ensured that New York was the first city to be connected to an electrical grid in 1882. Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of probably the most influential inventors of the 19th and 20th centuries. After a tour of discovery through the private houses with their adjoining laboratories, the associated park invites you to take a stroll. The park is home to over 1700 plant species, some of which Edison used in his rubber research. The highlight of the garden: a banyan tree planted in 1925 that is around 120 metres tall.

Edison Ford Museum

Hurricane Ian, which passed over Florida in the last week of September 2022, also hit the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center hard. This cultural institution in Fort Myers had to close for a good six months for restoration work. Director Jim Griffith wanted to spare no effort to ensure that the SBDAC could be resurrected as a centre for all forms of art: "Whatever it takes" was his motto. Sidney's is an extremely versatile centre for the local art scene. It has numerous courses, DJs are regular guests, bands and orchestras of all kinds perform, from bluegrass music to jazz and chamber music, and regular karaoke events attract people to the roof terrace. Artists exhibit their work solo or meet up to experiment together. The "Wine & Paint" event attracts connoisseurs.

Are you in the mood for drama or comedy on holiday? The Fort Myers Repertory Theatre has new productions and shows on the programme almost every week. From modern American classics such as David Mamet's "Oleanna" to musicals like "Ring of Fire - The Music of Johnny Cash" and stand-up comedy shows, there is plenty on offer here. The theatre itself is a show in itself: old-fashioned, velvet-covered seats, a rich red carpet throughout the building - a visual treat not just for nostalgia fans.

In the USA, some European pastimes, such as football or handball, are more for minorities. Here - alongside football, basketball and ice hockey - baseball is still the sport that excites the public. When you visit JetBlue Park, you can feel the concentration, the tension - and you can study the action up close. But the stadium is also attractive without an audience: on a guided tour you can learn a lot about the structure of the game, the rules and the history of baseball. Every spring, the MLB professionals of the Boston Red Sox come to Fort Myers to train for the coming season and play test games. The stadium was built precisely for this purpose in 2012 and is identical, if a little smaller, to their home stadium Fenway Park in the state of Massachusetts.