SWFL Living Guide
A boat at a private dock beside a waterfront home on a Cape Coral canal at golden-hour sunset, palms overhead

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Don’t just visit it.
Know it.

What to do. Where to boat. Where to stay. What to buy. What to avoid. And the things locals wish someone had told them.

THIS WEEKENDQuiet Cape weekend · 3.1

WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR?

Do somethingEvents · restaurants · beaches · shoppingGet on the waterBoating · fishing · rentals · docksLive hereHomes · ownership · taxes · insurancePlan my stayWhen to come · where to stay · build my trip

ASK CAPE

Ask anything about Southwest Florida.

NOBODY TOLD ME THIS.

The stuff you usually learn after you've already made the mistake.

BUYING WATERFRONT?

“Gulf access” doesn't necessarily mean convenient Gulf access.

Check bridges, locks, canal route and time to open water.

SHOW ME

RENTING A BOAT?

Your rental company may restrict where you can take it.

Ask where you can and can't go before you leave the dock.

SHOW ME

BUYING A CAPE HOUSE?

The seller's current property-tax bill may not resemble yours after purchase.

The assessed value resets with the sale — budget on your own numbers.

SHOW ME

RIGHT NOW

What should we do right now?

Loading right-now picks…
More for tonight →

TODAY ON THE WATER

Wind
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Weather
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Next low · Matlacha
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View water conditions

THIS WEEKEND · Sep 25–27

3.1/ 10

Quiet Cape weekend · projected

GREAT FOR

  • Restaurants
  • Beach
  • Easy local exploring
  • Boating — check current conditions separately

If you're deciding when to fly down specifically for major events, stronger weekends are ahead.

NEXT GREAT WEEKENDJAN 22–249.3 / 10
WHY THIS SCORE? +

CURRENT CAPE SCORE IS BASED ON

  • Base3.0
  • Headliners0.0
  • Tier 1 event0.0
  • Tier 2 events0.0
  • Event volume0.0
  • Variety0.0
  • Close to the house0.0
  • Long-running exhibits0.1

COMING SOON

weather · boating conditions · crowd pressure — not part of the score yet

Method: every weekend scores 1–10 from what's actually on within about 75 minutes of the house. The factors listed above are the only things in the number right now — anything under Coming soon has no effect until its live data is connected. Only the season's single best weekend shows 10.0.

Full score breakdown →
What should we do?

COMING UP THAT MATTERS

VIEW ALL EVENTS

EXPLORE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Cape CoralExplore Cape CoralCanals, waterfront living and our home base.Home baseSanibelExplore SanibelShelling, beaches and nature.~45 min from Cape CoralNaplesExplore NaplesDining, shopping and polished Gulf Coast living.~60 min from Cape CoralPunta GordaExplore Punta GordaHarbor life, boating and Old Florida.~35 min from Cape Coral

Tickets, dates & deadlines

Don't miss it

  • TICKETS GO ON SALE · NOV 1
    Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo tickets go on sale (Mar 11–14).
  • DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
    Fort Myers Pro Rodeo 2027 dates (sells out). Cape Coral Coconut Festival dates.
  • WATCH
    Spring Gulf Coast Classic car auction (mid-March). Eagles Nest car show day (late March).
All actions & deadlines