Fort Myers River District
Once the site of
a fort built on the
Caloosahatchee River as an outpost against the Seminole Indians, the historic
downtown Fort Myers River District is filled today with art galleries,
antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, cafes, financial and professional
offices as well as a smattering of condominiums.
There are 13 art galleries in the River District, all within walking
distance of each other. They include Arts for ACT Gallery, the Sidney &
Berne Davis Art Center, Art League of Fort Myers Gallery, Art of the
Olympians, Coloring the World, Syzygy
Gallery, daas Gallery, HOWL Gallery/Tattoo, Green-n-Groovy Gallery, In
One Instant Gallery of Photography, Mad Hatter Gallery, Lovegrove
Gallery and Space 39.
Nearby antique shops include Main Street Antiques & Collectibles and Ivy
Cottage, with Enjewel, Franklin Shops, Green-n-Groovy and Arts for ACT
adding chic, trendy boutique shopping to the downtown landscape.
For rest and relaxation between gallery visits, art lovers can dine or
refresh themselves at the Veranda, Twisted Vine Bistro, French
Connection restaurant and café, United Cafe Bar & Bistro, Café Matisse, Morgan House restaurant,
Ichiban Chinese & Japanese Cuisine, Red Rock Saloon, Spirits of Bacchus,
Hideaway Sports Bar, Downtown House of Pizza, What’s Up Dogs, Starbucks
or the Cigar Bar.
Artistic landmarks include the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, which
occupies the renovated 1933 neoclassical revival former U.S. Post Office
and federal courthouse, Caloosahatchee Manuscripts, a light sculpture
that illuminates the downtown in the evening with an alphabet soup of
lighted lettering, and Parallel Park, the outdoor art installation
created by noted abstract artist Marylyn Dintenfass that has converted
the 5-story Lee County Justice Center Parking Garage into a work of fine
art that has the whole community talking.
If a touch of history is your preference, the Southwest Florida Museum
of History is within walking distance and both the Edison House and the
Imaginarium are within five minutes by car.
Other River District Information
References
SWFL art content provided by
Thomas Hall of
www.ArtSWFL.com
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