Outrigger Beach Resort
6200 Estero Blvd.
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Phone:
(800) 658 9989
Fax:
(239) 463-3629
Email:
rooms@outriggerfmb.com
www.outriggerfmb.com
Call and ask about our Play the Resort Special Summer Packages |
Hitch a Ride for a Quarter
Take the “Trollee”
“You drive,” I said, handing the keys to my sister, Georgia.
‘It’s your turn,” Georgia said.
“I drove to the golf course yesterday,” I protested.
Some things never change between sisters, even when you’re in your forties. For as long as I can remember, we’ve been bickering over who has to drive.
“Let’s take the trolley,” I suggested.
“Good thinking, Barb,” she said and grabbed her purse, ready for a day of shopping. “Then we don’t have to worry about parking.”
We paid our twenty five cents and hopped on the “Trollee” at a stop within easy walking distance of The Outrigger.
The Trollee is an amazingly inexpensive and convenient transportation system that spans many miles, from Fort Myers to Bonita Springs. (It’s called the Trollee because it operates in Lee County.) The main stops for the Fort Myers Beach area include Bowditch Beach Park, Lover’s Key Park, as well as the downtown shopping area, Times Square.
While the parks are nice destinations, we already had a fabulous beach just steps away from our room at The Outrigger. So we were headed for shopping.
Our mission was a nighttime beach outfit. Something that glittered and said, “We’re on vacation!”
At Seafarer’s Mall we found mostly restaurants and bars, and a gift shop that sells authentic sunken treasure from the Atocha which sunk in 1622.
Mirage Resortwear promised to have some fun attire, so we took at peek.
“Sparkly flip-flops,” Georgia said. “Exactly what we wanted.”
She chose a pink pair with a small heel. I bought a pair of black sandals with a blue and green butterfly jewel.
Throughout Times Square, there was a variety of beach shops, including Winds, Times Square Apparel, Pelican Sportswear, West Coast Surf Shop, and Mango Bay. Between these stores and the gift shop at The Outrigger, we bought lots of tee-shirts, shells, and beach towels for our family and friends back in Minnesota.
“Poor souls,” Georgia said with a laugh as we walked down the Fort Myers Beach fishing pier and gazed across the sparkling ocean water. “They should have come with us. Next year let’s organize a family reunion and bring everyone to The Outrigger.”
After some planning, I reminded Georgia that we had more important things to do. Namely, finish our shopping expedition.
At a lovely store called Local Color, we found tank tops embellished with sequins, purses with palm trees, and colorful capris. Scented candles and soaps made the shop smell so good, we didn’t want to leave. But we had spotted yet another store we needed to check out: Kilwin’s Chocolates & Ice Cream.
If we thought Local Color smelled nice, this was heaven. We indulged in chocolate-covered pecan clusters. I take mine smothered with dark chocolate, while Georgia prefers milk chocolate.
As we sat and enjoyed our sweet treats, we sorted through our shopping bags. “Maybe we should get toe rings, Barb,” Georgia said. “Just to complete the beach look.” So it was off to the Silver Witch to select some finishing touches.
“We’re done,” I announced after buying three toe rings, two bracelets, and a pair of earrings. “Let’s get a drink before we spend our last dollar.”
“All we need is a quarter to take the Trollee back to The Outrigger,” Georgia reminded me.
The Cottage provided the perfect setting for a cold refreshment.
It’s an open-air bar, and we chose a picnic-style bench on the balcony so we could overlook the beach. Palm trees swayed, pelicans soared overhead, and happy vacationers walked at the water’s edge.
The adjoining restaurant, we decided, would be our dinner destination. Completely renovated, the Gulfshore Grill’s interior is painted in soothing ocean tones. A seat at the bar offers a view of the beach and ocean, as the back wall of the restaurant is entirely made of windows.
“I just overheard someone say they have live jazz on weekends,” I told Georgia.
“Perfect,” Georgia said, holding her shopping bags up. “I know just what to wear!”
(For more information about Trollee stops and schedules, resort guests are invited to inquire at The Outrigger’s Guest Services Center.)
Website News
Check out all of our new features on www.outriggerfmb.com http://www.outriggerfmb.com!
E-Postcards
Email a postcard to your boss…with your next vacation request!
Email your family…an invitation for next year’s reunion, at the Outrigger!
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Visit our guestbook and hear why our guests are the very best!
Photo Gallery!
Check out some of our new photos at the Gallery!
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Let us know and we would love to add it! Email Jeanne at
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Wet & Wild
Watersports on Fort Myers Beach
When you vacation with a teenager, there are a few “must-do” activities that require an adventurous spirit. With my son, Doug, it was water sports. At first, I
have to admit I was a little worried. (Doug called me a chicken). But after trying parasailing, waverunning, and windsurfing for the first time, I was hooked.
Being on (or above) the water added a whole other dimension to our trip to the ocean. Even better, Doug now thinks I’m a pretty cool Dad, which is priceless.
There are several watersport operations right on Fort Myers Beach, not far from The Outrigger Beach Resort. So it was easy for us to
be adventuresome to our heart’s delight.
Parasailing
Let’s start with the sport I was most nervous about, but ended up loving the best. Doug couldn’t wait to try it, so he went first. They hitched him to a
parachute-like canopy, known as a parasail. The parasail was attached to a long towrope, which was pulled along by a speedboat. When the
boat got going fast enough, the parasail rose and hoisted Doug up into the air.
I took pictures of him soaring above the water, even though he was too high for me to zoom in close. That little speck in the sky must be
having a great time, I thought. Upon his return to solid ground, Doug was beaming from ear to ear. “You just gotta try it, Dad,” was all he could say.
I soon found out why Doug was beaming: From the air, I could see the blue-green of the ocean, the graceful curve of the beach, and a few
dolphins playing. There’s nothing like having a “bird’s eye” view of such a gorgeous place.
Waverunners
Waverunners have come a long way since the original jetskis. You can now comfortably sit down rather than stand while you drive. Doug and
I had the option of sharing a waverunner, or renting our own. Of course, he voted for having his own because he wanted to go a lot faster
than his old man would care to go.
“Wanna race?” he asked.
“No,” I said, and I took off at an incredibly elderly pace. I didn’t care. I wanted to have a leisurely ride. He could play Evil Kanevil all he wanted.
Luckily for Doug, it’s virtually impossible to tip a waverunner over. They’re very stable. While Doug zoomed his heart out, I took my time,
breathed in the ocean air, and let the sun warm my skin.
Windsurfing
Of all the watersports we tried, windsurfing was the best exercise. This is a sport that takes practice, as well as an understanding of the equipment
and the importance of wind direction. Even so, after a two-hour lesson from a professional instructor, Doug and I learned the basics and
were enjoying our time on the water.
It’s easy to understand why it’s such an alluring past time. When you catch the wind, you glide effortlessly. Doug said it was exciting like surfing, but
at the same time it was as peaceful as sailing. I liked it because unlike boating, you don’t have to learn how to tie any knots. It also doesn’t
require a lot of wind. As long as there’s a gently breeze, a well-designed piece of equipment takes care of the rest.
“So which water sport was your favorite?” I asked Doug at the end of our vacation.
He scratched his head. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I think we need to go back to The Outrigger and do them all again. Then I can decide.”
(Resort guests are invited to stop by the Guest Services Center at The Outrigger to find out more about nearby watersports operations. )
2005 Three Year Plus Club Luncheon
Have you ever wondered why some of the employees at the Outrigger have a tag announcing Three Years Plus Club? This is a very special group of
staff members that have been with us for over three years. That could mean 18 years, could mean 12 years, 5 years or 3 years.
These employees have found a home at the Outrigger Beach Resort!
Each year the owners of the Outrigger treat us to a special luncheon so we can celebrate and welcome the new members to our club. This year
we celebrated with style with great food, entertainment and friends. There was fire, lingerie and film included. What a great time! Next time you
visit stop by our “portrait” in the front office!
Fleamasters Fleamarket:
What Can’t You Buy?
“Perfume, socks, tomatoes, sword.” I read my wife’s shopping list aloud. “Sword?”
“It’s for your brother,” Larene explained “For his birthday.”
I looked at the list again. We’d have to go to the mall, the grocery store, and then a specialty shop for the sword. “We’re going to spend
the entire day driving all over creation,” I moaned. “We’re supposed to be on vacation.”
“George,” Larene said, shaking her head at me like I was a silly five-year old, “we can get this all at Fleamasters.”
“Right!” I said with a sigh of relief.
We changed into our most comfortable walking shoes. Sometimes we spend an entire morning at Fleamasters, just because it’s
so big. There are over 900 stores that span over 400,000 square feet! If you can imagine it, you can
probably buy it at Fleamasters, whether you’re shopping for 14K gold jewelry, books, Bingo supplies, fresh produce,
kitchen tools, baseball cards or other collectibles, home décor, or Florida souvenirs.
After a few hours of shopping, Larene and I made a trip to the car to unload our purchases. Of course we
bought a few more items than we’d counted on. Larene loves the Avon shop, while I
bought a couple packages of golf balls. (Funny how they keep ending up at the bottom of that lake on hole five…) I also got
my hair cut while Larene shopped for shoes. (As if she needs more…)
We always bring a cooler so we can put our fresh produce - tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, mint, and peaches - in the car without
having to worry about them getting overheated. After twenty years of vacationing at The Outrigger, we’ve got this
down to a science. We like to stock up our kitchen in our garden efficiency room so we can make a few snacks at the resort.
Then it was back to shopping and lunch. Sometimes we’re in the mood for Tex-Mex, a sub or a wrap, but
we had a craving for a hot dog and fries. I took mine with extra mustard.
“We’ve still got one last thing to buy,” Larene reminded me.
“What could that possibly be?” I said.
“The sword!” Larene reminded me.
“Let’s get back to shopping, then,” I said.
(Fleamasters Fleamarket is easy to find on SR 82, 1-1/4 miles off I-75 (exit 138). It’s open year-round Friday, Saturday, and Sunday f
rom 8 a.m. ‘til 4 p.m. Free parking and free admission.)
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