Things to do in paradise: 5 places to watch a sunset in SWFL that are not on a beach

Mark H. Bickel, Amy Bennett Williams, Jonah Hinebaugh and Andrew West, Fort Myers News-Press
Updated ·3 min read

Note to readers: This is the sixth installment of our special series on the Great Outdoors of Southwest Florida. So far we have covered where to see amazing birds, places to spot an alligator, where you can get the best view of the stars, best places to walk in a swamp and amazing places to kayak and canoe.

Watching the sun set is part of life in Southwest Florida whether you live here or if you are visiting.

Until Hurricane Ian came along last September, two of the most popular places to catch the sun set were the Fort Myers Beach pier and the Naples pier. Those structures were serverly damaged by Ian's wrath on Sept. 28, 2022 and it is unknown when the piers will be open again.

There are places beyond the beaches here to catch an amazing sunset. The experts on our staf collaborated to provide these recommedations for you as alternative options while Southwest Florida continues its recovery from Hurricane Ian.

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The Alva Bridge

The Alva Bridge, located a few miles east of Fort Myers, is a great place to see a sunset or photograph the setting sun.
The Alva Bridge, located a few miles east of Fort Myers, is a great place to see a sunset or photograph the setting sun.

In early days, Alvanians got across the Caloosahatchee on a flatbed ferry with a landing near the site of today’s Alva bridge. A small swing bridge replaced the ferry in 1903. That bridge was the crossing nearest Fort Myers until 1924, when the Edison Bridge opened.

In 1925, Alva got a new, larger swing bridge, which lasted until 1966, when a barge full of rocket parts, bound for the Kennedy Space Center crashed into it. It took three years to build its replacement – the current drawbridge – which opened in 1969.

As far as parking, your best bet is to park at the post office, which is on the north side of the bridge.

JetBlue Park (Fort Myers)

Sunset at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023.
Sunset at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023.

The home of the Boston Red Sox for spring training and variety of other events, this location can present spectacular sunsets.

If you are lucky enough to hold a ticket to the Red Sox last two spring training night games for 2023 on March 22 and March 24, make sure you have your camera with you and look westward. Even from the parking lot at JetBlue there's a fantastic opportunity to blend the setting sun with the stadium for some very cool photos.

Luminary Hotel & Co. (Fort Myers)

The sun sets over the Caloosahatchee River on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Photographed from the Beacon Social Drinkery in the Luminary Hotel. It is a great spot to view a sunset.
The sun sets over the Caloosahatchee River on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Photographed from the Beacon Social Drinkery in the Luminary Hotel. It is a great spot to view a sunset.

From the rooftop of one of Fort Myers' newest hotels, you can capture spectacular sunset photos similar to what The News-Press and Naples Daily News visuals journalist Andrew West did on March 9 from the Beach Social Drinkery bar on the rooftop.

The hotel is located in Downtown Fort Myers and sits along the Calooshatchee River.

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Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge (Marco Island)

The view of the sunset is shown from the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge in Marco Island on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
The view of the sunset is shown from the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge in Marco Island on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.

Our visuals journalist Jonah Hinebaugh spent some quality time on this bridge when the sun was setting on March 7. Similar to the Alva Bridge we already mentioned, it's another fantastic option for caputring a breathtaking sunset. As you can see in Hinebaugh's photos, there's a place for fold up chairs so you can sit and soak it all in. The News-Press and Naples Daily News environment writer Chad Gills called a sunset from the Jolley Bridge "epic."

Corkscrew Road

The sun sets over a marsh off of Corkscrew Road in 2022
The sun sets over a marsh off of Corkscrew Road in 2022

Award-winning photographer Andrew West mentioned how you can't go wrong with seeing a sunset in most open spaces in Southwest Florida. West spends a lot of time in rural parts of the region (he has a camera trap set up in the Corkscrew area) and he recommends a drive along Corkscrew Road during susnet.

Links to previous Great Outdoors stories

PART I (Bird watching): Birdwatching in Florida: Where you might see rare mangrove cuckoos, birds with iridescent feathers

PART 2 (Spotting Gators):Spotting alligators in Southwest Florida: 8 places you will likely see the large reptiles

PART 3 (Star gazing):Things to do this weekend: best places to star gaze

PART 4 (Swamp Hikes):Swamp hikes? Yes, you can do that in SWFL. Here are five you should try

PART 5 (Kayak/Canoe trips): 6 great places to kayak, canoe in Fort Myers, Naples Florida

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Best places that aren't beaches to watch sunsets in Southwest Florida