You might not have been aware of this, but Florida has been honored with the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence, with regards to the management of their state park system, on no less than four occasions (1999, 2005, 2013 and 2019). That is very impressive considering they are responsible for almost 175 state parks!
Florida’s state parks are unlike any other states in the country. Possessing everything from raging rivers, and deep caverns, to beautiful botanical gardens, and isolated islands, that have resisted the human touch for thousands of years.
Many of these state parks are situated in, or relatively near Fort Myers. So they make perfect day trips, or longer vacation getaways, for locals and tourists alike.
If you need some time away from the fastest growing city in the USA (according to WalletHub), there are plenty of options available to you.
But this list of 10 state parks near Fort Myers are the ones we think you should prioritize a visit too.
Map of State Parks Near Fort Myers, FL
Here is a map of the state parks in Florida covered by this post:
List of State Parks Near Fort Myers
These 10 state parks near Fort Myers all offer excellent outdoor recreational activities, beautiful scenery and splendid opportunities for camping.
While several are not really close to Fort Myers, they can also easily be reached via a straightforward drive over various amounts of time from the city too.
1. Estero Bay Preserve State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 14 miles south of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 4940 Broadway West
Estero, FL 33928
Estero Bay Preserve State Park, the first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida, is a 10,000-acre (40 km2) Florida State Park located near Estero, between Fort Myers and Naples.
See our full Estero Bay Preserve State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
2. Koreshan State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 15 miles south of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 3800 Corkscrew Road, Estero, FL 33928
The Koreshan State Park is a state park in Estero, Florida located on U.S.
Koreshan State Park preserves the settlement of the Koreshan Unity, with buildings from the late 1800s, a 1929 Fairbanks-Morse engine and year-round guided tours; as of October 2026, Florida State Parks lists the campground as temporarily closed. Source: Florida State Parks, checked October 2026.
See our full Koreshan State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
3. Mound Key Archaeological State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 15 miles south of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: Estero, FL
Mound Key Archaeological State Park is a Florida State Park, located in Estero Bay, near the mouth of the Estero River.
See our full Mound Key Archaeological State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
4. Lovers Key State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 17 miles south of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 8700 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
Lovers Key State Park is a 712-acre (2.88 km2) Florida State Park located on Lover’s Key and three other barrier islands—Black Island, Inner and Long Key.
See our full Lovers Key State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
5. Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 23 miles northwest of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 12301 Burnt Store Rd
Punta Gorda, FL 33955
Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park is a 46,000-acre (190 km2) Florida State Park, composed of islands and land that surrounds Charlotte Harbor.
See our full Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
6. Cayo Costa State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 24 miles west of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 4 nautical miles west of Pine Island
Captiva, FL 33924
Cayo Costa State Park is an island on the Charlotte Harbor estuary reachable only by boat or kayak, with 9 miles of undeveloped Gulf shoreline for swimming, snorkeling, shelling and fishing; manatees, porpoises and sea turtles are often seen offshore. Source: Florida State Parks, checked October 2026.
See our full Cayo Costa State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
7. Gasparilla Island State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 25 miles west of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 880 Belcher Rd
Boca Grande, FL 33921
Gasparilla Island State Park is a Florida State Park located south of Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island off Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound.
See our full Gasparilla Island State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
8. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 25 miles south of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 11135 Gulf Shore Drive
Naples, FL 34108
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is a Florida state park located on a barrier island on Florida’s southwest coast near Naples, Florida, 6 miles west of I-75 in North Naples.
See our full Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
9. Don Pedro Island State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 32 miles northwest of Fort Myers (straight-line).
Location: 8450 Placida Rd
Placida, FL 33946
Don Pedro Island State Park has a 1-mile white-sand beach on a barrier island between Knight Island and Little Gasparilla Island, reachable only by private boat, plus a 100-acre land base on the Cape Haze Peninsula with a kayak launch, fishing dock and nature trails; as of October 2026, the island dock and facilities are listed as unavailable. Source: Florida State Parks, checked October 2026.
See our full Don Pedro Island State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
10. Stump Pass Beach State Park
Distance from Fort Myers: about 34 miles northwest of Fort Myers (straight-line).
At the southwest corner of Charlotte County, Stump Pass Beach State Park has a mile of Gulf beach where shells and shark teeth wash up, with year-round swimming, surf fishing and a kayak route around two small islands east of the park; shelling is best in winter. Source: Florida State Parks, checked October 2026.
See our full Stump Pass Beach State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
