You don't want Lehigh. It's a class below. You will see if you get and go for a drive. North ft myers is a lil ghetto too but some spots are awesome.

X2,.................................... you want to stay South of Veterans Blvd, in Cape Coral, not Ft. Myers unless you're on Ft. Myers Beach (the island) and want to get as close to the river as you can afford.

Hey Jim. Nothing wrong with north of veterans. I am. Not far north but I'm north. There's good homes with no bridges where I'm at.

Sorry for the hijack but I too am checking out property in Cape Coral in April. Can anyone recommend a place that rents pontoons or small CC's that I could take out for an afternoon to check out the boating in the area? Preferable a place that provides maps for newbies/dummies so I know where I should and should not go. I would be most interesting in checkout out the boating in the intercostal waters/islands as this is where I imagine I would do most of my boating (but not sure until I experience it). I'm familiar with channel markers from boating on the Illinois river but I'm sure there is a whole new skillset to learn with this type of boating (tides, shallows, markers, etc.).

http://www.portsanibelmarina.com/marina-rentals/boats/

I used this place about 4 yrs ago before I moved down. We came down camping and went out fishing. We had the Grady white bowrider. Weren't supposed to go in the gulf. Whoops. Lol. Get at least a plotter for iPad or phone as in the icw I always have signal so it will help keep you in line. When I rented they didn't have any plotters on boats. You did get a waterproof chart though. Let me know when your coming if I'm home ill help ya out with stuff

The grass is always greener, till you get there and live in it for a while. Then you'll know if it was the right move or the biggest mistake.

Very true. I'm 3 1/2 yrs in now and love it!!

Lots of marina's rent boats here, there is one that has a sign out now on cape coral parkway Just before the bridge to ft myers that claims $99.00 all day, but most at marina's are much, much higher. Stay in the marked channels and you should be fine, if outside the marked channel, go very slow as you could be in water that is 9 feet deep and the next 20 feet be in water that is 2". With the Lake O water releases, the river is chocolate brown now, visibility down to inches. The Pols are working on getting this "fixed" but it will take decades, and the conservation groups are always going to want some fresh water to protect the "brackish" water balance that has been established since they connected the river to lake O in the 1920's. According to the real oldsters, the river USED to be crystal clear year round, we will never see that again, but one can dream.

If you get down here and need a lift to check stuff out on the water, pay for the fuel and I'll give you the fifty cent tour up and down the ICW and in and out the canals, (with or without the women) you can even drive and I'll sit back and catch some rays and drink some beer, can't beat that offer now can you.

Since I'm home all day a day out on the boat bullchitting would be fun.

Dammit Jim!! I want that offer!! Haha