Out of interest, where did you end up - and how did you rate it?

We visit Cape Coral most summers - I can see both sides, it can look quite a scruffy average town when you drive onto it via the toll bridges. Usual shops, supermarkets and gas stations with bait shops and empty lots in between. However, if you choose carefully, you can rent a gorgeous villa as in any other part of Florida on short term rental (some gulf coast places it is monthly or 3 monthly) overlooking either a canal, one of the larger lakes or waterways. We always rent on the water in the south west corner which is the most popular and pricey apparently. There is a small beach with a pier but nothing to write home about, for better beach go to Fort Myers or a 30 min drive takes you to Vanderbilt Beach and State Park in Naples (en route you'll pass the huge new mall called Coconut Point which is worth diverting to eat and even stay overnight at one of the hotels!) the fishing off the beach or the waterways is excellent at both locations.

The reason we keep going back is because it is more like small town America than a busy tourist town. this maybe because we generally visit Cape Coral in the summer so quieter than spring. there is a new marina with condo buildings oveerlooking the water, shopping and restaurants including popular Rumrunners. It's safe and quite upmarket. I happily drive all over Cape Coral shopping and lunching while my son and husband fish, then relax round the pool with a book and enjoy the fab sunset. it's a different holiday to our home near Disney but we get the best of both worlds and love being near the water. We wish we'd bought a plot there years ago, some of the millionaire's homes we pass when out on a boat are out of this world.