Tampa to Ft Myers

Will be flying into Tampa on way to Ft Myers. Have about 4-5 hours to kill. Heard it%26#39;s about a two hour drive. Where would good places to stop (food/drink) along the way?

Tampa to Ft Myers

I make this trip quite a bit and I don%26#39;t usually stop (unless I need gas or to pee) There is plently to see like the ringling museum in sarasota/bradenton or any of the beaches like seista key. The traffic is unpredictable and during the winter can take an hour to get from the expressway to the beach, what%26#39;s the harm in arriving early in FM? lots to do there. Oh and on a rare occation when there is an accident he may take 3-4 hrs to make the drive.

Tampa to Ft Myers

So you%26#39;re driving to Ft Meyers? ARe you going to go over the Skyway bridge to 75 (i.e., through St. Pete) or over to 4 and down 75 that way (i.e., across Tampa and down)?

I%26#39;ve driven both ways and it%26#39;s really not much difference time-wise. If you are going through St. Pete, there%26#39;s the Salvadore Dali Museum. That%26#39;s cool.

Going across Tampa there would be a bunch of Tampa things to do.

Right near the airport, I would recommend eating at Roy%26#39;s if you get a chance. It%26#39;s a chain, but very very good. If you are hear for lunch, I would recommend TooJays in the International Plaza (near the airport). Very delectable deli. Also at the International Plaza is Bar Louie (has like over 80 beers on tap and bar food) and Chammps (sports bar fare).

I-75 doesn%26#39;t have a whole lot of must-see stuff.

Sarasota is like 45 minutes out of Tampa and has some good restaurants and stuff there. Lots of places going in just off the Interstate. University Parkway has basically stripmall after stripmall. There%26#39;s a classic Car Museum if you take University all the way to 41 (right after you pass the Sarasota airport) and make a right onto 41. It%26#39;s right there. The wringling museum is around there too.

TOOday and Strongbad!! Thanks for the info! Sounds like my wife and the other couple will like Bar Louie!! Unfortunately, I have to drive. If you ever need any Indianapolis info let me know

After getting into Tampa, drive I-275 South to downtown St. Pete, and have some lunch at the Pier(Cha Cha cocnuts, or Fresco), maybe check out the Dali museum. Then head back on I-275 South and go over the Skyway Bridge, to I-75 South, the Ellenton Outlets will be about 10 minutes south...

Tampan%26#39;s right, I just saw some outlets at the Ellenton Exit today (off of 75...exit 224 I believe). It had this huge outlet complex, and there was some sort of ice-skating arena/museum/something. I don%26#39;t know why I missed that before.

I%26#39;m happy to help. I%26#39;ve always liked bar louie. I like to get Boddingtons from a tap much better than the can draught. And lots of widescreen tvs. They used to have a pool table, but either they got rid of it or moved it somewhere.

To get to International Plaza from Tampa Airport: just keep driving toward the exits, and look for the sign that says ';Spruce Street'; (should be the second of three off ramps). Zip zip zip and at the second stoplight take a Left onto Westshore. Follow that around the parking lot (be sure not to accidentally get on the rear access road because it veers off to the left and puts a large fence between you and the mall there) and Bar Louie and other restaurants will be in the same area that the Cheescake Factory is. Valet parking if you are feeling jaunty.