Our Travels

Fort Myers’ islands, beaches, and neighbourhoods are jam-packed with unmissable sights and attractions showcasing the area’s dynamic culture, natural beauty, cultural diversity, and so much more. To help you plan your next trip to Fort Myers we’ve compiled our top five list of attractions you can’t afford to miss on your next visit.

Everywhere I go, people are talking about Slovenia. I’ve just spent a week with a group of travel agents from all over Europe and they are buzzing about it, too! One of the big attractions of this lesser-known destination is that it is relatively unspoilt by mass tourism. This might be about to change. So, now is the time to book your 2024 holiday in Slovenia, before the crowds get there.

Slovenia borders Austria and Croatia, both hugely popular destinations. It has all its neighbours have to offer, such as stunning mountains and lakes, alpine forest, a beautiful stretch of the Adriatic coast, rivers, caves, medieval towns, castles, and churches. It is a paradise for hikers, and I am told the scenery is just stunning. It also has skiing and lots of water sports on the rivers, such as rafting and canoeing. There are great opportunities for active family holidays.

What is your idea of a great Christmas holiday? If you are tired of spending Christmas at home, just want a break for a change or to get away from the commercialism of Christmas, there are plenty of options, subject to availability.

Maybe you would like to travel to Lapland with the family, pre-Christmas and see Father Christmas in his own home? I can vouch for this experience. I took my children when they were quite young, and I think they actually believed they had seen the real thing for at least ten years afterwards. I have to say the Father Christmas we saw was very convincing! Be careful who you choose for this experience. You want it to be magical. I can guide you.

The end of the summer school holidays is soon upon us, and you may already be thinking about Christmas and beyond. If you are planning a ski holiday, the best time to book this is now, for two main reasons:

Availability: If you are skiing in Europe, you will be relying on low-cost airlines and these seats sell out fast. If you are a large family or group of family or friends, all the more reason to secure those airlines seats now. Of course, I am bound to remind you that booking a package holiday is the safest bet, as airlines tend to cancel or change their flight schedules and you don’t want to be left with a very expensive hotel or chalet booking and no way of getting there!

Cost: I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that the best prices are to be had by booking in advance. Fares go up these days, not down and those last-minute bargains are probably a thing of the past. 

For luxury bookings, the obvious European ski resorts are Val d’Isere, Courchevel, Verbier, Val Thorens, Megeve, but there are other little gems that are lesser known, so please ask me. These days, luxury hotels you will have heard of, such as Six Senses, W, Four Seasons, the Chedi and Relais & Chateaux have all moved into the ski resorts but there are also new names, such as the K2 Chogori just outside Val D’Isere and Shemshak Lodge, Courchevel. Wonderful spas and Michelin-star restaurants are all on offer these days. Even non-skiers will have a fantastic experience at any of these hotels.

So, the school summer holidays have begun and the weather has taken a turn for the worse. I hope August improves for those of you who are staying in the UK this summer.

Whether you are staying put or not, you may be thinking about an October half term holiday with the family. Now is definitely the time to be booking this, as well as thinking about Christmas and ski holidays. Yes, I’m afraid so!

Let’s start with October. You probably don’t immediately think about the Caribbean for October, but there are lots of islands that avoid possible hurricanes, so I wouldn’t rule them out. Prices are good in October and you’ll more than likely have plenty of sunshine.

Where else could you go? Dubai and all the other emirates, such as Ras al Khaimah, Ajman, Fujairah, as well as Oman and Abu Dhabi. All great choices for families, with every sort of entertainment on offer. I know some people don’t like the idea of Dubai, but don’t knock it till you try it. There’s a reason why the bubble has not burst. However, if you’re looking for something a little less full-on, ask me about quieter options in the Middle East. 

Many people I know decided to spend their early summer holidays in Greece, Spain, and Italy. Sounds like they all had a lovely time. The weather was great and those who had booked early enough might have avoided the extortionate holiday prices I am seeing for Europe as the summer goes on. This was due, in part, to the high demand from clients who had opted for a short-haul holiday, thinking it would be way cheaper than going further afield. They might have got a better deal going long haul, as it turns out. Availability was a huge problem, and this was exacerbated by the high number of Americans travelling to Europe, with the exchange rate very much in their favour. As I write, the school holidays are almost upon us and the temperatures in Europe are exceptionally high. You’ll need plenty of sunscreen and access to water, where possible! If this trend continues, you might want to consider places like the Caribbean and Mauritius next summer, where temperatures stay around 30 degrees.

For those of us who chose to enjoy the British summer, it has been glorious. Endless summer days (except for the first week of Wimbledon, naturally!) and plenty going on everywhere, from outdoor theatre and concerts to summer fetes.

I have just returned from a trip to St. Pete/ Clearwater, a beach playground on the west coast of Florida. The easiest way to reach it is with a direct British Airways flight to Tampa airport, which is, in itself, quite an amazing place! In the centre of the terminal is a giant pink flamingo and, on the day, we arrived, a black bear was wandering the perimeter, apparently. He didn’t enter the terminal for a Starbucks though but was safely coaxed back to where he came from. I was sorry not to see him.

This area of Florida is quite different from the razzmatazz of Disney, although it combines perfectly with the parks. This is all about beautiful white Sandy beaches, nature, and culture. From the Dali Museum to the James Museum which is full of Native American art, countless art galleries, and a sea life rescue centre, there is so much to do, and if you miss the entertainment parks, Busch Gardens is not far away.