Estero, Florida
Estero is a village of 37,858 people in Lee County, Florida, founded in December 31, 2014.
Why visit Estero
Townapedia lists 17 museums and landmarks, 34 parks and trails, 40 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Bonita Beach Causeway, Prado Theatres, Koreshan State Historic Site and Mound Key Archeological State Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 54°F.
Weather in Estero
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Estero
Estero (Spanish for "estuary") is an incorporated village in Lee County, Florida, United States, located directly beside the first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida: The Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, otherwise referred to as Estero Bay Preserve State Park which is within Estero Bay, Florida. At the time of the 2010 census, Estero was an unincorporated community and census-designated place, but incorporated as a village on the last calendar date of 2014. It is part of the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,939.
From the Wikipedia article Estero, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Bonita Beach Causeway
Bridge · 5.2 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Regal Gulf Coast Stadium 16 & IMAX
Cinema and theater · 4.1 mi
10028 Gulf Center Drive
Museums and landmarks17
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Koreshan State Historic Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
State park in Lee County, Florida, USA
Mound Key Archeological State Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Florida State Park, located in Estero Bay, USA
5 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds34
Mound Key Archaeological Preserve State Park
Hiking and trails · 4.0 mi
Alico Arena
Sports field and stadium · 3.8 mi
12181 FGCU Lake Parkway East
Shadow Wood Country Club - North Course
Golf course · 1.0 mi
22801 Oakwilde Boulevard, Bonita Springs
Shadow Wood Country Club - South Course
Golf course · 1.5 mi
22801 Oakwilde Boulevard, Bonita Springs
22 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes40
Leoni's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.0 mi
7460 San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00, Su 12:00-22:00
Old 41 Restaurant
Restaurant · American, Coffee Shop, Burger, Sandwich, Fish And Chips · 3.7 mi
25091 Bernwood Drive, Bonita Springs
Mo-Su 07:00-14:30
SUJI Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.7 mi
Mo-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:30-21:00
Marsala Italian Eatery and Pizzeria
Restaurant · Italian · 2.1 mi
20321 Grande Oak Shoppes Blvd
28 more on the map.
History
Mound Key, located in Estero Bay, is believed to have been the ceremonial center of the Calusa Indians when they were encountered by the Spanish in the early 1500s. German homesteader Gustave Damkohler began planting mulberry trees in 1882 along the Estero River, followed by others who established fish camps and the region's first citrus groves. In 1894, Damkohler donated property to the followers of Cyrus Teed, who proposed a theory that people live on the inside of the Earth's outer skin, and that celestial bodies are all contained inside the hollow Earth. This theory, which he called Koreshan Unity, drew followers to occupy and develop Damkohler's original 320-acre (1.3 km2) tract. They were business-oriented and lived communally, prospering enough to found their own political party ("The Progressive Liberty Party") and incorporate the town on September 1, 1904, as Estero. At the behest of other local officials, the Florida legislature abolished the municipality of Estero in 1907.
During the 1910 US census, the population was 299. By the 1920 US census, it increased to 340 residents.
From the History section of Estero, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort And Spa
Motel and hotel · 3.0 mi
5001 Coconut Road, Bonita Springs
Hyatt Residence Club Bonita Springs, Coconut Plantation
Motel and hotel · 2.7 mi
11800 Coconut Plantation Drive, Bonita Springs
Churches and places of worship13
Saint Peter the Apostle Antiochian Orthodox Church
Church · Orthodox · 2.8 mi
7470 Hickory Drive, Fort Myers
Shopping24
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Athenian Academy Charter School
School · 3.0 mi
18851 Oak Center Drive, Fort Myers
Bonita Springs Middle Center For The Arts
School · 5.5 mi
10141 W Terry St, Bonita Springs
Lee County Public Library System South County Regional Library
Library · 0.8 mi
21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero
Healthcare8
Map of Estero
185 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°F | 54°F | 2.4 in |
| Feb | 78°F | 56°F | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 80°F | 59°F | 1.9 in |
| Apr | 85°F | 64°F | 1.9 in |
| May | 88°F | 68°F | 3.0 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 73°F | 10.3 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 75°F | 8.6 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 76°F | 8.8 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 75°F | 8.5 in |
| Oct | 86°F | 70°F | 3.1 in |
| Nov | 81°F | 63°F | 1.9 in |
| Dec | 77°F | 58°F | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ft Myers Sw Fl Rgnl Ap (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lee County has had 32 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-10-11: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-10-07: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-28: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-24: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-03: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- San Carlos Park 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Bonita Springs 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Villas 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Cypress Lake 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Gateway 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Iona 12 mi northwest, about 19 min by car
- Fort Myers 14 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Lehigh Acres 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Golden Gate 18 mi south, about 28 min by car
- Cape Coral 19 mi northwest, about 31 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bella Terra Neighborhood, Estero, Florida, Garrett, CC BY 3.0
- Koreshan SHS planetary court02, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Main Campus (8405658966), Brett Levin from Parkland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Seven-planetary-sisters-residence, Harriet Duncan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dr. Teed's House, MATTYMOO101, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Model of the universe according to the Koreshans., MATTYMOO101, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Plan for the final, but uncompleted, Koreshan settlement., MATTYMOO101, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Planetary Court, MATTYMOO101, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Victorian Bridge, kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0
- Small machine shop, kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0
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