Southwest Florida 2023

Renovations

to increase home value

Personalization: We all want to make our home unique to our own character. However, when it comes time to sell, buyers want to envision themselves in the home, which can be difficult if the entire home is personalized to you. Avoid any personalization that is difficult to undo and stick to a nice universal outlook that speaks to everyone.

Landscaping: Just like with personalizing, it’s best to keep it simple. Some home buyers may love how elaborate your landscaping may look, but most of the time they’re considering the cost of upkeep or the difficulty of maintaining that look. A clean lawn with curb appeal is the best first impression to give to potential buyers.

Closet Space: Some of us are minimalist and can do with a larger room by sacrificing closet space, but most potential buyers value the importance of storage. Remember, buyers want to see themselves living in the home, and a lack of closet space might send them looking elsewhere.

Bold Paint: Freshly painted rooms are a great way to brighten up your home. There’s nothing wrong with bringing a little color into your home but keep in mind that buyers may not favor the same colors you do. Stick to keeping the colors subtle with small accents and focus more on neutral tones to appeal to potential buyers.

Trendy Designs: Barn doors and patterned tiles may look great to some buyers, but avoid trendy designs that might be outdated when you decide to sell. No matter how tempting the latest home design trend may be, the classic look is always the safest bet.

DIY Projects: Projects that you build yourself are great, but only when they’re done professionally. This is important to potential buyers so make sure if you’re going to do your own home project, that you do it exceptionally well. This also applies to repairs, quick cover ups will only get you so far. These sort of projects can either increase or decrease the value of your home so make sure you know what you’re doing before proceeding.

Long-Term Necessities: When it comes to renovations, keep in mind that not every buyer needs a built in office desk, or a workshop, or anything that may seem like a great idea to you. Tread carefully when adding permanent fixtures, not all buyers have the same vision as you when it comes to changes made. Make sure your room structures allow the flexibility for potential buyers to make their own changes.

Restaurants

Harold’s

Warm, casual venue featuring hearty, locally sourced meat & seafood & a large wine menu.

15250 S Tamiami Trail #107, Fort Myers, FL 33908

Phone: (239) 849-0622 | Web: haroldscuisine.com

Traders Restaurant on Sanibel

Quaint hybrid gift shop & eatery featuring American fare, live music & a full bar in cozy digs.

1551 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957

Phone: (239) 472-7242 | Web: traderssanibel.com

Sails Restaurant

Upscale European fare, seafood towers, wine & cocktails in elegant environs with an open kitchen.

301 5th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102

Phone: (239) 360-2000 | Web: www.sailsrestaurants.com

Have a restaurant you’d like us to feature?

Send in a recommendation for your favorite restaurant to be added to our list. Be sure to mention why you think they are worthy of being featured and include a link to their website.

Campiello

Ritzy landmark eatery draws locals with a chic vibe, refined Italian eats & a vast wine list.

1177 3rd St S, Naples, FL

Lazy Flamingo

Down-home sports pub offering beer-steamed seafood, a raw bar & ice-cold brews in an informal space.

1036 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL

Iguana Mia Mexican

Casual cantina with vibrant decor doling out familiar Mexican fare & margaritas.

28051 S Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, FL

Sea Salt

Modern seafood dishes with global salts & spices served in a hip, upscale space with patio seating.

1186 3rd St S, Naples, FL

Cocomo’s Grill

Laid-back island-themed eatery offering a varied menu from steaks to tuna tacos to falafel.

1069 N Collier Blvd #202, Marco Island, FL

Point 57 Kitchen

Chic setup for updated American fare, cocktails & wines, Sunday brunch, bar snacks & happy hour.

3522 Del Prado Blvd S, Cape Coral, FL

Oasis Restaurant

Established American restaurant features casual meals in a simple venue, plus a pet-friendly patio.

2260 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Fort Myers, FL

Misto Bar & Grill

A blend of Italian & American fare, including meat, seafood & pasta, plus wine, in a relaxed space.

231 Del Prado Blvd S, Cape Coral, FL

Sale e Pepe

Beach Ocean Resort’s elegant dining room offers refined fromscratch Southern Italian fare & wines.

480 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL

Jun 30

Pizza Fest

The picturesque town of Cilento prepares to host the first edition of Paestum Pizza Fest, a festival celebrating pizza, from 30 June to 2 July 2023. The event will take place at the Next - Former Tobacconist Borgo di Cafasso, a place full of history and charm. A total of 24 local and non-local pizzerias, will participate in the event, enriched by training laboratories e evening entertainment. Details at napolike.com.

Jul 4

Everglades City Independence Day

Come to Historic Everglades City for a family day of fun and celebration. The theme is “100 Years of History” and there are prizes for the best entries which can be anything from golf carts to swamp buggies or decorated floats. This free family-fun event continues in McLeod Park behind the tennis courts with hot dogs, kiddies’ contests, prize-giving, and a raffle. Learn more at paradisecoast.com.

JUL 15

Diverse Fest 2023

Diverse Fest is where elements from vendor fairs, pride events, expos, and conventions meet; making this free family-friendly community event the first of its kind! Learn more at eventbrite.com.

AUG 4

Fishermen’s Village TikiFest

Don’t miss our annual TikiFest featuring Hula Dancers, Live rock and steel drum music, Finest Painting by MaryRose, balloon creations and juggling by Jeff the Juggler, tiki toss and tiki bowling games, coconut painting, photo op’s, tiki carvings, Hawaiian leis giveaways, drink and food specials, tiki merchandise and tropical clothing store promotions. Learn more at fishville.com.

SEP 22

Island Hopper Songwriter Fest

The Island Hopper Songwriter Fest has enchanted the islands, beaches and neighborhoods of Fort Myers for eight years, inviting music lovers to enjoy hundreds of free performances in intimate island venues showcasing some of country music’s best singer-songwriters. Learn more at islandhopperfest.visitfortmyers.com.

Oct 26-29

Naples International Film Festival

This festival is all about celebrating great movies and promoting them with a cause. The event can be seen as a great confidence booster and a source of encouragement for movie makers. The recognition that they receive when their films are screened here is something that everyone craves. Apart from that, the festival is a great source of entertainment for visitors and helps them see some of the great cinema of all times. The festival is usually held during the fall.

OCT 28

Stone Crab Festival

Welcome to the 13th annual Stone Crab Festival – a Naples tradition!! Join us for a weekend of food and fun starring of course, the Stone Crab! Enjoy delicious seafood, live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, discounted rentals at Pure Naples, and much more. Visit stonecrabfestival.com.

NOV 3

American Indian Arts Celebration

Join the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum as we celebrate Seminole and Indigenous art, music, food dance and more! Learn more at ahtahthiki.com.

DEC 31

Fort Myers Beach News Years Eve

Fort Myers Beach celebrates New Year’s Eve in their own Times Square

where festivities kick off at noon with free cupcakes. There’s a ball drop at midnight, followed by fireworks to ring in the new year.

JAN 5

Fort Myers Seafood & Music Festival

Join us for the 4th Annual Fort Myers Seafood & Music Festival held on the waterfront in historic downtown Fort Myers. Enjoy foods cooked fresh onsite (seafood, meat, vegetarian) with a variety of side dishes and of course – desserts! Learn more at paragonfestivals.com.

FEB (TBA)

Saint Katherine Taste of Greece Festival

The annual Saint Katherine Taste of Greece Festival is a popular festival organized by and held every 4th week of February by St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church. The festival provides the locals and the residents with an amazing opportunity to relish Greek food, enjoy Greek art and understand the Greek culture. The festival has something for people of all age groups. Learn more at greekfestivalmlb.org.

Mar TBD 2024

Naples St Patrick’s Day Parade

A little over 40 years ago a group of fun-loving Neapolitans got together and decided to have a parade to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Through the hard work of many volunteers and the generous support of patrons like you, the Parade has prospered in the decades since. Learn more naplesparade.com.

May TBD 2024

Great Dock Canoe Race

The Great Dock Canoe Race brings the busy season to a close each year in Naples, and is always a good reason for a party. Register with The Dock bar at Crayton Cove or The Riverwalk at Tin City, bring your canoe and a partner, and compete for prizes in this annual May event. Learn more at naplesfloridatravelguide.com.

With lodging, food and entertainment all included in one price, choosing to do a vacation on a cruise gives great value. Traveling on the sea can be extremely fun, but it is important to choose the correct cruise line. If you’re going to spend a lot of your vacation time on a cruise ship, it may as well be one of luxury. Thankfully, there’s many luxury cruise lines ready to cater to your every

whim while ferrying you to and from some of the world’s most mesmerizing destinations in plush comfort. Some offer exotic voyages to faraway destinations, while others attract travelers with comfortable cabins and stimulating enrichment programs. Use this guide as a starting point to find out which luxury cruise fits best for your next vacation.

We made a list that factors in itinerary affordability, health ratings, and reputation among experts and travelers.

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SILVERSEA OCEANIA REGENT SEVEN SEAS SEABOURN

PRIDE-SWFL

PRIDE SWFL is the non profit organization that plans and produces Southwest Florida’s official LBGTQ+ Pride events each year. Providing the citizenry of Southwest Florida with a positive image of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and to create functions and events throughout the year promoting educational, civic, and cultural activities that further this goal and enrich the lives of our members and the entire Southwest Florida community. Web: prideswfl.com

SWFL HARMONY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The SWFLHCC exists to promote networking within the existing LGBTQ and LGBTQ friendly business and professional community, to promote business opportunities for chamber members, to promote Southwest Florida as a year-round LGBTQ and LGBTQ friendly tourist destination, to provide resources for our members and to provide outreach from our community to community organizations. Web: swflharmonychamber.wildapricot.org

VISUALITY

The mission of Visuality is to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus communities and our allies by providing activities, programs, educational events, and services that create community, empower community members, provide essential resources, advocate for civil and human rights; and embrace, promote and support our cultural diversity. We strive to end violence, harassment, and discrimination based on real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or sexual expression. Web: www.visualityswfl.org

LGBT COMMUNITY FUND OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

A “multi-donor fund,” which is a giving circle that engages like-minded individuals and organizations to increase philanthropic support in Southwest Florida for the unique challenges and opportunities facing Southwest Florida’s LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community. Web: lgbtswfl.com | Phone: 239-274-5900