Southwest Florida village that draws permanent and seasonal residents
Between Fort Myers and Naples, the growing Gulf Coast village of Estero offers permanent and seasonal residents access to outdoor recreation and shopping hubs. Estero's population of 36,000 swells to more than 60,000 during the peak season of mid-January through April. Estero's major industries include health care, education, retail, and professional and scientific services. "We have Hertz Arena and Hertz world headquarters in Estero," says Billee Silva, a Realtor with Jones & Co. Realty. The village is planning a new town center called "The Hub" in the heart of Estero, which will include an entertainment campus and a sports park. Construction has already started on High 5, an entertainment center with bowling, pickleball courts, an arcade, a miniature golf course, and a scratch kitchen and bar. High 5 will anchor the new entertainment campus slated to open in November 2025.
Serene Waters Reflect Majestic Skies, Glimpsing Miromar Lakes Charm from Above in the City of Estero.
Miromar Lakes, showcases a medley of Opulent Mansions, Stylish Ranch Homes in the City of Estero.
Golfers will love the popular driving range in Estero Park in the City of Estero.
Estero Park residents have plenty of recreational areas to enjoy in Estero Community Park in the City of Estero.
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Estero: where the river meets the sea
Estero stems from the Spanish word for estuary — where the river meets the sea. Only accessible by boat, the remote Mound Key Archeological State Park is made of shell, bone and clay middens and mounds created by the Calusa people. The island rises 30 feet out of the water, a testament to the more than 2,000 years the Calusa inhabited the area before their first contact with Spaniards in the 1500s. Two other state parks — Koreshan State Park and Estero Bay Preserve State Park — are popular with bird watchers. Locals enjoy Bonita Beach and Barefoot Beach, both about 12 miles away. Estero Community Park is home to local events and the Estero Recreation Center, and the village has dozens of golf courses and fitness centers. In December 2024, officials unveiled designs for a sports park campus as part of "The Hub." The sports campus will encompass Ester High School's sports facilities. Plans call for public parks, sports fields, walking trails, a splash pad, a pavilion, a boardwalk and more.
New construction is everywhere in Estero
Mediterranean and Spanish Mission-style homes with stucco exteriors and tile roofs are typical, as are homes with attached garages and outdoor living spaces. Some homes have lanais — enclosed outdoor spaces — big enough to fit a saltwater pool. Corkscrew Road is lined with some of the area’s most popular private communities, including Grandezza, The Preserve at Corkscrew, Bella Terra and StoneyBrook. Gated communities are common here. The median price for a single-family home is roughly $660,000. Estero also has condos, townhouses and manufactured home communities. Townhouses have a median price of about $390,000. New construction is prevalent in Estero. New developments may be governed by a Community Development District, a local special-purpose government framework responsible for providing and maintaining community-wide infrastructure. Residents pay assessments to finance the CDDs.
Bella Terra features custom suburban homes on safe, quiet streets in the City of Estero.
Corkscrew Woodlands homes are vibrant and reminiscent of old Florida style in the City of Estero.
Homes in Corkscrew Woodlands are colorful and built in rows around a circular design in the City of Estero.
Homes in Estero Park are nicely appointed with attractive landscaping in the City of Estero.
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Miromar Outlets and Coconut Point Mall are the largest malls in southwest Florida
Estero is a hub for shopping and dining in southwest Florida. "We have a lot of fabulous outdoor malls," Silva says. "We have Coconut Point, which has a ton of stores and shops and cafes. We have Miramar Outlets, which has all sorts of outlet shopping. And of course they're all outdoors because it's beautiful here." The opening of Coconut Point Mall in 2006 marked a milestone in Estero's growth. The 500-acre master-planned outdoor mall features restaurants, a boardwalk and major retailers like Target, T.J. Maxx, American Eagle and Sephora. It's also home to the annual Coconut Point Art Festival, which showcases work from more than 200 artists. Gulf Coast Town Center is another nearby shopping and dining destination. There are plenty of grocery options, but one brand stands out. "If you ask any Floridian or anybody who's lived here long enough what they miss about Florida, they'll tell you they miss Publix," Silva says. "You can't throw a rock without hitting a Publix."
The Vines residents can find plenty of shopping at Miromar Outlets in the City of Estero.
Spring Run residents can find many popular retail shops at Coconut Point in the City of Estero.
Shadow Wood residents will find plenty of shopping and dining options at Coconut Point in the City of Estero.
Estero Park residents can find retail shopping and restaurants at the nearby Miromar Outlets in the City of Estero.
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Hertz Arena hosts Everblades hockey team
Estero's Hertz Arena is Southwest Florida's premier entertainment venue. The 7,100-seat venue has hosted the Florida Everblades Hockey League for more than 20 years and has two recreational rinks. Gulfshore Opera has brought music to Estero for 10 years. The opera has regular performances, concerts, and youth and professional development programs. Located in Coconut Point Mall, COCO Art Gallery is one of two nonprofit cooperatives run by the Art Council of Southwest Florida. The gallery has rotating exhibits all year. There are plenty of events here, too. Estero Fest is a free day-long festival hosted by the Greater Estero Chamber of Commerce, featuring music, food and vendors. Breaking Par is an annual golf tournament that raises funds for student leadership experiences and scholarships.
Nestled between Naples and Fort Myers
Estero is equidistant between Fort Myers and Naples, and its location is one of the driving factors of the village's growth. Estero is a car-dependent community with limited public transportation options. Still, numerous bike lanes and trails connect throughout Lee County. Estero has installed bike lanes on U.S. Route 41, Three Oaks Parkway and Ben Hill Griffin Parkway next to Florida Gulf Coast University. Corkscrew Road has seen explosive growth in the last few years with the addition of several neighborhoods, and traffic is often heavy as new roads and neighborhoods are planned for decades into the future. Traffic also increases during the peak season from mid-January through April. Major highways include Interstate 75 and U.S. Route 41, also known as the Tamiami Trail for its connection to Tampa and Miami. Fifteen airlines service Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. Lee Health serves the area; the closest hospital is Lee Health Coconut Point.
Florida Gulf Coast University and Lee County Public Schools
Lee County Public Schools District provides public education to Estero residents and receives a B from Niche. The district is the ninth-largest in the state with roughly 100,000 students. Lee County Public Schools has 46 elementary schools, 17 middle schools, 15 high schools and 23 charter schools. As part of Florida's open enrollment program, middle and high schoolers rank which schools they'd like to attend, then a lottery system determines admittance. Many schools offer specialized programs, such as the International Baccalaureate or AP Capstone programs, and the district also offers 14 career and technical education career clusters. There are also numerous private schools nearby.
Florida Gulf Coast University is a public university within a mile of the village that earns a B-plus from Niche. It offers 65 undergraduate degrees and is known for its nursing program and The Water School, which is focused on environmental sciences and water issues. Lee County is home to eight other colleges and universities.
Three Oaks Elementary School in Estero is an above average ranking school in testing scores in the City of Estero.
Three Oaks Middle School scores above average among schools in the state in the City of Estero.
Bonita Springs Middle Center For The Arts is a public school with 894 students in grades 6-8 in the City of Estero.
Estero High School in Estero ranks 6 out of 10 in college readiness in the City of Estero.
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Environmental factors and things to keep in mind
The village has a subtropical climate with an average annual temperature of 76 degrees. Hurricane season runs from June through November, bringing near-daily afternoon rain showers. Rapid development has stressed existing infrastructure, and traffic and constant construction are common concerns among residents. Some housing developments are projected to take 20 to 25 years to complete. Locals have hotly contested other developments for their environmental impact, such as encroaching on land native to the Florida panther. Crime statistics specific to Estero are not readily available.
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