Dealing with traffic on Fort Myers Beach

People are thankful to see the crowds again because they’re a sign of Fort Myers Beach coming back. The pool at Margaritaville is open. The weather is hot, and at the beach, that’s a good thing.

There’s a traffic patrol to keep everyone safe. They’re ready to get back out here and enjoy the charming beach they love.

For many people living in or visiting Southwest Florida, paradise is coming back.

“It’s crowded, very crowded. It’s good to see it was back to normal,” said Larry Pace.

People are headed to that paradise on Fort Myers Beach.

Patrick Mckenzie said he was lucky enough to beat the traffic early in the morning, but he said it would be worth it either way.

“We’re from Minnesota and St. Cloud, and it’s cold, below zero, and it gets stone. This is beautiful. That’s why we came down here,” McKenzie said.

He’s not the only one. Thomas Gerace has been coming to Fort Myers Beach from New Jersey for 15 years. He said he is used to the crowding, and he knows how to navigate it by now.

“That’s what you get for living on the island. You got one way in, one way out. And you got to deal with it. It’s worth the crowd and a hassle,” Gerace said.

It’s worth the wait, not only for the beach but for the beach businesses coming back.

Nervous Nellie’s has been crowded since it opened last week.

“The addition of Margaritaville with the pool being open and all those hotel rooms and everything. I mean, we’re just super excited to have them here. It’s a great feeling to see those traffic cops out there directing traffic. We haven’t seen that in almost two years,” said Danny Timothy, General Manager of Nervous Nellies.

Timothy said he’s ready for even more crowding.

“The traffic is the thing that comes with the business. So we have to take the good with the bad, and there’s way more good than bad,” he said.

Traffic patrol at the intersection of the new light in Margaritaville has been out all day through the heat. They’re making sure traffic runs as smoothly as possible, even if it’s backed up a bit from everyone rushing over.