If art is your thing, then the community of Matlacha is for you. Located along the main road leading to Pine Island, Matlacha is a colorful community dotted with art galleries, restaurants, bars and home to "The world's most fishingest bridge". There are also a number of other galleries catering to local artists in the St. James City (south) and Bokeelia (north) areas of Pine Island.
The Edison Mall (one of the largest malls in southwest Florida ) is about thirty minutes from the house. Anchor stores are Dillards, Macy's, JC Penney and Sears and the mall has over 180 other stores.
The Bell Tower Shops is a pleasant outdoor shopping mall a little farther south of the Edison Mall. It’s anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue and Bed Bath & Beyond. Other stores include Williams-Sonoma, Talbot's, Banana Republic and Brookstone. The Bell Tower Complex also has Regal Cinemas movie theaters and several fine restaurants as well. If craft beer is your thing, there is a "World of Beer" located here where you can try hundred of different beers from around the world.
Miromar outlets mall is twenty minutes further south. It has more than 140 stores and is regularly voted southwest Florida ’s best shopping center by News-Press readers.
The Tanger Outlets near Sanibel offers discount shopping from stores including Coach, Calvin Klein, Nike, Reebok, LOFT, Polo, GAP and more.
If your tastes are a bit more expensive, then there is The Waterside Shops or Fifth Avenue in Naples, a little over an hours drive south, where you can shop at places like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Nordstrom, Cartier, and many more.
The locality is also close to the Coralwood mall (380,000 sq feet), the Coconut Point Mall, Fishermen’s Village, Flamingo Island , Page Field Commons , Port Charlotte Mall, Royal Palm Square and the Gulf Coast Town Center Mall.
And anything you can’t find in the Mall, you’ll find in the stores along US 41 and its cross streets; Best Buy, West Marine, Target, Barnes and Noble, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart and many more, all less than three quarters of an hour from home.