Travel Guide · June 2, 2026
Most visitors to Southwest Florida sprint straight for the beaches — and we completely understand the impulse. But if you're willing to point your car inland, even for just one day, the Caloosahatchee River corridor will reward you with a side of Florida that feels wonderfully untouched. Ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, working cattle ranches, mom-and-pop diners, and wide river bends that look the same as they did a century ago — this is old Florida, alive and well.
The route roughly follows State Road 80 east out of Fort Myers, tracing the north bank of the Caloosahatchee through the communities of Alva, Fort Denaud, and on into LaBelle, the seat of Hendry County. Round-trip it's about 120 miles of genuinely pleasant driving — ideal in a spacious SUV like the Kia Telluride, where the whole family can spread out and enjoy the scenery. Whether you pick up your rental car at RSW in Fort Myers or at PGD in Punta Gorda (just a short hop to the starting point), this loop makes for an effortless full-day adventure.
About 17 miles east of Fort Myers on SR-80 sits the tiny community of Alva, and it's exactly the kind of place you'd drive right through if you didn't know to slow down. Pull off near the historic Alva Community Church (built in 1901) and take a stroll along the river walk. The park here is shaded, serene, and the view across the Caloosahatchee is genuinely stunning — broad, blue-green water with very few other people to share it with.
Alva is also the jumping-off point for visiting Caloosahatchee Regional Park, a 768-acre Lee County preserve just north of town. Hiking trails wind through pine flatwoods and wetlands, and birders will be thrilled — look for sandhill cranes, swallow-tailed kites (spring), and osprey year-round. There's a small picnic area perfect for a packed breakfast before you push further east.
Keep heading east and you'll cross into Hendry County near Fort Denaud, named for a Civil War–era army outpost. Not much remains of the original fort, but the community around the old bridge crossing has a sleepy, time-capsule quality. The swing bridge at Fort Denaud Road is one of the last operational swing bridges in Florida — if you're lucky (or patient) you might catch it rotating open for a passing boat, which is oddly mesmerizing.
History buffs should note that this stretch of the river was a major 19th-century Seminole War theater. Pull over at any of the small roadside historical markers and you'll find yourself unexpectedly deep in a story most Florida visitors never encounter. It's the kind of spontaneous discovery that only happens when you have your own vehicle and the freedom to stop whenever you please.
LaBelle is the crown jewel of this corridor and well worth making your primary destination. This charming town of about 5,000 people has a main street that still functions like main streets are supposed to — local hardware stores, independent boutiques, and diners where the waitstaff knows half the room by name.
Here's what not to miss in LaBelle:
LaBelle also sits at the edge of Florida's vast agricultural heartland. The drive back west along the south bank of the river on County Road 78A passes mile after mile of orange groves, vegetable farms, and cattle pastures — a reminder of just how much of Florida's food comes from this quiet corner of the state.
A little planning goes a long way on this route, since services thin out quickly once you leave Fort Myers:
If you're flying into RSW in Fort Myers or PGD in Punta Gorda, this road trip is easy to launch the same day you land — especially if you've arranged airport pickup through Turo in advance. The Telluride's cargo space handles beach bags, coolers, and strollers with ease, and the elevated ride height gives everyone a great view of that gorgeous river scenery rolling by.
Southwest Florida's beaches are world-class — we'll never argue otherwise. But the Caloosahatchee river towns offer something the beach can't: genuine quietude, living local history, and the distinct feeling that you've found a Florida most visitors completely miss. Whether you're a first-time tourist, a snowbird looking to venture beyond your usual haunts, or a new resident still discovering your own backyard, this road trip earns a permanent spot in your SWFL rotation.
So charge your phone, load up a good playlist, and point the Telluride east. The river's waiting.