Thanks to Lee County, the Matanzas Pass Preserve (199 Bay Road) on Fort Myers Beach is back open with a brand new floating kayak launch pad.
The area has been closed since 2017 due to deterioration and hurricane-related damage. Now, visitors can enjoy the newly replaced and elevated boardwalks, paddlecraft landing and a pavilion.
The Bayside preserve has about 1.25 miles of trails that wind through the canopies of mangroves and maritime hammocks in an undeveloped, protected area of the island.