Last Updated: May 2026
Fort Myers became a recurring anchor on our first Florida winter — a practical hub for RV service, resupply, and the kind of administrative tasks that accumulate when you’re living on the road. This was our second stay at Cypress Woods RV Resort, this time for a combination of outstanding warranty work (three days at the RV dealer) and the annual reckoning of tax season. Not the most glamorous week on paper. But the area around Cypress Woods delivered, as it had before, with a nature preserve and a farm worth a dedicated visit.
Cypress Woods RV Resort
Cypress Woods is one of the better-run resorts we’ve stayed at in Florida. The lots overlook a lake, which helps enormously with the sense of space, and the clubhouse is substantial — good wifi, a proper library, a warm pool, and a hot tub that was actually worth getting into. Sites have concrete pads, 50-amp service, and sewer. The owners are friendly and engaged, and the community of long-stay seasonal residents is welcoming. The location near I-75 makes it an easy staging point for a Costco run, which we needed. The RV park has no site internet, but the clubhouse connection handled everything we needed during a working week.
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
The Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is one of Fort Myers’s genuine treasures and one of the least-heralded nature sites we visited in Florida. A 3,500-acre wetland ecosystem, the slough functions as a natural water filtration system — catching rainwater and slowly releasing it toward Estero Bay while hosting an extraordinary range of resident and migratory wildlife. The preserve offers a well-maintained boardwalk trail and an Interpretive Center, and admission is minimal.
We visited during an extended drought, which had lowered water levels significantly. Low water concentrates animals in shrinking pools, but it also reduces dissolved oxygen — a combination that had killed large numbers of fish throughout the slough. The alligators and vultures, predictably, had no complaints about this arrangement. Wherever fish had died in number, one or both species were positioned at close range, and the resulting wildlife photography was unexpectedly productive.
Under normal water conditions, the slough supports river otters, alligators, turtles, wading birds of many species, and seasonal migrants including waterfowl and butterflies. The boardwalk winds through cypress stands and open water areas, with viewing platforms at key intervals. Jake, unfortunately, cannot visit — dogs are not permitted on the preserve, which is understandable given the alligator population. He waited in the car with the air conditioning running and received no sympathy from us whatsoever.
Buckingham Farms
Near the RV dealer where we were spending three days on warranty work, we discovered Buckingham Farms — a 50-acre hydroponic operation and country store serving the Southwest Florida region with locally-grown produce and homemade food. It’s a working farm, not a tourist attraction, and the quality of what they’re growing shows. The store offers vegetables, prepared foods, and fresh items that you simply cannot replicate from a grocery chain.
They serve breakfast and lunch daily, and on Fridays offer a carry-out dinner. We took full advantage of the Friday option. Having fresh vegetables every day for a week after months of the RV diet felt genuinely restorative.
Visitor Information
Cypress Woods RV Resort is located in the Fort Myers area off I-75. Full-hookup sites with concrete pads and 50-amp service; clubhouse wifi, pool, and hot tub. Proximity to Costco, Home Depot, and RV dealers makes it an excellent service-and-resupply base.
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is located at 7751 Penzance Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33966. Open daily; a small parking fee applies. The boardwalk is accessible year-round, with the best wildlife in winter and early spring. Dogs are not permitted. Check the preserve website for current conditions and programming.
Buckingham Farms is located on Buckingham Road northeast of Fort Myers. Open for breakfast and lunch daily; Friday carry-out dinners available. Call ahead to confirm hours and Friday menu.
Practical Tips
- Six Mile Cypress Slough is best in winter and early spring before temperatures spike and water levels fall. During drought conditions, expect low oxygen events affecting water species — which concentrates predators near fish kills for interesting photography, but isn’t the preserve at its ecological best.
- The boardwalk is stroller and wheelchair accessible for most of its length. Allow 1.5–2 hours for a relaxed walk with stops at viewing platforms.
- Leave dogs in the car for Six Mile Cypress — multiple large alligators use the boardwalk margins. The preserve rule is a practical one.
- For RV service in Fort Myers, the dealer cluster near I-75 and Alico Road handles most major brands. Schedule warranty appointments well in advance during peak snowbird season (November–April); service queues run long.
- Buckingham Farms’ Friday dinner is call-ahead carry-out only. Plan ahead — it was one of the best meals of our Fort Myers stay and worth building the day around.
