Is there anything better than shopping in the fresh air?
Visitors and residence in Southwest Florida can take advantage of the mild winters with a stroll through The Lakes Park Farmer’s Market every Friday morning from November through the end of April.
Photo: Jessica Hehir. All Rights Reserved.
The outdoor market is nestled inside Lakes Park in Fort Myers. It’s a beautiful setting to for browsing locally grown fruit and vegetables, flowers and native plants. It’s a also a great place to shop for unique gifts while listening to live music.
Photo: Jessica Hehir. All Rights Reserved.
Lakes Park Farmer’s Market is home to dozens of vendors including local entrepreneurs without a brick and mortar shop of their own.
Photo: Jessica Hehir. All Rights Reserved.
On a recent visit, I discovered The Dancing Dragonfly Soap Company and Once Upon a Bean. I believe homemade soaps and artisan chocolates are the beginning and the ending of all gift giving. Whether it be a treat to myself on my travels, a hostess thank you gift or a thinking of your present to a distant relative, local soaps and chocolates are always a good choice.
Courtesy Once Upon A Bean. All Rights Reserved.
Buying locally crafted gifts allows visitors to take a little piece of their vacation home with them. It offers residence a chance to support their community while having a quite break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
It’s hard to feel anxious or stressed as you stroll though the booths of fresh flowers and colorful produce.
Photo: Jessica Hehir. All Rights Reserved.
The sights and sounds of the Farmer’s Market are a treat to your senses and your sensibility. While you enjoy a morning in the fresh air your wallet will enjoy the savings by buying directly from the vendors.
Photo: Jessica Hehir. All Rights Reserved.
The Farmer’s Market is a partnership with the Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation. The Foundation was established in 2004 as a non profit dedicated to helping restore Lakes Park to a Florida wildlife environment.
Lakes Park is located at 7330 Gladiolus Drive in Fort Myers.
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Jessica Hehir is a regular contributor to 365 Things to Do In Southwest Florida. You can visit Jessica on her blog Sugar and The Spice, follow her on Twitter @sugarnthespice or try to keep up with her on her Facebook page.
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I try and go to Farmer’s Markets every weekend. They have the best prices and their produce is always ripe and taste so good.
What a great farmer’s market. They do have the freshest vegetables, and I may have to go to Florida to get some-as it is still snowing here in Upper Michigan!
The biggest thing I miss about wintering over in southwest Florida is the farmers markets! The one thing I did have a hard time with was finding good organic produce while shopping but did manage to find one in Northport. It was a bit on the pricey side but well worth it!
WOW, we have Farmers markets out here too but nothing like this!! I have always wanted ti visit Florida. this would be a wonderful time to go. I just enjoy this!!
I love blueberries, but the pic of those brings back memories of a Valentine’s Day in which I cooked fresh REAL blueberry pancakes for a woman I was dating at the time. It was a good day, after that.
I do look forward to farmer’s markets regardless because it’s sort of exciting to see what’s there.