Ever since Thomas Edison first visited Southwest Florida in the late 1800s, Fort Myers has been a winter destination that rivals any other in the country. And with booming cultural and sports scenes we are a great place to spend your days no matter what time of year it is.

Here are 6 BIG reasons to love Fort Myers:

1. Baseball Enthusiasts Unite

Jet Blue stadium is like a miniature Fenway.

Fort Myers is home to both the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins spring training complexes. And with the Fort Myers Miracle (Class A) playing from April to September, you can get your fill of baseball almost all year round.

2. Our Beaches

Beautiful white beaches that are often free of crowds.

We absolutely dare you to find more pristine beaches that are clean and free of crowds. On our south side is Barefoot beach, which is often ranked as one of the top ten beaches in America (by Forbes, for example). And for what it’s worth, Sanibel Island has some of the best shelling beaches in the world.

3. The Edison & Ford Winter Estates

If it was good enough for Ford and Edison, then why not you?

Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were two of the most innovative minds our country has ever seen, and they called Fort Myers their home for the winter months. Who are we to argue against them? Not to mention their Estate has a killer museum and lights up for a beautiful display every Christmas season.

4. The Barbara B. Mann Performance Arts Hall

The Barbara Mann Performance Arts Hall hosts broadway productions like Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, and Book of Mormon.

What used to be Edison State College is now Florida SouthWestern State College, a state college located in Fort Myers. On campus is the Barbara B. Mann Performance Arts Hall, a 900-seat theater that hosts a broadway series of performances.

5. Sunsets Over the Gulf

Our romantic sunsets cannot be beat.

Words and pictures cannot do justice to the golds and pastels of a sunset on the gulf. You must experience these to truly understand the beauty of a Fort Myers sunset.

6. Golf Heaven

Fort Myers has more challenging and fun golf courses than you can play in a short vacation.

It seems like there’s a golf course on every street corner in southwest Florida, and for those of you who like to swing the sticks on a regular basis, Fort Myers is as close to heaven as you are likely to find. And for those of you who don’t like golf? Then don’t play!

Of course there are more reasons to love Fort Myers, but these 6 are pretty hard to beat. Whether you want to make Southwest Florida your permanent home or just plan on visiting for a winter vacation, Fort Myers is a great place to spend your time.

(Oh yeah, the weather’s pretty nice too.)

This is the country’s weather from late January in 2014. Notice our little slice of heaven down there in Florida?