The Island Hopper Songwriter Fest has announced its headliners for the 2025 event, scheduled to take place from September 19 to 28 across various locations in the Fort Myers area. Chris Young, a multi-platinum BMI singer-songwriter and global entertainer, will close out the festival with a performance at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach on September 28. Country music duo LOCASH, also BMI singer-songwriters, are set to perform at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village in Cape Coral on September 22.
While most shows during the festival are free of charge, tickets will be required for select performances including those by Young and LOCASH. The ten-day event will feature more than 60 singer-songwriters performing over 80 times at four primary locations: Captiva Island (September 19-21), Cape Coral (September 22-23), Downtown Fort Myers (September 24-25), and Fort Myers Beach (September 26-28). Additional information about lineups and ticketing is available on the official website and app.
In accommodation news, Shalimar Beach Resort is set to open on Sanibel Island on September 28. This marks the first complete rebuild of a resort on Sanibel following Hurricane Ian. The new facility offers studio as well as one- and two-bedroom villas, with reservations being accepted for October 2025 onward.
Plans are also underway for White Pelican Villas, which is expected to open in early 2026. The property replaces what was formerly known as Beachview Cottages—a site destroyed by Hurricane Ian—and will consist of three buildings connected by a covered walkway.
South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island has reopened several amenities including pools, restaurants, golf facilities, and fitness areas. Villa-style accommodations are currently available while plans for a hotel addition continue; a new water feature is anticipated later this year.
On Fort Myers Beach, Best Western Plus Beach Resort has reopened after renovations that include upgraded suites and rooms along with expanded amenities such as complimentary breakfast and pet-friendly policies.
Jensen’s Twin Palm Resort and Marina continues welcoming guests in Captiva Island’s historic cottages decorated in nautical themes since its opening in 1977.
Several dining establishments have also resumed operations or opened their doors recently. Notably, Captiva Island’s Bubble Room restaurant will reopen July 14 after nearly three years of closure due to hurricane-related delays. The Beach Bar on Fort Myers Beach has returned with an updated structure designed to withstand future storms.
Slipaway Food Truck Park & Marina now operates in Cape Coral with multiple food trucks, live music daily, boat slips, and river views. Tap 42 Craft Kitchen and Bar brings contemporary American cuisine alongside live entertainment to Bell Tower in Fort Myers. Lazy Flamingo has resumed service on Sanibel Island with its original menu offerings.
Key Lime Bistro has reopened in Old Captiva offering indoor/outdoor dining options along with live music. Sweet Melissa’s restaurant returns under chef Melissa Donahue’s direction after closing post-hurricane; it now serves patrons again from south Fort Myers.
Swamp Cat Brewing launched operations downtown inside a renovated former church featuring house-brewed beers and regular events in an expansive beer garden setting.
Causeway Islands Park has reopened following initial phases of restoration efforts after serving as an essential base during rebuilding work by the Florida Department of Transportation (https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/causeway). Planned improvements include additional parking areas, accessible beach features compliant with ADA standards, restrooms, showers, drainage systems, shaded structures, landscaping enhancements; construction is expected to begin late next year with completion projected for 2026 pending weather conditions.
