The Good Life
It doesn ’ t take long for newcomers to understand why locals simply refer to their home as “ paradise .” By Donna Germain , President / CEO
Boating , swimming , outdoor recreation and year-round sunshine beckon , so where do you begin to explore the region ’ s bounty ? Your first stop is the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral ’ s Welcome Center , located at the foot of the Cape Coral Bridge next to the picturesque Caloosahatchee River .
Those of us who have staked a slice of paradise get to experience it every day , but a true joy is when we get to experience the wonderment of our visitors , and new residents and businesses , as they share their enthusiasm in relocating to our little corner of Southwest Florida .
What ’ s all the excitement ? There ’ s lots of it , beginning with the healthful quality of life afforded by ideal weather , expanses of calm waters , coastal breezes and a clean environment , which serve as the canvas of our community .
More than that , they are excited about the endless opportunities in store in Cape Coral . Opportunities for growth abound here . Cape Coral is called home by 160,000 residents . At 120-plus square miles , Cape Coral is the thirdlargest incorporated land mass in Florida , and it boasts unique growth potential . Approximately 40 percent of the land is improved — so there is plenty of room for new families and new business enterprises . Cape Coral ’ s physical size is larger than Boston , San Francisco or Washington , D . C ., but it retains a small-town quaintness and accessibility like no other . Even so , large , urban areas ( Miami , Tampa and Orlando ) are a short drive . In fact , Forbes ranked Cape Coral in its top cities for future job growth last year .
Endless Season
We have certainly earned the moniker as a “ Waterfront Wonderland .” With almost 400 miles of salt and freshwater canals , learning to boat , fish and kayak is a great way to connect with nature and exercise in the fresh air . Within a few miles are world-famous beaches renowned for excellent shelling and sweeping sunsets . If you are a sportsman , hunting and fishing — which lured pioneering settlers and tourists — are still popular pursuits . Imagine walking out your back door and onto your boat for a day of fishing , sun bathing , shelling or exploring . It ’ s a frequent ritual that plays out each day in Cape Coral , which has more navigable canal miles than Venice , Italy . ( Venice has only 26 miles of canals ). It ’ s all within minutes of the breathtaking Gulf of Mexico , which is why Cape Coral is known as the Gateway to the Gulf .
Residents simply don ’ t complain of boredom around here . Cape Coral takes great pride in providing all types of recreational programming for the young and the young at heart . Football , basketball , baseball , soccer , softball , tennis , dance , yoga , bocce , sailing and kayaking are all highly accessible . The Cape also is home to the Cape Coral BMX Park , Wagging Tails Dog Park , Eagle Skate Park , Sunsplash Family Water Park and Seahawk Air Park — one of the finest remote-control airplane facilities — which hosts a national fly-in event each year .
Cultural Park Theatre , Cape Coral Historical Museum and Cape Coral Art Studio are the nexus of a cultural hub for entertainment , history , gardening and expressive arts . Events throughout the city engage the community and draw visitors from throughout the region . The annual Cape Coral Festival of the Arts is named one of Sunshine Artist ’ s “ 200 Best ” and is the second-largest event in the county . A short jaunt across the river takes you to Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre , Barbara B . Mann Performing Arts Hall , Edison & Ford Winter Estates , and the Burroughs Home .
Safety Matters
Cape Coral takes its public safety seriously , evidenced by the phenomenal support of elected officials and residents . The sheriff , police and fire department staffs are some of the finest and most highly trained in the nation , and they take a proactive approach to public safety . This makes Cape Coral the second-safest city in Florida with a population over 160,000 . With Neighborhood Watch , Citizens Police Academy , Community Emergency Response Team training and Weed and Seed programs , community leaders ’ and residents ’ commitment to public safety is superior . In addition , Cape Coral ranks as the
safest driving city in Florida .
Bull ’ s-eye for Rapid Growth
While the quality of life is second to none , Cape Coral is an enviable location for business startups . The community build-out is projected to be more than 400,000 residents , and Cape Coral recorded the third-highest population growth rate in the nation during the past decade , so those projections are on track . That means that tremendous future business growth opportunities are waiting to be seized . With a skilled , motivated workforce at the ready , new
capecoralchamber . com 2 business arrivals have a talented pool to tap into . Through economic development incentives available from the City of Cape Coral and Lee County , you owe it to yourself — and to your business — to find out about the advantages of relocating corporate headquarters or launching your startup here . The community has enjoyed a commercial building boom that has created flourishing retail space , Class A office space , and manufacturing and warehouse sites to get your venture running quickly and smoothly .
Whether you ’ re focusing on your own children , or those of your employees , Southwest Florida offers top-notch educational institutions . The public school system and the city ’ s charter school system prepare students for the global marketplace with Accelerated Reader , International Baccalaureate , Advanced Placement and career education programs . Cape Coral ’ s high-ranking schools meet the community ’ s diverse needs . Higher education institutions such as Florida SouthWestern State College and Florida Gulf Coast University , Ave Maria University and a handful of smaller , private colleges are close by . Vocational schools , such as the Cape Coral Technical College and Southern Technical College , offer training and certifications in computer , medical , graphic arts , criminal justice and culinary careers .
Get in Touch !
Need to know more ? Explore our slice of paradise in these pages of the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral ’ s annual magazine . Our membership is one of the largest in the area and our members are committed to the success of our community . If you want to make new business relationships , we encourage you to flip to the back of the book to get a complete list of our members and their business categories . For detailed information and mapping : CapeCoralChamber . com . And by all means , drop by to say hello .
Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral Welcome Centers South : 2051 Cape Coral Parkway E ., ( 239 ) 549-6900 or ( 800 ) 226-9609 , Monday – Friday , 9 a . m . – 5 p . m . North : 790 N . Del Prado Blvd . ( remote , unmanned center )
We invite you to stop in at one of our Welcome Centers so that we can help you begin exploring your new stake in paradise . The good life begins today .
See you soon ! Donna Schuman Germain , President / CEO