Articles

Lifelong Floridian Reagan Rule, a 2002 graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, has studied broadcast journalism, advertising and public relations, all of which now influence her work in commercial and marketing photography. Her work has appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, the Wall Street Journal, Gulfshore Life, Gulfshore Business, Naples Illustrated, Florida Trend, Home and Design Magazine, Miami Living, Florida Home Builder and Noblehouse Magazine.  Clockwise from above: Her favorite shot of the Naples Pier is from 2018, as is the shot of Archer the Dascshund — “He’s a lot more gray now,” she says — on the beach near Delnor Wiggins Pass; she captured the night-blooming San Pedro cactus in her Naples yard in July 2019; and sunset on a canal in Naples Park is from 2017.

Describing himself as a “freelance camera shutter opener/ closer,” Punta Gorda resident Jerry Beard shoots for the worldwide wire service Zuma Press and is a Shutterstock contributor. His work has appeared on ABC Network News and in the UK Sun, among other places. Locally, he shoots for Florida Weekly and the Babcock Ranch Telegraph. He is currently taking an advanced photojournalism class taught by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Greg Marinovich through the Harvard Extension School. “This is my most important thing,” he says about his three class projects that address issues of social importance in Southwest Florida. He captured the image of the poolside pelicans, top, at the Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda this past January. Below far left, a drone shot of Fishermen’s Village, also from January 2023. And below left, a performance of the Punta Gorda Symphony at the Center for Performing Arts in March 2020.

SPRINGTIME IS BASEBALL TIME IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

They slave over flaming gas stoves and spend their spare time balancing budgets and dreaming about food. Our kitchen warriors: Where do they go when it’s time for someone else to do the cooking for them? We talked to seven Southwest Florida chefs to find out.

We have our share (and then some) of headlining attractions — from superlative beaches and golf courses to top-notch cultural attractions, shopping, restaurants and festivals. Instead, SWFL Insider takes you to our best local secrets, those hidden gems shy of the limelight.

Any sport that doesn’t require mountains or snow likely is played somewhere in Southwest Florida, a sun-splashed haven for nearly every sporting dream. Well, almost. We’ve got go-karts and disc golf, traditional golf, mountain biking, tennis and pickleball plus spectator sports such as professional baseball and Division 1 collegiate basketball. There’s also bocce ball and shuffleboard, swimming and tennis, softball and volleyball.

Whether you’re interest in art is merely passive appreciation or you’re an active participant — you know: clay in the hair, paint on the dog — Southwest Florida offers oodles of adventures in art. Arts organizations throughout the region present homespun exhibitions featuring works by local artists as well as major international traveling shows. They also provide a plethora of single-night or multiweek classes to suit your schedule, skill level and location.

How do I love you, Southwest Florida? Let me count the ways. Truth is, there are way too many ways to count, so we’re starting for you. When your head goes dizzy with all the possibilities, take a breath and consider this handful of experiences to celebrate the day Southwest Florida-style.

If you’re in a rut when it’s time to cook dinner, the problem might be what you are bringing home.

Admission to a theme park can be expensive. So, too, are visits to many of Florida’s top attractions. The good news is that Southwest Florida offers plenty of activities and events that don’t cost a thing while immersing you in local color.