Farm stands, riverside parks and pastoral scenes paint the landscape in these quiet, rural communities. If you’re active and outdoorsy, Caloosahatchee Regional Park is a great place to hike, kayak, camp, bike and horseback ride. Many people paddle from there to Hickey Creek Mitigation Park, known for its spectacular birding. Harns Marsh Preserve near Lehigh Acres is another birding hotspot.

In Buckingham, the owners of Buckingham Farms raise hydroponic fruits and vegetables to sell in their country store and serve in their farm-to-table restaurant. Stop by and say hello to the farm’s local celebrity: an enormous African Spur-Thigh tortoise named Booger. Just a few minutes away by car, “The World Famous” Buckingham Blues Bar serves up cold beer and features local and national blues acts on stage.