The coastal, urban part of Southwest Florida lies west of I-75. The rural, agricultural part lies to the east. Of course, there are towns in the rural areas:
- Arcadia, in DeSoto County
- LaBelle, in Hendry County
- Immokalee, in Collier County
- Clewiston, in Hendry County, on the west bank of Lake Okeechobee
The economy in all of them centers around citrus growing, other agricultural pursuits, including cattle ranching, and lumber. Clewiston is also a good place for sport fishing in Okeechobee.
The topography of Southwest Florida is decidedly flat, consisting of low lying shallow swampy areas and pine flatlands. The closer you get to Lake Okeechobee, the swampier things get. Most people visiting here don’t spend much time in these areas. They’re missing the profusion of wildlife, especially birds, bromelliads and orchids, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. You should try to spend some time at Big Cypress and/or Corkscrew while you’re here (both are in Collier County). Take a lot of mosquito repellent, a hat, sunscreen, and some water. You’ll be fine.
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