On my latest trip to visit my sister and her husband in Bonita Springs, Florida, we squeezed in a lot of fantastic food and fun activities. In the first part of my trip recap, I am sharing our dining experiences.

The trip started shortly after I landed, when Jean took me to Amore Brick Oven in Fort Myers. We enjoyed a mushroom and chicken tender pizza. Neither of us ever had chicken tenders on a pizza. The friendly owner explained the light breading on the chicken keeps it moist while in a brick oven. This will definitely be a regular stop after landing on future trips.

That evening, after I requested seafood, Scott found Mr. Big Fish, a nearby place they hadn’t tried yet. I enjoyed perfectly grilled, large shrimp with sautéed spinach. A light lemon butter drizzled over both was extra tasty. The golden-brown top of the au gratin potatoes was exactly as I like.

We went to Off the Hook Comedy Club to see Kevin Nealon. Having previously been there, I knew the flatbread was excellent, especially when done extra-crispy. This was no different, as the chicken Alfredo flatbread was served well done, keeping the crust crunchy while the chicken stayed moist.

On Saturday we met Global Traveler publisher Francis X. Gallagher and his wife, Michele, at Fins at Sharky’s in Venice. The seafood chowder was chock-full of shrimp and fresh fish in a thick cream. I could have been happy with just that, but I also had light but filling fish tacos. The meal was outstanding, as was the view and the company, of course.

On Sunday we saw The Beatlemaniax – USA at J. Vito’s Supper Club and Lounge in Estero. The meal started with a small salad but then wowed us with huge main courses. Jean and I ordered chicken piccata with a mound of wonderfully al dente pasta in a light lemon sauce. It was great and so plentiful, we took half home.

The last special meal was at Sunset Grille in Marco Island, a regular favorite of all of us. The chicken Philly is among the best I have had.

I also must mention two fantastic cannoli spots. Seed to Table is a huge bakery and grocery store in Naples. Also in Naples, while looking for Pokemon cards for Jean’s grandchildren, we found cannoli at Angelic Desserts Bakery & Cafe. They were similar, except Angelic Desserts covered its version in powder sugar.

— John Wroblewski, online writer