I spent my long birthday weekend in Bonita Springs, Fla., thanks to the hospitality of my sister and brother-in-law who are part-time residents. Being the ever-gracious hosts, they planned a few days of food and fun.

The trip started with a relaxing dinner on the waterfront at the Fish House in Bonita Springs. Deliciously creamy clam chowder and lightly breaded shrimp was a fantastic first meal.

The Sunset Grille, located on Marco Island’s beautiful South Beach, was one of our lunch stops. The chicken Philly sandwich is in my top five favorite sandwiches anywhere.

At Cantina 109 I had Baja fish tacos while Scott had smoked pork enchiladas and Jean had chicken enchiladas. We did a little sharing, too. We also enjoyed awesome frozen margaritas.

On the last day I really wanted some pizza. Ristorante Enrico did not disappoint. The chicken pizza featured fresh chicken and cheese with a slightly zesty sauce on top of a golden brown crust. I was in heaven.

We did manage to do a few things besides enjoy the cuisine. Liverpool Live entertained the crowd at the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center with two hours of the best hits of the Beatles. I have seen a lot of Beatles tribute bands, and Liverpool Live is among the best.

We had an evening of laughs at the Off the Hook Comedy Club. Actor and comedian Rob Magnotti mixed jokes with dead-on impressions. Headliner Tom Green told hilarious stories from his illustrious career while interacting with the audience. In addition to the great comedy, I really enjoyed the scampi shrimp flatbread.

Lastly, I must mention two quick but awesome stops. Marco Island treasure The Snook Inn served up refreshing margaritas. DeRomo’s Gourmet Market and Restaurant includes a restaurant, meat market and bakery, where we got some of the best cannoli I have had.

Scott and Jean packed a lot into my trip. I really love this area and will be returning in a month for more food and fun!

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist