Clewiston:
The City of Clewiston, Florida is located centrally between Fort Myers and Naples to the west; Miami and the Palm Beaches to the east; Okeechobee to the North; and the Everglades to the south. All of these areas are within 60-80 miles of Clewiston depending on your route and final destination. We are part of the Florida Heartland Region.
The city was incorporated in 1925 and due to expansive agricultural endeavors with sugarcane and oranges, Clewiston was named America’s Sweetest Town.
Clewiston resides at the Southwest corner of Lake Okeechobee making it one of the top freshwater fishing destinations in the world. Lake O’ has over 40 species of fish including Large Mouth Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Redear and Bream. Florida tourism season is not just limited to the coastal regions and beaches. Tourism season here in Clewiston ramps up beginning in October and goes through April.
Sitting in the midst of the Everglades Agricultural Area, Clewiston and its surrounding areas have some of the most fertile soil on Earth; therefore, creating the perfect environment for cultivation. Clewiston is home to US Sugar, Sugarcane Growers Cooperative of Florida, Florida Crystals, Southern Gardens Citrus, C & B Farms, and wide range of other farms, cattle ranches, nurseries and agricultural suppliers. While Sugar Cane and Oranges seem to rank at the top of crop production in Clewiston, Sweet Corn, Radishes, Lettuce, Tomatoes and a wide variety of other veggies are also produced here. In fact, Florida finished second to California last year in vegetable production, producing $1.1 billion worth of veggies – most of which was grown right here in Southwest Florida.
Clewiston is located in Hendry County. The actual City of Clewiston has a population of about 8,000 people but there are many surrounding rural communities holding Clewiston addresses. Hendry County has a population of more than 40,000 and the county seat is in the City of LaBelle, neighboring to west.
Sugar Festival happens every year in March celebrating Spring Equinox and the importance of agriculture in our community.
Amenities:
The City has a Community Youth Center & Pool, Library, Chamber of Commerce & Museum, 18 hole Golf Course, and a wide range of recreational parks and sports facilities.
Roland Martin Marina & Resort, Jolly Roger Marina – offer boat rentals, tour guides, fishing tournaments.
Health: Hendry County Regional Medical Center, Florida Community Health Centers, MedExpress Urgent Care; Walgreens, CVS
Groceries: Walmart Supercenter, Save A Lot, La Frontera Grocery, Olguin’s Meat Market, and a few other small markets.
Housewares & Retail: Bealls Outlet, Hibbett Sports, Clewiston Florist & Gifts, Season’s 3:1 Cultivated Living
Hardware, Farm & Auto Supplies: MCM Paints and Hardware, True Value, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, Advanced Auto Parts, Napa Auto Parts, AutoZone
General Supplies: Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Goodwill
Restaurants & Bars: Jalapeños, Common Grounds Coffee Shop, Sunrise Restaurant, Main Street Subs, Staghorn Kitchen, Sonny’s BBQ, China Buffet, Café Tropical, Beef O’ Brady’s, Blu Cane Ale House, Brenda’s Place, The Tiki Bar (Roland Martin Marina)
Fast Food: Subway, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, Popeye’s, KFC, Little Caesar’s Pizza, Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut
Hotels/Overnight Stays: Historic Clewiston Inn, Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, Executive Royal Inn, Motor Inn, Plaza Travel Inn
Airport: Airglades International Airport is breaking ground on its expansion in the Spring of 2020. This expansion includes a plan to host a commercial hub to accommodate large cargo planes from South and Central America for perishable shipments of fruits, vegetables, fresh flowers and seafood. This project will bring a large crop of new jobs, businesses and housing to the community and surrounding areas.
Area Attractions:
Skydive Spaceland – Airglades Airport, offers skydiving and instruction year round.
Billie Swamp Safari – 2,200 acre preserve in the Everglades hosting eco-tours with Swamp Buggies and Airboat Rides managed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida
Ah-Tah-Thi-ki Museum – Featuring history of the Seminole Tribe and culture, managed by the Historical Preservation Society of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area – Recreational space and preserve for hiking, biking, fishing, camping and hunting – Managed by the Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission.
Florida Trail – recreational trail follows around much of Lake Okeechobee
Common Wildlife:
White Tailed Deer, Bobcat, River Otters, Wild Boar, Racoons, Opossum, Osceola Turkey, Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, Osprey, Crested Caracara, Red Tailed Hawks, Red Shouldered Hawks, Screech Owls, Barred Owls, Great Horned Owls, White Ibis, Wood Storks, Cattle Egrets, White Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, Glossy Ibis, Anhinga
Common Trees:
Sabal Palm (Cabbage Palm), Live Oak, Bald Cypress, Mahogany, Strangler Fig, Bay Tree, Slash Pine, Ficus, Banyan, Bismarck Palm, Royal Palm, Christmas Palm, Pygmy Date Palm, Coconut Palm, Fishtail Palm, Ponytail Palm, Citrus Trees, Mango, Avocado