Rex Rothrock – Moved by the Music, Inspired by the People

What if a slice of Key lime pie could change your life?

When Rex Rothrock first came to Fort Myers Beach on a weeklong vacation with his wife, they were immediately drawn to the water, the warm weather and the fun laid-back vibe. But it was a return trip the following year that really impacted them.

“We were on Fort Myers Beach, and one of our friends said, ‘Let’s go to Key Lime Bistro on Captiva to get some Key lime pie.’ I was a little hesitant because it was a long way to go for a piece of pie. We hung around the beach a bit, had lunch at Key Lime Bistro and stumbled across live music. We then learned it was the first year of Island Hopper Songwriter Festival.”

Now hooked, they have been coming down to Island Hopper Songwriter Festival for several years, spending time on Captiva Island, Fort Myers Beach and in downtown Fort Myers among other islands, neighborhoods and beaches. While inspired by the music, the Rothrocks are also foodies who love to enjoy all the culinary offerings around town, especially the popular chilled avocado shrimp appetizer from the Nauti Mermaid located at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village.

In between vacation time, the duo co-founded the Rothrock Foundation which provides disaster relief in hard-hit areas. Departing Fort Myers Beach just days before Hurricane Ian, Rothrock returned soon after, joining local partners to cook thousands of meals for relief workers and host holiday events for families.

Now that this resilient community is rebounding from the effects of the hurricane, Rothrock is looking forward to future trips to soak up all his favorite moments and explore some new ones.

“My Fort Myers is the sun, sand, water, music, and great food served by some of the best servers I’ve ever met. It’s a place where we can come, sit back, relax, and forget about all the chaos in the world.”

Visit Island Hopper Songwriter Festival to learn more about this fall music festival.