• Airlines & Transportation • Boca Grande / Gasparilla • Bonita Springs / Estero • Cape Coral • Captiva Island • Fort Myers • Fort Myers Beach • Lehigh Acres • North Fort Myers • Pine Island / Matlacha • Port Charlotte / Punta Gorda • Sanibel Island • Attractions • Golf Directory • Tennis Courts • Sporting Events • Skating & Swimming • Casinos & Gambling • Theatre, Galleries & Museums • Beaches • Fishing Charters • Cruises • Yacht Clubs & Marinas • All About SW Florida • Parks • Local Wildlife • Hospitals • Visitors Guides • Useful Phone Numbers • Chambers of Commerce • Area Maps

Photo courtesy Scott Robert Ladd • Activities • Attractions • Demographics • Dining • Ghosts & Legends • History • Map • Shopping • Home Gasparilla Island "Musts"! Tour the island — in a golf cart Nothing symbolizes the leisurely lifestyle of Boca Grande more than the island's favorite mode of transportation: the golf cart. While cars are allowed nearly everywhere, golf carts get special privileges and are often seen on both the roads as well as an extensive network of bike paths. Go topless While named for Jose Gaspar, a legendary (and quite mythical) pirate, one of the greatest attractions for visitors and residents alike is an almost non-existent crime rate. Feel safe to leave your convertible's top down! Take a bike ride With a 13-mile loop starting at the Boca Grande Resort that goes down to the very south end of the island, Gasparilla Island boasts some of the finest biking in the world. It's a very pleasant ride, even during 'rush hour,' because of low traffic flow and slow speed limits. Talk iguana politics (excerpt courtesy Scott Robert Ladd) In the winter of 2004, the iguanas were the topic of several meetings of Gasparilla Island residents, animal control officers, biologists, and other interested parties. The overall tone was one of frustration and anger. It seemed that many people wanted the iguanas gone, and were willing to do whatever was necessary to accomplish that goal. We spy our first iguana on a quiet street a block from the business district; it's a large rusty-headed animal, sitting on the ground near a parked car. I stop, the lizard looks over its shoulder at me and scurries under a nearby car. Talking to people around town does little to clarify the situation. From real estate agents to yard workers to shopkeepers, the universal response to my questions is one of bemused annoyance at the iguanas. There's even a slight sense of fondness for the reptiles from some people. I saw no evidence of a campaign to eradicate the invaders, no sign of the fervor described in dozens of newspaper articles from last winter. Where has all the anti-iguana sentiment gone? Visit the island's many haunted places Spirits of several tragic victims are said to roam the island, among them Princess Josefa, captured by the pirate Gaspar — who beheaded her after she rebuked him. She is said to wander the beach near Journey's End, near the lighthouse, searching for her head. Shop, shop, shop! With the ambiance of a tiny old Florida town, shops feature clothing lines from some of the finest designers in the world. There's even a high-end pet boutique. Admire a pig While it is by no means a farming mecca, Boca Grande does boast its very own pig — Ziggy, a pot-bellied pig that lives at Whidden's Marina. The gift shop there even sells T-shirts with his likeness!

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES  |  CONTACT US  |  HOME PAGE  © 2006 — Breeze Newspapers, breezenewspapers.com & flguide.com