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Boca Grande

By Staff

For information on Boca Grande, go to bocagrandechamber.net. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LEE COUNTY VISITOR & CONVENTION BUREAU

The drive along the Boca Grande Causeway features turquoise-blue waters plied by boats ranging from yachts to kayaks. Completing the picture: sandy beaches, a historic train trestle, high-end shopping and more fishing holes than anyone without a skilled guide can find.

Boca Grande’s beautiful beaches, abundant world-class fishing, dynamically stocked retail shops and gourmet restaurants make for a fabulous day trip or elite extended vacation.

Tourist attractions begin just two miles over the bridges at the North Village, anchored by the Boca Grande Hotel. Some of the North Village businesses include CourtYard Hair, Kappy’s Market and Uncle Henry’s Marina. Seafood connoisseurs visiting the island will find a plethora of restaurants to satisfy their taste buds. Some notable ones include The Temptation Restaurant, Sisters Restaurant, and Eagle Grille and Miller’s Dockside.

The island is also home to many rare animals, birds and fish. Raptors such as osprey and bald eagles soar, while multitudes of pelicans ply the waters giving onlookers a fascinating insight into the workings of the wild kingdom. Iguanas or alligators can often be seen sunning after the rare cold fronts pass through.

Whether you switch to a golf cart (highly recommended), bicycle the island path or drive the entire 7.5 miles to the south end of the island to view the famed Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum, the key to enjoying Gasparilla Island is to let cares slip away and fall leisurely into island time.

There is no place in the world where fishing is more abundant or varied. Team with a member of the famed Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association to maximize your enjoyment in the Boca Grande Pass, Gasparilla Sound or saltwater flats — all within moments of launch. They will take you out into the Gulf of Mexico for deep-sea game, as well.

Gasparilla beaches are maintained by the Florida Park Service and offer an incredible glimpse into the world-class estuarine habitat, where hammerhead sharks mingle with red fish, hogfish, grouper including the massive Goliath grouper, porpoises, manatees and, of course, the famed silver kings — tarpon.

All beaches are swim at your own risk because of the stream of underwater wildlife that runs through the treacherously swift currents of the Boca Grande Pass. Adventurers and shell-collectors alike know how much fun it can be. Others watch or fish from the safety of the sand, especially in prime spots such as nearby the South Beach Bar & Grille.

Fishing is king on Gasparilla and the silver kings are at the top of the angler’s bucket list. Tarpon put up a brilliant fight making them a coveted gamefish to catch and release. With the tarpon habitat under pressure from developers, Boca Grande fishing guides have teamed with the Lemon Bay Conservancy and Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce in working to conserve the species and its fisheries.

No mention of Boca Grande attractions can omit the famed Gasparilla Inn & Club, which also operates the Inn’s Dining Room, Inn Bakery, The Beach Club, and The Pink Elephant historic restaurant.

The Gasparilla Inn & Club is the hub of the Boca Grande economy. It attracts visitors the world over to its Pete Dye-designed championship golf course, croquet and tennis courts, world-class cuisine, and the green-, pink- and white-striped rooms that take visitors back to the best of Old Florida.

For more information on Boca Grande, visit bocagrandechamber.com.

Places to go:

• Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum

Originally known as the Gasparilla Island Light Station, the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum is the oldest structure on the island and has been a beacon to mariners since 1890. The house-dwelling style lighthouse is home to a comprehensive museum that opened in 1999.

Today it is the host to a multitude of activities, from educational programs such as “Wading Adventures” to events like the “Annual Holiday Lighting of the Lighthouse.” The multi-room museum located inside the lighthouse was once home to a succession of five families of light keepers. Set in chronological order, each room displays a place in local Charlotte Harbor history spanning from 12,000 B.C. to current day.

The museum also offers a family-friendly “please touch” area featuring local bones, fossils and shells and includes a delightful and unique gift shop.

It is open November through May from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, and June through October from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. The lighthouse is closed in August and on major holidays.

For more information, visit https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/gasparilla-island-state-park/port-boca-grande-lighthouse-and-museum or call 941-964-0060.

The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse is at 880 Belcher Road.

• Boca Grande Fishing Pier

5810 Gasparilla Road, 941-833-3824

• Gasparilla Island Lighthouse

220 Gulf Blvd., 941-964-0060