A perfect day on Pine Island & Matlacha

By Staff

Matlacha Pass. PHOTO PROVIDED

Whether you are spending a day touring Pine Island and Matlacha or even if you have come for much longer, there are a great deal of interesting things to see, learn and do to keep you engaged.

For starters, there is nothing that compares to getting your day off with a great breakfast.

Owner Rich Chalupski will welcome you to The Perfect Cup in Matlacha, where you can visit with locals over a cup of fresh coffee. Many folks from Matlacha congregate daily there as they are open 7 days a week.

Salty Girls Island Café is another great choice where Pine Islanders love to gather, especially since there is seating available inside the café and outdoors. Owner Lisa Dence and her friendly, efficient staff are ready to welcome you and your family and friends each morning with fresh classic favorites, such as biscuits and gravy, or even fresh fruit if you’re eating light.

After you’ve eaten a hardy breakfast, you might want to take a trip over to the Randell Research Center, the museum of natural history in Pineland. The Calusa Heritage Trail is open daily for self-guided visits from sunrise to sunset.

If you’re a history buff, the Museum of the Islands (MOTI) has many great pieces and even cool items from here on Pine Island.

Post adventure, you may find an appetite building once again. Perhaps fresh seafood or a fantastic burger is what you crave.

You may want to venture out to Bokeelia’s Lazy Flamingo III for perhaps the best burger you’ve ever had.

At the center of the island there is the lovely Street Eatz and Ale, owned by Chef Reid Freeman, who prides himself on finding just the right amount of resident flavor to make you feel like a local.

If you find that what you’re craving falls more on the standard delicious side, Pine Island Pizza is also right in the center. A delicious Italian menu awaits you, with a smiling staff who make a habit of serving up the best pizza for miles around.

If you simply love Native American style jewelry or souvenirs, you’re going to want to check out Traders Hitching Post in the heart of Matlacha. For a farmers market style browse, one may fancy a trip to Pine Island Tropicals or Fruitscapes to see what they’re growing. Don’t forget some of Mama Donna’s goodies, made famous by Martha Stewart.

A day of touring and meandering might leave your tummy grumbling for dinner. In case you weren’t planning to walk across Matlacha Bridge to fish for your own dinner, Blue Dog Bar and Grill is a Pine Island/Matlacha favorite. Owners John Lynch and Jesse Tincher have made a habit of keeping their attentive staff happily employed, even through the recent storms.

If you’d like a panorama landscape, you can take a scenic ride out to the Tarpon Lodge in Bokeelia. Owner Rob Wells keeps things running like a well-oiled machine, whether you’re there for a gourmet meal, an overnight stay or simply to gaze at a beautiful sunset.

There is no getting around the soulful Pine Island vibe, felt easily through the artistry, fresh seafood, and charitable nature of the island and Pine Islanders.

The Perfect Cup

4548 Pine Island Rd.

(239) 283-4447

Salty Girls Island Cafe

10700 Stringfellow Rd #30

(230) 558-4912

www.saltygirlsislandcafefl.com

Randell Research Center

13810 Waterfront Drive, Bokeelia

(239) 283-2157

www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/rrc

Museum of the Islands