Discovering the Natural Beauty and Charm of Boca Grande, Florida

 boca-grande-gas

If tropical secluded beaches where you can swim, snorkel, fish, and find tons of beautiful shells sounds good to you, then Boca Grande is the perfect place.

Boca Grande was recommended to us by an older couple that spend the winter in Florida every year. They told us that is was absolutely beautiful. Well, they were right! The area is amazingly beautiful and the beaches are loaded with shells. I have found tons of shells every time that I have been there.

 Boca Grande is a small residential area located on the southern end of Gasparilla Island. To get onto Gasparilla Island, you will cross the Boca Grande Causeway where you will stop at a toll both.  There is a toll fee of $6 to get onto the island.

The island is small and has no traffic lights. Bicycles and golf carts are the preferred mode of transportation on the island.

The drive to the beach is simply beautiful!  Most of the homes are surrounded by tropical foliage and flowers.

Just north of Sanibel and Cayo Costa, both know for the great shelling, Gasparilla Island beaches are usually loaded with shells. And the best part is that there are no crowds, so you can look all day and find good ones.

There is a public beach access with parking on the right 2 miles before you get the the lighthouse beach.

This is a great place for swimming. This beach usually does not have many shells.

The Boca Grande Rear Range Lighthouse is located on the beach at this access point.

Around the jetty is a good place for finding shells and fishing.  It is located behind the South Beach restaurant, but you will have to park at the public access just a short distance on the right before you reach the restaurant. 

The main road ends at Gasparilla Island State Park.

 This is the best beach to finding shells. It is also home to the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse and museum.

In addition to tons of large shells, we saw hundreds of starfish and sand dollars this particular day.

My mother is almost as crazy about shells as I am! 😊

Address:

880 Belcher Rd
Boca Grande, FL 33921

The park is open from 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.

Lighthouse Museum Hours:

November through May
Monday – Saturday 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Sundays 12:00 pm-4:00 pm

June through October
Wednesday – Saturday 10:00 am-4:00 pm
Sundays 12:00 pm-4:00 pm

Museum Closed all of August



Admission Fee:

$3.00 per vehicle using  the honor box method



Happy Travels! 

Honeymoon Island State Park: A Hidden Gem in Florida

Formally known as Hog Island, Honeymoon Island acquired its current name when a New Yorker purchased the island in 1939 and built bungalows for honeymooners.

The island is a barrier island on the gulf coast of Florida and is home to Honeymoon Island State Park. The beautiful undeveloped beaches make it a favorite place for both visitors and locals.

My favorite shells to collect are the turban shells. I have never seen them on any other beach in Florida, or any beach anywhere. I'm sure they other places, I just haven't seen them.

The main beach area is great for swimming and beach activities. The sand is soft with very few rocks in that area. That is also where the restrooms are located.

The pet beach is on the south end of the island. It is a good distance from the parking area to the beach and we had to walk around several puddles of water to get there. The beach is nothing spectacular to look at, but the fur babies will love it. Unfortunately, I do not have the photos that I took of the pet beach. They were on my brand new phone that I dropped in a pool right after we left the park....😭

A fun thing to do is to catch the ferry to Caladesi Island. You can read about our trip here.

Address:

#1 Causeway Blvd.

Dunedin, FL 34698

Hours:

The park is open from 8:00 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year.

Admission Fee:

$8.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.

$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.

$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.

$4.00 per vehicle: sunset fee, starting one hour prior to sunset.


Happy Travels! 

Discovering the Hidden Paradise of Cayo Costa Island in Florida

Cayo Costa is an underdeveloped barrier island, just north of North Captiva Island, on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

The whole island is seven miles long and about a mile wide.

The island is surrounded by beautiful turquoise/blue water and has nearly 9.5 miles of pristine beaches, which are perfect for shelling, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing, and sunbathing.

The 2,426 acre Cayo Costa State Park occupies most of the island and has great trails for hiking.

The park is only accessible by private boat or ferry.

Ferry services:

Captiva Cruises - from  locations on Captiva Island, Punta Gorda, Boca Grande and Pine Island (This is the one we used. Very friendly crew, great trip!)

Tropic Star - from Bokeelia – Pine Island

Lodging on the island consists of rustic cabins or tent sites. These can be reserved through the park. Reserve here.

There is a private home on the island, not owned by the park, for vacation rental

https://www.vrbo.com/407150#

Facebook page: Cayo Costa Island Adventures

For something a little different, try the i Love Shelling shelling cruise to the island with Pam Rambo. I have not been on one yet, but it on my bucket list. I think it would be so much fun!

We loved our trip to this beautiful Island.We were on the short cruise that only allowed us on the island for 2 hours. I would recommend the full day cruise. Be sure and take a snorkel and a shell bag!

Happy Travels!