Lovers Key

One of the state’s most heavily trafficked parks is Lovers Key State Park, which is technically in Fort Myers Beach though just a couple minutes south over the Big Carlos Pass Bridge. Speaking of which, the Big Carlos Pass Bridge is scheduled to be replaced in the next year so you may encounter some traffic delays heading that way off the island.

Lovers Key State Park has more than two miles of pristine white-sand beachfront and was featured on the Travel Channel in “10 Stunning Florida Keys you don’t know about.”

This past year, a $4 million visitor's center opened up, which provides several educational exhibits.

The park is also a National Gold Medal Winner and has more than five miles of multi-use trails through a maritime hammock, and inner waterways for paddling.

The shelling on Lovers Key is some of the best on Southwest Florida’s Gulf beaches.

In the winter, there is a “Songwriters at Sunset” show which brings out talented musicians. Local resident and music legend Charlie McCoy has performed on stage at the park.

The park is open from 8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year. The cost of admission is $8 per vehicle for 2-8 people, $4 for single-occupant vehicles and $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists.

More info: www.floridastateparks.org/Lovers-Key or 239-463-4588

Address: 8700 Estero Boulevard

THINGS TO DO

Bicycling or hiking

The Black Island Trail and Eagle Trail are great paths for interacting with nature. There are a large variety of birds in the park as well as gopher tortoises. The morning is the best time to be out on the trails. The Black Island Trail is 2.6 miles long and the Eagle Trail is 1.5 miles long. Maps are available with highlighted observation points. You can rent a bike on site or bring your own.

Paddle through the mangrove estuary

Rent a kayak, canoe, or paddle board on site. You may get a chance to see manatees, dolphins, alligators, osprey, and/or bald eagles while paddling through the 2.5-mile mangrove estuary.

Pack a picnic

There are several picnic areas in the park. You can choose to have a picnic on the beach, the inner waterways or the backwaters. Many of the picnic areas have grills and trash cans. If picnicking isn’t your style, the concession stand serves food and drinks.

Sunbathe and swim

Get comfortable on the beach and take a dip in the water. The beach at Lovers Key State Park is often more tranquil and quiet for relaxing than other beaches.

Step into Downtown Bonita Springs to see the historic Liles Hotel, a butterfly garden, bandshell and the artist cottages at Riverside Park. This park, off Old 41 Road right on the Imperial River, is used for a variety of town functions - everything from holiday celebrations, art shows, festivals, Movies in the Park to the annual Celebrate Bonita Festival held every spring.

Amenities include sheltered picnic tables, park benches, and restrooms as well as a Veteran's Brick walkway and Veteran's Memorial to honor all those who have served.

A stunning fountain and an abundance of green space provide the perfect atmosphere for a bit to eat at one of the picnic shelters, or benches.

Meanwhile, the historic Liles Hotel, built in 1926, offers exhibits in the public areas of the hotel while the Imperial River cottages, restored fishing bungalows, offer a selection of handmade jewelry, paintings, sculptures and other fine arts. The Artist Cottages are open to the public on Sundays during season and offer Art Nights the fourth Wednesday of each month.

The City of Bonita Springs also provides other opportunities for individuals to enjoy the outdoors at a variety of stunning parks along the water.

PLACES TO GO

Bonita Beach Park

Stroll down to Bonita Beach Park, a 2.5acres of beachfront featuring a boardwalk and ample areas to take a dip in the blue water. Need a break out of the heat? Stop by one of the eight gazebo and picnic shelters surrounded by sand dunes and coastal vegetation.

More info: www.leegov.com/parks /beaches/bonitabeach or 239-949-4615

Address: 27954 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs

Barefoot Beach Preserve

One of the last underdeveloped barrier islands on the southwest coast of Florida offers 342-acres of natural land where a shifting habitat of beach, dunes, coastal strand, maritime hammock and estuarine mangrove forest is located. Barefoot Beach Preserve, actually in Collier County, has 8,200 feet of sandy beaches for people to enjoy creating sandcastles, or splashing in the water. The preserve is also a popular attraction for avid fishermen who enjoy loosing themselves in nature while trying to catch one of the many varieties of fish.

More info: 239-252-4000

Address: 505 Barefoot Beach Blvd., Bonita Springs

Little Hickory Island Park

An isolated location, Little Hickory Island Park, is located just off Little Hickory Island. Take a dip in the water, enjoy a little meal at one of the shelters or — a local favorite— cast a line in the surf. It's also a great place to take in a beautiful Florida sunset.

More info: www.leegov.com/parks /beaches/littlehickory or 239-949-4615

Address: 26082 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs

Bonita Springs Dog Park

For those who have a furry four-legged best friend, stop by the Bonita Springs Dog Park, which has a bridge spreading across Leitner Creek providing some peace and serenity. The wooded, spacious park gives dogs 6 acres to run some of their energy off in three separated enclosures depending on the dogs size.

More info: www.leegov.com/parks/dogparks/dogbeach or 239-949-4615

Address: 14436 Bonita Beach CSWY, Bonita Springs

Everglades Wonder Gardens

A popular old Florida-style attraction, Everglades Wonder Gardens provides visitors with an opportunity to travel back in time to learn about artifacts collected by Bill and Lester Piper, as well as explore the 3.5-acre botanical jungle bursting with native trees and plants. Take a moment to feed the bright pink flamingos, take a stroll through the butterfly garden and stop and view the intriguing alligators.

More info: https://wondergardens.org/ or 239-992-2591

Address: 27180 Old 41 Rd., Bonita Springs

Boca Grande

By TIFFANY REPECKI

trepecki@breezenewspapers.com

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 Resort. Some of the North Village businesses include Courtyard Hair, Kappy's Market & Deli 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 slips 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 Boca Grande Pass, the Gasparilla Sound or the saltwater flats — all within moments of launch. They’ll take you out into the Gulf of Mexico for deepsea game as well.

Gasparilla Island 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, and porpoises, manatees and, of course, the famed silver kings — the 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 Island 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, the 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, the Inn Bakery, The Beach Club and the historic Pink Elephant 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.

Originally known as the Gasparilla Island Light Station, the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse 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 five-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 lighthouse is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

More info: www.barrierislandparkssociety.org or 941-964-0060

Address: 880 Belcher Road • Boca Grande Fishing Pier, 5810 Gasparilla Road, 941-833-3824

THINGSTO DO

There are 14 Gulf of Mexico side beach locations; not all locations have a beach to access but offer excellent views of the Gulf. Parking is limited. There are 11 bay side locations; some as small as a walking path to others that allow canoe and kayak launching.

On the southern end of the island, there are 14 walking paths from Gulf Boulevard to the beach. These are unmarked, primitive and without parking.

A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.

Marinas

• Boca Grande Marina, 220 Harbor Drive, 941-964-2100, www.bocagrandemarina.net • The Inn Marina, 500 Palm Ave., 941964-4620, https://the-gasparilla-inn.com /activities/marina • Uncle Henry's Marina, 5820 Gasprailla Road, 941-964-0154, www.unclehenrysmarina.com • Whidden's Marina, 190 First St. E., 941964-2878, www.whiddensmarina.com