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Boca Grande has a wide variety of activities to accommodate many different tastes. On the island, a 7-mile jogging and biking path goes by the house and provides easy access to the whole island. Downtown features small boutique stores, specialty shops, art galleries, golf cart rental shops, and bicycle and inline skate rental shops. Near the piers, you can rent fishing guides and boat tours. There are also several small museums on the island and a wildlife preserve. Off-island, the towns of Englewood and Port Charlotte provide a more urban atmosphere where you can find movie theaters and malls. | Shopping 
There are a wide variety of specialty boutique stores in Boca Grande, many located in the historic train station. The Loose Caboose, pictured here, serves great ice cream year around. The restaurant shares the old train station with a variety of small shops and local art galleries. Hudson's is the island's oldest grocery store and maintains its quaint original look and pastel gas pump. Located downtown, it is easily walkable or bikeable from the house. Fishing and boating
 Boca Grande is ideal for sport fishing. With over 155 square miles of unpolluted water, Gasparilla island is in the middle of a fishing paradise full of plentiful and varied fish. You can do deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, surf fishing along the beaches, and back country fishing in the bays and shallows. Boca Grande is possibly most famous for the quality of Tarpon fishing in the Boca Grande Pass. Explore or fish in local waters with either your own boat or by renting a local guide or boat. The local boat captains and fishing guides are well known for their extensive experience in fishing and boating in local waters. For additional information about charting boats and fishing expeditions, see Grande Tours and Uncle Henry's Marina.
Current Weather
Boca Grande, FL
Updated Sunday, September 05, 2010 12:53 AM
Clear | 81°F | High: 88°F
Low: 79°F
Wind: 0 mph
Humidity: 83%
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| Restaurants The island has a variety of restaurants ranging in formality. Many of them have amazingly fresh seafood. The South Beach Restaurant, located directly on the beach, has a special for All You Care To Eat Shrimp every Wednesday night. If you schedule to arrive in the late afternoon, you can watch the sun set over the ocean as you eat.
Beach
 This picture is of the beach directly across the street from the house. Boca Grande has miles of beautiful and uncluttered white sand and is known for its quality shells. It is lovely both during the day and at night. Because Gasparilla island is unspoiled by the light of dense urban areas, the stars are easily visible in the nighttime sky.
Landmarks
 Banyan Street is the island's most famous street. Banyan trees grow to be extraordinarily old and produce huge, sculptural trunks. These trees are approximately 80 years old. Boca Grande has two working lighthouses. This one is the older of the two and features a museum about the history and culture of the island and the lighthouse. For additional information about the lighthouse, see The Lighthouse Museum.
Nature Pelicans, eagles, and other exotic wildlife are easy to see on Gasparilla island. For additional information about the Gasparilla Island State Park, see the Florida Online Park Guide. Birdwatchers are treated to a wide variety of different species of shore birds, wading birds and birds of prey that are easily viewed from land. You can also rent a kayak or hire a guide to visit the rookery keys or cruise the miles of pristine mangrove shoreline. Bring a good pair of binoculars and expect to see between 30 and 60 different species of birds in a week. |
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