Destination: Boca Grande, Florida

by | Feb 28, 2011 | Diary Entries, Travel/Destinations

This is one of 2 lighthouses located on the island. In years past, this was home to numerous iguanas.

The first tip I can give you if you ever head out to Boca Grande is get gas at the Super Day Express Food Stores. They also make great food for picnics (sandwiches, fried chicken, pizza…). We did not stop and almost learned the lesson the hard way. There is no gas from there to the island, or out on the island, and it is a 30 mile round trip! I sweated bullets those last miles, because as you may know from reading my stories, I have been known to run out of gas occasionally :)

But the drive is absolutely beautiful. It traverses through dense wetlands and over several small bridges that span across bright aquamarine waters. It has a feeling that every mile you drive you slow down just a bit and shed the stress from everyday life in layers.

The toll to get on the island was $6, a little steep, but not outrageous. Plus you just drove a half hour, and are not about to turn around without seeing what you came for. You will not be disappointed. There are miles of beaches that turquoise waters of the gulf spill onto. There are 2 lighthouses to check out. And an awesome stretch of street that is lined with great shops and restaurants.

The South Beach Bar and Grill, I got this from their website. The day we were there, the lot was overflowing and parking was hard to come by anywhere.

The South Beach Bar and Grill, I got this image from their website. The day we were there, the lot was overflowing and parking was hard to come by anywhere.

We ate at South Beach Bar and Grill which was not on that street but rather at the far south end of the island. The food was pretty good, but the view overwhelmed the food. It is set on the edge of the beach so as soon as you walk off the back deck your toes sink into the white sand beach.

The stretch of beach behind the restaurant however is on State Park land and there is no alcohol permitted. So if you are going to drink, do it in a plastic cup so they cannot tell, as there are rangers who patrol that section relentlessly.

The sand was whitish, not like the beaches in NW Florida, but still bright. They contained a lot of shells so volleyball would be tough there, but walking on it did not pose any perils as they were broken into tiny pieces.

On a sad note, this island perviously was known for its community of Iguanas. They roamed all over the beaches and island. Some huge! But I guess they posed a lot of environmental threats since they were a non-native species and hence they have been mostly all trapped and disposed of. It is a pretty hot topic of conversation down there, however I do understand both sides arguments. And since I do not live there I am not going to take a side, but either way, it is sad when an animal has to be destroyed for just being themselves.
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