Bonita Beach, Florida

Pictures from Bonita Beach

Bonita Beach is the gulf shore of Bonita Springs, Florida. It is situated on the lower Gulf Coast of Florida, about 140 miles south of Tampa. It is just south of Fort Myers Beach and just north of Naples. The Bonita Springs area, including the beach, has undergone a tremendous transformation in the 90's from a sleepy "gas-stop" between Fort Myers and Naples to a bustling center of construction and tourism.

Visitors to Bonita Springs can easily get access to the beach through the "beach access points" all along Hickory Boulevard. Parking is minimal at most stops but they are frequent enough to allow all but the late comers to find room. Back in the mainland area there are also many good eating and drinking establishments, although not a lot for nightlife activity. Many residential developments have sprung up in Bonita over the last several years as well as commercial parks and such. It has been one of the hottest of the real estate "hot spots" for the lower gulf coast.

A trip to Bonita Springs would be lacking without a visit to Barefoot Beach Preserve. This island area features a residential section and public beach area. A simple drive to the beach is through upscale condos and houses set in a story book environment of water, wildlife and scenic wonder. At the beach you can take your pleasure in sunbathing, swimming in the surf, relaxing in a beach chair under an umbrella and walking miles of trails through the undergrowth or along the shore. This is a pretty beach with natural soft white, sandy dunes formed by the vegetative growth of sea oats and many other native plants.

Visitors to Bonita Beach can easily tour the southwest Florida cities in the area. Driving north you'll have close access to Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Further north are Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Pine island including Matlacha, Bokeelia and St. James City. For the boater, some of these areas are closer by water than roadway. North Captiva, Useppa, Don Pedro and Little Gasparilla islands are all just north of Sanibel-Captiva but all must be reached by boat. A 15 minute drive south will find Naples and about 40 minutes places you on Marco Island. The Southwest Florida International Airport is 15 minutes from Bonita Springs.

Big Hickory Pass

Bonita Beach Condos 

Bonita Beach Houses and Streets

Turn down a side street (picture above left) and enter a tropical paradise. Houses on the bay, exquisitely styled and landscaped inviting you to join this tropical lifestyle!

Pictures of Bonita Beach bay side waterfront houses (above and below).

Quiet neighborhoods, low traffic and tropical ambiance 

Barefoot Beach Preserve

Sea oats, sand and surf!

Restroom at main parking area

There are miles of Barefoot Beach Hiking trails. Bring the camera for those wildlife photos.

Boardwalks wind through sun and shade.

Picture of Barefoot Beach

Pictures above and below show beautiful white, sandy beaches with sand dunes formed around sea oat growth. Notice the sparkling-clear, blue-green waters close to shore and deep blue off shore. Motto of Park Rangers: "...take only pictures - leave only footprints...".

Houses and Condos at Barefoot Beach Preserve

While driving through the residential area of the preserve, memories of the Emerald City in the "Wizard of Oz" first come to mind. The place is amazingly clean and colorful- manicured! The landscaping is first-rate as well as the architecture. This is an outstanding, tasteful development! 

Pictures of some houses and condos in the Barefoot Beach area. Short drives turn off the main road (upper right) to stunning island houses beneath swaying coconut palm trees.

Caution! Sea turtle nest.

Gopher Tortoise feeding.

(we might mention here that Gopher Tortoises are NOT the same as Sea Turtles. They are LAND ONLY creatures and cannot swim - don't move them from the land areas they frequent to the gulf or bay waters!)

Trails at Barefoot Beach