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Bonita Beach
One of the best places in Southwest Florida to catch the sunset. The same shell bits that make barefoot stollers wish they had flip flops almost glow at sunset, mimicking the pastel pink and salmon hues cast upon the Gulf of Mexico nearly every evening. Doc’s Beach House is a popular eatery. The county-run park at the south end of the beach offers showers, picnic areas and grills. |
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Bunche Beach
Bunche Beach was historically a black beach during segregation. County-owned park offers lengthy yet narrow strip of sand that stretches from just south of the Sanibel Causeway to a residential area behind Fort Myers Beach. Great view of San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Waves are small and water depths near beach are very shallow. A popular spot for wade fishermen and kayakers, windsurfers and kitesurfers. |
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Cape Romano / Kice Island
Cape Romano can only be accessed by boat. The closest public ramp is at Caxambas Pass Park at the south end of Marco Island. Cape Romano and Kice Island are within reach of canoe and kayak paddlers as well as power boat owners wanting to see an undeveloped Southwest Florida shoreline. |
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Captiva Beach
A popular boating, fishing and golfing destination, Captiva is also one of the region’s top wedding beaches. Vehicle access is from Sanibel Island. Boat and kayak and canoe rentals as well as guide services are available. Turner Beach Park at the south end of Captiva is the most popular public beach. The main road, Sanibel-Captiva Drive, offers a great view of the Gulf of Mexico. |
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Clam Pass County Park
239-353-0404
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This park is one of the most popular beach access points much like Vanderbilt Beach. Clam Pass boasts 35 acres of coastal habitat and preserves that habitat by providing beach access from a three-quarter-mile boardwalk to the sandy beach. |
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Delnor-Wiggins State Recreational Area
239-597-6196
Delnor-Wiggins draws more visitors each year than any state park in Southwest Florida. There are lots of recreation opportunities: fishing, canoeing, sunbathing, swimming and a boat ramp. |
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Dog Beach
This large sandbar on the north shore of New Pass is one of the few beaches in the region where dogs are allowed. It’s the perfect place to spend the day sunbathing with canine friends. Typically crowded on weekends. Nice spot to watch the sun set over New Pass and the Gulf of Mexico. |
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Fort Myers Beach
A busy, pedestrian beach with lots of trinket shops and restaurants on the north end and sprawling condos to the south. Access from either Bonita Beach Causeway or San Carlos Boulevard. Scooter rentals and tattoo shops are a staple on the island. Bars, restaurants, parasailing and waverunners are all prominent fixtures. |
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Keewadin Island
A boater’s paradise on the south side of Gordon Pass. It abuts the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, an untouched and pristine coastal wilderness. Keewaydin is a mostly undeveloped shoreline that’s home to an exploding population of invasive iguanas. The island is also the domain of many Naples area boaters and fishermen. Dozens of vessels can be found anchored off the beach whenever weekend weather permits.
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Lely Barefoot Beach
239-353-0404
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Beaches, mangrove forest and tropical hammock are the dominant habitat types in this 342-acre county park, located on Little Hickory Island near Bonita Springs. Walk along the beach or choose the one-mile long self-interpreted trail that gives a good overview of the coastal habitats. |
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Lover's Key State Park
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Often listed as one of the state’s top beaches by various travel television shows, Lovers Key was a popular courting site for young couples prior to the construction of the Bonita Beach Causeway. Couples would often boat to the island and picnic. Nowadays, Lovers Key is an undeveloped barrier island with a mostly native landscape and plenty to offer outdoor enthusiasts. Park rangers give regular guided tours and teach everything from cast net throwing to birding. Dogs are allowed in the park on a leash, but are not allowed on the beach itself. |
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Lowdermilk Park
239-434-4687
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Lowdermilk Park is one of Naples' premier beachfront parks, with metered and unmetered parking, concession stand, sand volleyball courts, restrooms, showers and a gazebo. |
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Naples Municipal Beach and Pier
239-434-4696
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A favorite location of fishermen, the Naples Pier features a concession stand and bait shop, and fishing from the pier does not require a fishing license, as the City of Naples has purchased a bulk fishing license for the pier. The beach at the pier also features volleyball nets, and is one of the best places to catch a spectacular Naples sunset. |
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Sanibel Beach
239-472-1080
One of the must-stop places in Southwest Florida and a top choice for shell collectors. Prevailing currents in the region push water from the south to the north, causing shells to pile up on the east-west oriented Sanibel, which is mostly perpendicular to water circling the Gulf of Mexico. The island’s old Florida charm, native shoreline and nearby J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge draw thousands of visitors each year. Sanibel is also famous for its restaurants and small beach shops as well as hand-crafted jewelry. |
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Sanibel Causeway Islands
A man-made chain of islands that stretches from Summerlin Road to Sanibel Island. The islands were built to accommodate the Sanibel bridge, but have become a playground for sailors, fishermen, sunbathers and other beach enthusiasts. During winter and spring months the islands are the region’s top windsurfing and kitesurfing spots. High winds are consistent.
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Tigertail Beach
239-642-8414
Perhaps the region’s top beach for wildlife viewing. Protected wading birds typically line the shores of a lagoon that separates parking and facilities area from the beach. Birds have become acclimated to people and aren’t prone to spook. Great chance to watch some of the state’s most unique birds hunt and gather food. Park rangers also offer several educational programs each week, including birding tours and presentations on coastal wildlife like sea turtles and manatees. |
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Vanderbilt Beach
239-597-6196
In north Collier County, Vanderbilt offers soft, sugar sand and some of the clearest water along the Southwest Florida coast. Dozens of resorts, condominiums and restaurants are within walking distance of the beach. The sand is ideal for dropping the flip-flops and taking a barefoot stroll. |
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