Beaches
Bonita Springs is home to some of the prettiest beaches in the entire state of Florida. It is located just north of Naples and is growing in popularity and in population. It is no wonder that the word “bonita” means beautiful in Spanish. People from all over the world come to Bonita Springs to enjoy the sun and miles of soft white sand. There are tons of activities to enjoy at the beaches of Bonita Springs including swimming, boating, fishing, shelling, snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, viewing tons of wildlife such as dolphins and sea turtles, and more. Here is a list of the popular beaches in or around Bonita Springs:
Barefoot Beach
Barefoot Beach Blvd
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
(239) 591-8596
Located in the beautiful Barefoot Beach Preserve, Barefoot Beach is a great place to spend your day where you can lay out, go swimming, relax on a chair with an umbrella, or even walk the miles of trails or along the shore of the beach. Barefoot Beach is located in the Barefoot Beach Preserve, which is a 342 acre land area where you can see numerous species of animals like wading birds and gopher tortoises, enjoy escorted canoe trips, stroll along the one mile nature trail, relax and eat at the picnic area, order food, and more. You do have to pay a parking fee for your vehicle (unless you have a Collier County Parking Pass), but it is well worth it to check out this well maintained park and beach area where sea oats are consistently being planted and trash is picked up promptly. The beach is located on the same land area as Bonita Beach, which is on Little Hickory Island. You will also enjoy the drive to the beach through a neighborhood with very high end condos and houses. I have taken a number of photos in the photo album of this site.
Bonita Beach Public Beach
27950 Hickory Boulevard
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
(239) 461-7400
You cannot go wrong with spending the day at this public beach with a great view of the Gulf of Mexico. Although technically there are no restrooms, you can stroll right over to Bonita Beach Park located on the south end of the beach, which has restrooms, picnic tables, grills, and more for the public’s use. You can park for free at Beach Access #2 through #9 located along Hickory Boulevard, although parking can be limited. You will have to pay if you park at Beach Access #1 or at Bonita Beach Park, unless you have a Lee County Annual Parking Decal, which costs $60 (as of March 2010).
Bonita Beach Park
27954 Hickory Blvd.
At the end of Bonita Beach Road
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
(239) 949-4615
This is the only true park on Bonita Beach located on its south end. With showers, grills, picnic areas, a playground, sand volleyball court, and more, the whole family can enjoy a day at Bonita Beach Park. The park itself is roughly 2.5 acres. People report that this beach is one of the best places to check out the sunset. You can also get some great food at Doc’s Beach House. The park can get quite busy during the season and on the weekends. If you have a Lee County Parking Pass, you can avoid the parking fee, but this park offers many amenities for the cost of parking. You can also try to get free parking along Hickory Boulevard to the north at the beach accesses (Beach Accesses #2-#9), although finding parking can be difficult at times.
Dog Beach
Off of Hickory Boulevard
Bonita Springs, FL
(239) 461-7400
This pet friendly beach is the only beach in the area where the County allows dogs to be off-leash. It is located north of Bonita Beach, right after the New Pass Bridge, and even has free parking. This is a great place for you and your dog to enjoy the day. You do need a proof of license and immunization, and to clean up after your dog (disposal stations are provided). After my last check of their rules, each person is allowed a total of 2 dogs, and no children under the age of 15 are allowed in the off-leash area. There is no running water or restrooms here. This beach is maintained by local volunteers, who are known as SOODA (Save Our Off-Leash Dog Area).
Little Hickory Island Beach Park
26082 Hickory Blvd.
Bonita Springs, FL
(239) 229-0559
This shelly and white-sand beach in Little Hickory Island Beach Park is situated close to Bonita Beach. It is very clean and has restrooms, showers, and picnic tables. It is a great place to get some sun or go for a swim. It is open from sunrise to sunset and has a parking fee per hour. It is also reported that it is a nice spot for surf fishing. This is more of a quiet and secluded beach.
Lovers Key State Park (on border of Bonita Springs)
Lovers Key State Park
8700 Estero Blvd.
Ft. Myers Beach, FL
(239) 463-4588
This well known and highly rated park and beach is located on the northern border of Bonita Springs Florida. This beautiful park has nature trials for biking and hiking, rentals for canoes and kayaks, tons of mangroves, and miles of unspoiled beaches. It is the home to a variety of wildlife including manatees, dolphins, rabbits, bald eagles, and more. You can take a tram straight to the beach from the parking area, and enjoy the water, pavilion, restrooms, picnic area, and boat ramp. There is a parking fee per vehicle, but it is well worth it.