The charming village of Boca Grande is located on Gasparilla Island, which is shared by Lee and Charlotte counties. Gasparilla is in the same chain of islands as Sanibel and Captiva, but is unique in that there is a 'real' town on our island dating back to the 1800s. Gasparilla is famous for its pristine beaches, historic properties, notable visitors and world-class fishing. Everything in Boca is relaxed and moves at island pace. If you are looking for fast food or harried salespeople, you won't find them here.
Our house is located on Tarpon Avenue, once known as Whitewash Alley (as most of the houses were literally whitewashed). It is a peaceful and quaint street with many of the houses retaining the feel of the early 20th century. The location of our house is in the very heart of the village and is 2 to 4 blocks from virtually everything in town. Coffee shops, restaurants, Hudson's Market, boutiques, shops, the Post Office, the Boca Grande Health Clinic, a Pilates and yoga studio, the Community Center, fire department, many beautiful churches and the beach!
Gasparilla Island has been protected from over-development, and much of Boca Grande has been designated as an historic district with many buildings dating from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. There are several historic sites on the island, with one of the true gems being the Boca Grande Lighthouse which was built in 1890.
Visitors often choose to travel the island as the locals do, on golf carts, which are welcome everywhere on Gasparilla. Another popular mode of transportation is the bicycle. There is a beautifully maintained, paved, 'rails to trails' path that runs the length of the island for walking, running, skating, cycling and carting.
The village of Boca Grande offers a fantastic selection of casual and fine dining restaurants (with great bars), art galleries, outfitters, small specialty shops, gourmet shops with prepared foods, wines and cheeses, and our wonderful local market complete with a butcher. Periodically a sign will appear downtown saying 'shrimp boat is in', which means, get down to Whidden's Marina as fast as you can to get the freshest shrimp you can buy, straight from the man who caught it.