Getting There is Half the Fun
There are many ways to explore the outer islands and getting there in
your own boat is half the fun.
On yor travels see Dolphins, manatees, Pelicans, Eagles, and a wide
variety of wildlife in our salty backyard.
North Captiva
- Once a part of Captiva Island, North
Captiva was severed during the hurricane of 1926. Four miles of
state-owned beaches are favorite weekend destinations. At its northern
end, bordered by Captiva Pass, is a sheltered bay known as Safety
Harbor. There, four restaurants cater to vacationing islanders, anglers
and boaters. Tropical sauces and fresh herbs adorn fish and fowl and can
be found on the menus alongside cheeseburgers and black beans with rice.
Cabbage Key
- Boating can also lead to a culinary
adventure. Cabbage Key is home to the famous Cheeseburger in paradise
and a rustic restaurant and bar,
Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant. The walls are lined with dollar bills,
placed there by visitors carrying out a tradition begun long ago.
Fisherman would tack a spare dollar on the wall for days when fishing
was not so good but their thirst was deep. Today, the money is signed
and dated reflecting the origins of the thousands of visitors that come
to the island.
Useppa
- Across the waterway is the gentrified,
private island of Useppa. A small historical museum features the Calusa
Indians who once occupied the island. The restaurant is housed in the
former home of Barron Collier. It was once the center of the
sport-fishing world and is where the Isaac Walton League was born. The
easiest access to Useppa is via one of
Captiva Cruises dining trips.
Cayo Costa
- To the north is one other quiet,
unbridged barrier island, Cayo Costa. The least visited state park in
Florida, this sleeping giant has 8.5 miles of beaches and offers some of
the best shelling in the world. At its northern end, the state maintains
a camping area, picnic tables and restroom facilities.
Gasparilla Island
- At the mouth of Charlotte Harbor
is Boca Grande. From May through mid July, Boca Grande Pass is one of
the most intensively fished areas in the world. Boats are so close
together that you can hop from one to the other. All are in search of
the silver king, the Tarpon. Some say you have not fished until you hook
into a fish as big as you are. During late spring and early summer,
tarpon fill the passes and move into the estuarine waters of Pine Island
Sound. Gasparilla Island State Recreation Area's landmark is the low
wooden lighthouse established in 1890 at the southern tip. The
lighthouse is open to visitors the last Saturday of every month.
