Life In Bonita Springs

May all your turkeys be tanned.

If you hear of a bike night in Bonita Springs, let the webmaster know the location/day.  This post was written a while ago and the business has since closed.

Welcome To Bonita Springs, Florida

 The City of Bonita Springs has developed into a great place to live.  That's right; Bonita Springs is a great place to live.  With the growth has come advancements that many people take for granted across the country; like the side walk I run on.  We didn't get them until recently.  They've come at a price; financial and lives lost because there were no sidewalks.  Everyone is grateful for them, now.  I get my money's worth. I make a habit of running or walking to the stores I can make on foot.  I believe it to no be possible to go just about anywhere on a main road on walking paths and sidewalks in Bonita Springs.

Bonita Springs has changed over the years and not just the sidewalks.  I've lived in Bonita Springs for over 22 years.  When I first moved here US 41 was only a head-on traffic two lane road.  Now there are three lanes each way.  We had restaurants like The Dome, Lime Tree, Chuck's Poorhouse.  Anyone remember The Whales Tail by the dog track?  Pop Warner's Grapevine?  Our village used to SHUT DOWN over summer.  The stores and restaurants 'back in the day' would board the windows for the summer.  Everyone closed up shop during the summer. 

We still have a few of our tried and true businesses - Doc's Beach House, Back Bay Marina, Master Bait and Tackle and Buffalo Chips.

Back in the day, you could drive out East of Bonita Grande Road and target practice and hunt for snook with a shotgun or M80.  I was told that you haven't lived until you do that.  Not that I ever did anything like that, I just heard about it.

Times have changed.  Bonita has grown in leaps and bounds. I would have never thought Bonita Springs or Estero would have developed to what it is today.  It's a love hate relationship for me.  I could have gone with out some of the growth but I do enjoy the sidewalks and the conveniences that have moved to our town.  I enjoy this little community and how safe it is. 

Who would have thought running in the dark on a sidewalk would be a fringe benefit?

Bonita Bee - Bonita Springs

Whether you're taking a trip out of town or returning to your winter Bonita Springs Home you may need to catch a lift to Southwest Florida International Airport.  Many of the seasonal Bonita Springs residents keep cars at their homes and use a limo or driver service to make their way to and from RSW.

There a variety of limo and taxi services offered throughout the Bonita Springs and Estero Florida areas.  The Bonita Bee Airport Express is located in Bonita Springs just off of Terry Street.  Their areas of service include:

• Bonita Springs
• Estero
• North Naples
• South Fort Myers

You'll see their colorful yellow and black vans around town.  The vehicles are newer and always clean.  If you need to move a large group around town for a get together, party or event or if you just need a ride to the airport call Bonita Bee at 239-948-5001 or toll free 800-335-6830.

Fees vary by pick up/drop off location and availability varies depending if it is tourist season or not, so be sure to call head and reserve a spot.  Peak season with the heaviest traffic is January - April so make a note to plan in advance.  Service is rendered on a first called first served basis.  Bonita Springs Beaches are waiting for you and Bonita Bee will make sure you get there safely.

Unfortunately, at time of publication the Bonita Bee website was under construction so a link is not provided.

Related Bonita Springs Articles:

• Bonita Springs Homeowner Insurance
• Bonita Bubbles Car Wash

If you're buying a Bonita Springs home, an important step in the home buying or home renting process is making sure your environment and neighborhood will be safe. Are you getting what you think you're paying for or can their be hidden dangers that you may not know about?

When you buy your Bonita Springs home you'll likely have home inspection, possibly a mold, radon or an environmental inspection. Will you inspect your neighborhood, too? As a buyer of Bonita Springs real estate you have resources at your fingertips to help you find a home in neighborhood that offers you the level of safety your family needs.

There are statistics and data that a home seller and even a real estate agent is not allowed to share with a buyer. Fair-housing laws forbid us from discussing neighborhood demographics. There are other areas of concern for home buyers such as schools and crime that real estate agents are restricted from sharing. For example, if a sex offender is residing in the neighborhood it is not required to be disclosed to potential buyers or tenants. The burden of learning and investigating the background of the neighborhood residents falls upon the buyer. Fortunately, there are now websites that offer easy access information regarding crime and resident sex offenders or sexual predators in every Bonita Springs neighborhood.

• City Data and Statistics
• Lee County Florida Sheriff
• Florida Sex Offender Search
  

Putting foot to pavement is a good neighborhood test, too. Get out there and walk around, meet neighbors, get an eye full of the community.

• Visit the neighborhood at various times of the day and observe the neighborhood residents, the neighborhood and the activity on the street.
• Talk to neighborhood residents and ask them about the area, the neighbors, is there a troublemaker on the street.
• Visit the local police department and ask how many calls have been to that neighborhoods, how many arrests and the nature of the crimes.

A little bit of the Before and after of the Taste of Bonita Festival at Riverside Park, Bonita Springs.

 Enjoy a few photos from the 14^th annual Taste of Bonita, which was held at Riverside Park on Nov. 18.  More than 30 Bonita Springs restaurants participated and an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people attended.  Admission to the Taste of Bonita was FREE and sponsored by Bonita Springs Rotary Noon.  Live music and entertainment were on site including childrens activities.  See you next year!

Participants included El Mesquite Mexican Grill, a new establishment that just opened on Old US 41 Road in Olde Bonita Springs.

Train tours through Riverside Park, behind the Liles Hotel.

If you're outside of the area and  looking for the local newspaper or news outlets for Southwest Florida, which includes: Bonita Springs, Estero, Naples, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres, this is a great place to start.

Print Media

• http://www.bonitabanner.com/  Bonita Banner - Bonita Springs, Florida
• http://www.news-press.com/  Fort Myers News Press - Fort Myers, Florida
• http://www.naplesnews.com/ Naples Daily News - Naples, Florida
• www.marconews.com  Marco Island Eagle - Marco Island, Florida
• www.lehighnewsstar.com Lehigh Acres News Star - Lehigh Acres, Florida
• http://www.swfl-news.com/ Southwest Florida News

Television - Cable Media

• http://www.nbc-2.com/ NBC Television Fort Myers, Florida
• http://www.winktv.com/ CBS Television Fort Myers, Florida
• www.abc-7.com  ABC Television Fort Myers, Florida

Online Media

• http://www.LifeInBonitaSprings.com  Life In Bonita Springs - Daily Updates About Life In Bonita Springs, Florida

Who do these "wheels" belong to? I saw them today at Bonita Beach in Bonita Springs and had to snap a picture.  I then thought... 

How great would your life be if you were so excited about who you are, where you were going and what you were about to do that you just ran out of your shoes and abandoned them.  Right there where you were standing - just dropped 'em and trusted they'd be there when you got back.  How I wish these were my shoes. 

Don't you just wish these shoes were yours?

I have albums of shoes photos from Bonita Beach.  Everyone gets to the end of the boardwalk that leads from the parking lot, over the sea oat dunes to the gulf and they get a good look at it all and just walk right out of their shoes.  There are always a pile of shoes patiently waiting for their owners to return.

I guess Bonita Beach is mesmerizing.  This is what they see that makes they walk away without thought or worry that their shoes will be taken:

Taste of Bonita 2008 information is here:

http://lifeinbonitasprings.com/taste-of-bonita-2008-riverside-park-bonita-springs-florida/

It’s that time of the year again.  The 14^th annual Taste of Bonita is back, and some of the area's best restaurants are serving up their best once again. The food festival will be held at Riverside Park on Nov. 18.  Riverside Park is located on Old US 41 in Bonita Springs, Florida.  More than 30 Bonita Springs restaurants are scheduled to participate and an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people are expected to attend.The Taste of Bonita event is planned and headed up by Rotary of Bonita Springs noon.  The festival is a fund raiser for local charity programs.Local restaurants will be participating in the Taste of Bonita event with most dishes and samples being offered priced under $5.00.  This is an excellent opportunity for local residents to sample the cuisine of locally owned restaurants and support the local economy.Admission to the Taste of Bonita is FREE.  Live music and entertainment will be on site, as well.