Life In Bonita Springs

Camp at Red Coconut Fort Myers Beach | 277/365 Things to Do

If you’ve hung around our blog or Facebook pages for a while you may recall the great Central Florida Springs fiasco of 2015.  The long story short is that we, meaning Jon and Angela and the kids and myself decided to rent an RV and visit to this Spring for a long weekend.  It was a calamity of errors and the nicest thing I can say about the crowd at the springs was that some of them had their tattoos spelled correctly.  I don’t have anything against ink however, this was a particularly rough & sloppy crowd and we were just too sober to appreciate some of the shenanigans that were going on … most of which is not fit for publication by our gentle readers.

We loaded up early and came back to SWFL and figured we’d ride out the rest of the rental in a more familiar location.  Angela gave a call to Red Coconut RV on Fort Myers Beach and they had a spot so she took it.  There are variety of rental prices and it all is due to proximity of the beach.  There are literally RV hookups with gulf views right on the beach.  We picked one a few rows off the beach, being fiscally responsible.  It turns out that in the slow times many of the front spots are vacant anyway so we ended up with a great view.  I mean ‘they’ ended up with a great view, until the weekend rolled around. PS I was dropped off at my house on the way.  I recuperated for a few days and then I went down to visit and pick up their laundry to help get them started in the cleanup.

The kids had a blast and the weather was perfect.  Plus, off season, you sort of own the beach as there is very little traffic and low tourism.  If you’re a local consider a stay-cation at Red Coconut RV resort. It’s a fun time and a great way to find fun things to do with kids in the Bonita Springs, area.

Bonita Springs Community Garden at YMCA – 276/365 Things to Do

You may be new to the area or just not realize it but there is a community garden in Bonita Springs, Florida located at the YMCA on Kent Road.  The Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Noon started the garden as a project in coordination with “The Y”. 

If you’ve relocated to the SWFL area know that our growing season is opposite of “up north”.  They start prepping the garden in late summer/fall for planting. It’s just far too hot to grow in the summer, here.  The garden plots are also in short supply so you will need to sign up early.  If you are looking for fun things to do, especially with kids this is a great opportunity to learn about growing your own food and accomplishing a task from beginning to end.

You can learn more by visiting the YMCA or contacting the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs Naples to find out more information.  www.BonitaNaplesRotary.com

Find Killer Tacos in Bonita Springs & SWFL | 275/365 Things to Do

We’ve had the discussion several times in the Bonita Springs Estero Community Forum so we thought we’d share the community’s best choices for Tacos in SWFL.

In no particular order, but sort of particular order of frequency of recommendation, the best tacos are located:

• Taco Vazquez II San Carols Park in Chevron Gas Station
• Taqueria San Julian on Bayshore Drive in Naples
• Chilakil at 11225 East Tamiami Trail in Naples
• El Gran Taco Loco Old 41 Bonita Springs behind Benson’s Grocery
• Taco Pancho Bonita Springs Imperial Parkway at Bonita Beach Road
• Marias on Old 41 in Bonita Springs

If you have a favorite SWFL taco spot that you’d like to recommend please leave a comment on this post.

Fall Festival Southern Fresh Farms | 274/365 Things to Do

Southern Fresh Farms is located in Fort Myers, Florida near the community of Paseo. If you’re looking for fun things to do with kids consider a trip to Southern Fresh Farms. There is no charge for entry but there are a few modest fees for things such as wagon rides - $2 a person and food for animals $1 a cup.  There are petting zoo size animals so kids can get up close to them safely. There are also food and vendors will be here as well.  A variety of vendors are on site and there are even fresh fruits and vegetables for sale.  You can even pick up your fall pumpkins from the pumpkin patch.

You can learn more about the farm here: Southern Fresh Farms. To learn more about this event and future events visit Southern Fresh Farm’s facebook page:

www.facebook.com/Southernfreshfarms

Art in Public Bonita Springs City Hall | 273/365 Things to Do

Located on Bonita Beach Road in front of City Hall is one of the latest installations of art in public places.  The colorful contemporary art piece is visible from the road but it is worth it to park and get an up close look at the piece. 

You can also see “The Secret Bench of Knowledge” which is another piece of art located on site that has been relocated from the Riverside Park area after redevelopment of the downtown historic district.

Additional pieces of art in public places include:
River Park Art In Public Places | 150/365 Things to Do

Mural Art in Public Places Bonita Springs, FL 142/365 Things to Do

Lunch at Alice Sweetwater’s Naples | 272/365 Things to Do

One of the many errands that I was running last week took me down to the older part of Naples, Florida near the courthouse.  Without a plan we decided to stop at Alice Sweetwater’s Bar and Grille. It’s a great place for lunch and you could tell a lot of people were professionals from the courthouse who had to eat quickly and go. The wait staff didn’t disappoint while getting everyone on their way. I love fast service during lunch.

Also, I’m a bit of a picky eater and wasn’t familiar with the menu so I felt like I rolled the dice … but I won.  Jerry had the lobster roll and I had a grilled veggie sandwich which was totally delicious.  It had a slice of cheese on it and it was perfect.  I had a side of fries, too. 

Alice Sweetwater’s Bar and Grille has been a fixture in the are for some time and it had been too long since we visited.  If you’re in the area be sure to stop by.  To learn more or to see a menu visit www.alicesweetwatersbarandgrille.com

Yoga w/ Tigers in Venice Florida | 271/365 Things to Do

Yoga with Tigers is an exceptional experience hosted by Big Cat Habitat in collaboration with Erika Cain, a registered Yoga Instructor. The event is held on the fourth Saturday of every month. It is a truly unique yoga experience where tigers and lions are safely in their enclosures, while practicing yoga in their habitats, surrounded by the sounds of nature.

The cost for the yoga session is $40.00 and will include a single day pass to return to Big Cat Habitat during normal business hours. During the month of October, the habitat is open Friday through Sunday each week.  Upcoming Yoga with Tigers – Saturday, October 26, 2019 from 8:45AM to 10:15AM.

The Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary was founded by Kay Rosaire in 1987 as a non-profit safe haven and permanent home for big cats, bears, camels, zebras, birds, goats, and other animals in need. Their goal is to educate the public by fostering appreciation for animals and to stress the importance of habitat preservation.

For more information you can contact the facility at: Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary, 7101 Palmer Blvd., Sarasota Florida 34240   Phone: (941)371.6377  info@bigcathabitat.org

You can also visit their website at www.bigcathabitat.org

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About the author.  Gisela Chamberlin is a Bonita Springs resident and a yoga enthusiast.

Breast Screening Radiology Regional| 270/365 Things to Do

It’s October and that means breast cancer awareness month!  The secret to speedy medical office visits is to schedule them off season and October is a shoulder period so you'll still get in and out easily If you can’t be here in the summer during the quiet months be sure to get screened in the fall. Yours truly had her screening last week. I was in and out of Radiology Regional like a flash.  They offer standard mammograms and even the 3D version which is great for challenging reads, like me.

When you go, consider taking a friend to remind them to take care of their girls, too. If you live in the Bonita Springs area you can easily obtain a mammogram at Radiology Regional on Bonita Beach Road. They are located in the Healthcare Center.  You can schedule an appointment by phone, online or by installing the app on your smart phone.

Everglades National Park Gulf Side | 269/365 Things to Do

There are lots of sites to see and things to do at the National park near Everglades City. They have daily boat tours. The ten thousand island tour goes through the saltwater portion of the Everglades.This is a natural wildlife area and you have the opportunity to see manatees, dolphins, osprey, eagles, various shorebirds in their natural habitat.

The Everglades National Park also have a mangrove tour that goes in the brackish backwaters where you could see alligators, birds, bobcats and a large variety of different animals. At the onsite gift shop you can rent canoes and kayaks so you can venture out and find your own fun things to do if you wish.

Everglades National Park Gulf Side tours are open from 8:30 to 5:00 365 days a year. The address is 815 Oyster Bar Lane Everglades City, FL 34139 and the phone number is 239-695-2591.

Figs Grille In Bonita Springs | 268/365 Things to Do

Everyone once in a while I get Jerry to accompany me to #1 NY Nails for a pedicure and afterwards we get to share a great dinner at Figs Grille.  Let me tell you why I love Figs Grille so much.  The large menu, plain and simple. 

The biggest issue I run into as a non-meat eater is something meaty and manly for them men in the family to eat.  One of the frequent specials is the lamb shank that Jerry just loves. It is usually served with a side of orzo but they substitute potatoes for the Irishman.  It just falls off the bone and it is one of his favorites besides the veal.

I usually order the vegetable tagine or an eggplant dish.  I don’t usually vary because I love both of these meals and they are large enough for there to be a leftover for lunch the following day.

If you’d like to look at their menu: www.figsgrille.com. They are located in the plaza with the Lee County Tax Collector across the street from Bonita Bay.