Life In Bonita Springs

Hot Fudge Sundae at Culver's Day! | 205/365 Things to Do

Today is National Hot Fudge Sundae day so we thought we’d let you know about the local Culver's which is in front of Home Depot on Bonita Beach Road.  I’m not a huge fan of what is considered fast food but there are two things I have discovered about Culver's in recent months. First, they have the best salad of any drive through restaurant and second, they serve ice cream, including hot fudge sundae’s through the drive through window.  They even will give you a ‘pup cup’ for man’s best friend.

We’re a basics sort of person so just a plain chocolate or a plain vanilla cone at Culver's is great but they also make a great hot fudge sundae and they have pecans as an option instead of basic peanuts. 

When you go, you can grab an ice cream and head over to Carpenter Lane Park in Oakland for things to do that are off the beaten path.

Springs of Bonita  Church Small Groups | 204/365 Things to Do

One of the cornerstones of a church family is getting involved with small groups and meetups with like minded Christians.  The Springs of Bonita Church is based out of Riverside Park in Bonita Springs, Florida. It’s the church without a roof – the outdoor church.  Through the week there are a few meetups around town on varying schedules.  Weekly  there is the 3C’s meeting at Trackside Doughnuts. It’s a great time and a way to meet locals and further discuss the previous sermon.

Women’s ministry meets monthly.  During ‘season’ there are additional working small groups and men’s ministry.  The church also holds a barbecue in the spring – usually at the Lion’s Club. 

Get involved with a local church and you can grown your circle of friends and get your worship on, too.  The Springs meets at Riverside Park at 9:30 on Sunday. You can find events and small group postings on their Facebook page, The Springs of Bonita Church.

SummerJazz at Naples Beach Hotel | 203/365 Things to Do

One of the year over year staples of summer in SWFL is the SummerJazz events at the Naples Beach Hotel.  Located in Naples, Florida the hotel is positioned beachfront on the Gulf of Mexico and has a large green space between the building and the water’s edge.  The Naples Beach Hotel holds monthly jazz concerts on the green all summer long.  The next concert for summer 2019 is August 17.  

If you’d like to learn more about the concert series or to find the schedule of upcoming events you can follow them on Facebook and search their events, here: The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

This free concert series combines an appealing and diverse selection of Jazz entertainment with picturesque views of the Gulf of Mexico, gorgeous sunsets, refreshing breezes and a relaxing atmosphere. Please no coolers- food and beverage available for purchase. No tickets, just come! Lawn chairs or blankets are suggested. Free trolley from Lowdermilk Park.

For other things to do in Naples read also, Naples Beach Hotel Orchids Naples Florida

Sweet Liberty Catamaran Rides Naples Fl | 202/365 Things to Do

Sweet Liberty Catamaran offers sunset cruises out of Crayton Cove in Downtown Naples by Cove Inn.  The Sweet Liberty Catamaran boat is one of the longest running in the area.  The craft holds about forty people and can be booked for one of the daily cruises or chartered for private events such as a birthday party or a wedding. 

Grab a bite to eat at The Dock at Crayton Cove and check her out or take a voyage (reservation required).  You can learn more about booking a voyage on their official website www.sweetliberty.com.  You can also find scheduled events  and specials through their Facebook page.

If you are looking for fun things to do in Naples and a great way to experience the gulf without all of the beach gear, take a ride on Sweet Liberty!  You also get to cruise past all of the beautiful waterfront homes on Gordon Drive.  Gordon Drive and the Port Royal area feature some of the greatest luxury homes in Naples, Florida as well as all of Southwest Florida.

Bonita Springs Real Estate Update June 2019

The latest Bonita Springs and Estero Florida real estate market report graphs are ready for you in a self-guided tour.  I’ve goofed up my neck so I am limiting my time looking down at a computer screen or phone. I hope to be back on my game, soon.  Hat tip to Dr. Joel Miller, Chiropractor for evening hours. If you have specific questions about the market call or text any time 239-273-7430.

National Ice Cream Day in Bonita Springs | 201/365 Things to Do

It’s National Ice Cream Day and Bonita Springs has more than their fair share of ice cream stores.  One of the local favorites for ice cream is Royal Scoop ice cream in Bonita Shores of Bonita Springs. 

Tomorrow, July 21, 2019, they are hosting activities at the ice cream store on Vanderbilt and 8th Street, Bonita Springs, Florida.  There is a blood drive (they’ll trade you a pint for a pint!) plus a give away for the first 100 customers and a raffle.

If you have a moment to stop in, please do so. If you’re able to ‘give’, thank you in advance. 

Artis Naples Theater | 200/365 Things to Do

The Artis- Naples Theater offers a variety of performances though out the year. At the Naples Theater you can catch an off Broadway play, an orchestra playing, an artist playing or even ballet such as The Nutcracker.

This past December, we were able to catch The Nutcracker. In this particular performance, the dancers were from Moscow and this was their 1^st year traveling to the US to preform. Before the show came to SWFL they had tryouts for a few children’s parts. There were a hand full of children selected for parts from the Bonita Dance school in Bonita Springs, Florida. My daughter was able to watch friends on stage! What an honor it was for our local dancers to preform along-side the professionals.

Artis-Naples is located at 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples, FL 34108

Join the American Hibiscus Society Fort Myers | 199/365 Things to Do

If you’ve established yourself in Southwest Florida and you’ve purchased a home you may have noticed that one of the more common plants in the Bonita Springs landscape is the Hibiscus, The Queen of the Tropics. They are the brilliant, trumpet shaped flower that come in the yummiest of colors.

The majority of what the average consumer sees in the big box stores are the standards gold, reds and oranges. There are more colors than you can imagine and if you’re curious just Google image search exotic hibiscus.  There are so many mind blowing colors that you can’t believe it.  The Hibiscus Society can help coach you through finding the right hibiscus plants and help you learn the proper care especially if you’re going to take a deep dive into the sport.

If you’d like to learn more about the Hibiscus Society located in Southwest Florida visit their page on meetings which are usually in the cooler months.  Hibiscus Society of SWFL

Grab a Bite at Yucatan Waterfront Grill | 198/365 Things to Do

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is visit some of the coastal islands. Partly because the traffic is light but also because there are no lines for the restaurants. There are great places to eat out on Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island and Matlacha. (pronounced mat-la-shay)  Matlacha is an artsy fun mini-island on the way to Pine Island/St. James City/Bokeelia.

We became very familiar with Matlacha when we rented the ‘house on Gabion’ several years ago. So much fun!  We go back for summer visits and one of our stops is usually Sandy Hook Restaurant which his now The Yucatan Waterfront Grill.   You can visit a few artists studios along the way or drive around the island and then get a bite to eat.

Yucatan Waterfront Grill has a great waterfront view and a large menu that features many local favorites and local seafood.  Learn more by visiting their website: https://yucatanwaterfront.com

Visit Sun Harvest Citrus Fort Myers | 197/365 Things to Do

Sun Harvest Citrus is a third generation owned business in Fort Myers, Florida that provides Indian River citrus to everyone in the area or afar. There is a retail store with fresh citrus, juices, candies, gifts and gourmet food products. In addition to the citrus store they also mail orders across the country, the perfect Florida gift. They also have fresh citrus smoothies and ice cream available for purchase on site.

Did I mention the samples?! You can try all their fresh juices and different types of oranges during your visit. After strolling around the store trying all the samples and checking out the packing house my boys and I decided to grab some ice cream. We went outside with our ice cream to find a playground with lots of seating available to finish our ice cream before the kids could enjoy the playground.

Sun Harvest Citrus is a great place to check out and is also a good place to bring out of town guests who really want a taste of Florida.

Sun Harvest Citrus is located at 14601 Six Mile Cypress Parkway and is open Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm and Sunday 10am-6pm.  To learn more read also – Sun Harvest Citrus 

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About the Author - Jenna Hatfield is a life-long resident of Bonita Springs, Florida and mother of two boys.