Life In Bonita Springs

Stargaze on the Sanibel Causeway | 165/365 Things to Do

Take a trip out to Sanibel Island at night and look up at the stars. We usually make a day out of going to Sanibel Island so on our way back home to Bonita Springs we always stop on the cause way and look at the moon and stars. Its darker than most areas of town so it makes it easier to see constellations and even the planets.

The kids really enjoy going and they always say it is so peaceful on the causeway at night. There is a little noise from the passing cars but for the most part listening to he waves hit the beach just relaxes everyone. We always try to look for the shooting stars, too. If you are looking for fun things to do with kids in Southwest Florida consider taking a trip to Sanibel causeway.

Read also: Fishing the Sanibel Island Causeway 140/365 Things to Do and also read:

Ding Darling National Refuge Sanibel Island

_______________________________

Angela Griffith is a wife and mother of two small children.  She is also Realtor living in the Heitmans area of Bonita Springs Florida.

Convert a Flower Bed to Micro-Prairie | 195/365 Things to Do

One of the biggest challenges in the yard at my current home in Bonita Farms is the fact that I have no trees and the fact that there is a make shift flower bed in the front yard where the trees used to be. My tree free yard is complements of Hurricane Irma.  A few fell down and the rest were removed because they were awkwardly left behind. The biggest palm was a royal and it was removed because it was huge and every time it rained it tipped another inch. It was a matter of time before it fell the wrong way and caused damages.

So here we are with a flower bed over the remainder of roots.  We did grind the stumps but the ground isn’t exactly plant ready after big trees were there.  The end result was to create a kidney shaped flower bed that worked well for a while but I’ve given up on the battle with the weeds. We are actively transitioning the flower bed to a micro-prairie.

Our micro-prairie isn’t an all-native spot yet but we are adding natives to it all the time. The purpose of the micro-prairie is to eliminate the need for poisons and weed killers, to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies and to attract critters to the yard who start living off of the new ecosystem we are trying to grow.  We also have added plants that are lower maintenance and don’t require much water such as sweet almond and milkweed.

If you’d to learn more about building a micro-prairie you can start by visiting native plant friendly stores like Driftwood Nursery in Estero and Riverland Nursery in Fort Myers. You can learn more about native plants here: Florida Native Plant List

More Than Just Popcorn at Rural King | 194/365 Things to Do

Instead of posting this in the comments of a Facebook thread and causing a brawl I thought I’d expound on it and use it for a 365 post for you Bonita Springs residents who look for things to do, in air conditioning in July. 

Recently, I read a post about popcorn that should have just been a post about popcorn but a family member mentioned Rural King in the comments. If you aren’t familiar with Rural King it is a farm and home store.  It’s got a little bit of everything for anyone. Yes there are farm supplies but you can also buy laundry soap.  Don’t roll your eyes, we love the store just because it’s so different and full of things you don’t see every day.

One of my own favorite things to do there is to visit the peeps. Read also, Visit the Peeps at Rural King Bonita Springs 54/365 But I digress … One of the trademarks of Rural King is to give away popcorn in the front of the store. You know, those little paper bags like you get at a carnival or movies.  So popular is this that my own grand kids call it the popcorn store. Any kid who’s been in the store knows about the popcorn.  So, back to the popcorn post where someone shared a photo of their popcorn machine cart, my adult son comments ‘Rural King is not close enough for you?’ and the original poster responds, Rural King popcorn sucks except it is free.

This seems innocuous enough but if one thinks through it, like I always do, it settles in that the person who said the popcorn sucked just. did. not. get. it.  Rural King is not about highly rated popcorn or even championship peep chickens or a wide variety of bird seeds. It’s not about the ammo or the fence posts, either. It’s about creating a store where people who are regular, average Americans to have something fun to do either with the 2.4 kids or not and buy the things they need in a moral environment.  I know my son and his family look at this store as entertainment and fulfilling a need but it's wholesome environment, too.  It’s more than just popcorn.  It’s a cog in the big wheel of responsible parenting in a time where many parents are doing a questionable job of parenting.  It’s a business built on faith instead of fear and shame, too. 

Rural King is located in Bonita Springs at the corner of West Terry and US 41.  You can also enter at the traffic light to Highland Woods.

Hit the Gym at Island Park Bonita Springs | 193/365 Things to Do

Almost nobody knows about Island Park in Bonita Springs, let alone the gym at Island Park. The equipment was installed in 2018 so it is fairly new.  Island Park is only accessible on foot or bicycle.  It’s north entrance is off of South Riverside Drive in the Plan of Riverside and the south entrance is where Depot Park meets the Imperial River.  Island Park is located on the other side of the red foot bridge.

The gym is free and open to the public so if you are looking for free things to do or things to do with kids a walk through the park is in order.  Island Park is also pet friendly on-lead.

To learn more, read also: City of Bonita Springs Island Park Foot Path

Volunteer at Food Angels Collier | 192/365 Things to Do

Food Angels provides fresh, healthy foods to over 2,500 people each month, including many children through a choice-style weekly food pantry serving primarily working poor families. We are passionate about food rescue and we keep over 29,000 lbs. of food per month out of area landfills.

Community is critically important to our work – we welcome all, with dignity and without exception and provide a supportive and nurturing environment where our neighbors in need congregate to share their needs, abilities, joys and concerns. We seek to lift the entire individual: body, mind and spirit.

If you are looking for things to do and a way to get involved with your community, we need help with loading the abundant food donations that fill our food pantry and feed our community of neighbors in need.

Mondays and Thursdays 10:30am-11:30am, and Saturdays 9 - 9:45am. Volunteers must wear close-toed shoes and be able to lift approximately 30 pounds at a time. Help is also needed help on Wednesday nights - food pantry distribution and hot potluck meal provided for our neighbors in need 6-7:30 pm.

Volunteers are also needed to assist clients, cook food at home/bring for potluck and clean up after. Please call or text 239-298-9506 to volunteer for a shift.

Keeping food out of landfills and getting it to our neighbors in need is how we create community! You can learn more about Food Angels at www.foodangelscollier.org

Little Free Library Bonita Springs | 191/365 Things to Do

Update March 2024 - We are up and running in downtown Bonita Springs, Florida with our own Griffith Family Sponsored Little Free Library. I submitted the info as the steward this afternoon so it should be online, soon! This our tiny vintage home named Clementine.  The city left us a concrete pad for a bus stop that never went in so we have slowly claimed it. First we added a bench, and then a better bench, plus a waste can so people don't littler and now we added the library. The next addition will be a free produce table for the extras from the garden that we can't keep up with.   The little free library is at the corner of Pennsylvania Ave and Rio Vista Circle in Downtown Bonita Springs, Florida. 

The other day I was visiting a park in Cape Coral and I saw their little free library.  We have them in Bonita Springs, too so I thought that I would mention our little free libraries. Right now, I only know of two little free libraries so far but I am sure there are more.  If you are reading this and know of more please comment with the location or send me an email/text.  There are over a dozen in Fort Myers.

The store called Victoria’s Place on Bonita Beach Road has a little free library and so does the clubhouse on 3rd Street and West Avenue in Bonita Shores.  There is actually a national directory for LFL’s so wherever you are traveling you can borrow a book to read.  You can find that resource here, The National Free Little Library Directory.

If you are looking for things to do, especially things to do with kids, this is a great idea. You can read the books for free and return them.  If you have a book you don’t know what to do with consider finding a free little library and leaving it behind. It’s my understanding that children’s books are very popular and they need replenished because children tend to keep them.

Grab a Slice at DHOP Fort Myers River District | 190/365 Things to Do

Tucked away on a side street in the Downtown Fort Myers River District is the Downtown House of Pizza, also known as DHOP.  DHOP is a fun and funky place to grab a bite to eat whether it’s a slice or a whole pie.  If you have the chance to attend one of the events downtown, such as Art Walk, you should definitely stop in for a slice.

The store is usually bustling with activity. Good pizza usually draws a crowd, you know.  You order at the counter amongst dozens of shouting people on one side of the counter mixed with the voices of a several pizza artists taking orders and making pies or warming slices on the other.  The long story short is when you make your way to the other end and get to cash out your slice comes out of the oven piping hot.

From that point, you either grab a table, if you’re lucky, or you stand at the bar.  It’s an energetic, happy place to be plus the pizza is fabulous. I particularly like the veggie pizza. 

Read also, Centennial Park Fort Myers Art in Public Places| 172/365 Things to Do

and also, Fort Myers River Walk Path | 164/365 Things to Do

Volunteer With Community Cats of Bonita Springs | 189/365 Things to Do

Want to make a positive difference for animals in your own back yard? Local 501c3 non-profit organization, Community Cats of Bonita Springs (CCBS), is always looking for dedicated volunteers to help control the outdoor cat population in Bonita Springs, Florida. We need volunteers to help trap cats and safely transport them to Animal Hospital of Bonita where they receive care and fixed so they don’t keep producing litters.

We also need feline colony caretakers/feeders and help with events and fundraising!  If any of these activities strike a passion in you or you simply love cats and helping to keep them safe and healthy please reach out.

The ability to speak Spanish is a bonus! We will train you and can provide cat food and traps as needed. CCBS has ‘fixed’ over 1,000 street cats and cares for 300 cats every day. The kitties need you! 

Contact us at bonitakittyfixers@gmail.com or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kittyfixers.
We also have an Amazon wish list http://bit.ly/kittyfixers if you would like to contribute by sending much needed supplies.

To learn more, http://www.communitycatsofbonitasprings.org

Shore Fishing at Delnor-Wiggins Pass Naples | 188/365 Things to Do

Whether you like to fish or not Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples is a great place to spend the day. If you drive all the way to the last parking area it will lead you to Wiggins Pass where you can fish, bird watch or people watch. There are usually dolphin sightings in the small pass swimming around and it is a very popular fishing spot.

Numerous shells can be found here and you can find some really nice big ones too. It is a bit quieter than down by the swimming areas to the south. It is also fun to watch the boats come in and out of Wiggins Pass. Within Delnor-Wiggins Pass  State Park there is a picnic area and restrooms at the parking area and a few benches around the beach to sit on. Delnor-Wiggins Pass is a state park so there is a fee to enter or you can buy a yearly pass and go as often as you want. During season though you should arrive early as the park does fill up.

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area 11135 Gulf Shore Dr, Naples, FL 34108

Read also: Visit Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area 55/365

_______________________________________________

About the author: Melinda Cochran is photographer and Southwest Florida resident. You can find more of her images at: https://www.facebook.com/journeythroughmyeyes/.  If you know of a great place for Melinda to capture wildlife in action send a message in the comments section of this post.

Visit the Ghost Orchid at Corkscrew Sanctuary Naples | 187/365 Things to Do

The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a fabulous place to visit in nature. It’s a huge preserve of the oldest cypress trees on the planet. It is also home to one of the most unique and coveted orchids, the Ghost Orchid.  They’re hard to locate because they’re mostly a bundle of roots growing on a tree.  It’s not until they blossom that they are spotted.  The super-ghost orchid is in blossom right now. So it is the perfect time to visit the Sanctuary.  There is usually a binocular set up so you can see it as it is pretty far up and away from the boardwalk.

There are seven flowers and one bud on the "Super" Ghost Orchid as of July 5 2019 at Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. 

If you are looking for things to do with kids you can take advantage of the ‘kids free all Fourth of July’ weekend and see this endangered and beautiful orchid. The boardwalk is suitable for all ages and levels of mobility.

To learn more visit Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary which is located on Immokalee Road east just beyond Waterways of Naples.  If you’re looking for things to do while you’re east of Naples drive to Ave Maria and grab lunch, too!

To learn more about the super-orchid: https://corkscrew.audubon.org/visit/corkscrews-ghost-orchid
Photo was taken by volunteer boardwalk naturalist Dick Brewer.