Life In Bonita Springs

Starfish Hunting on Bonita Beach | 186/365 Things to Do

It’s not exactly hunting … it’s searching and often times saving them.  We do have a time of the year when there are more starfish around on Bonita Beach and even Barefoot Beach. We found this starfish by Dog Beach. The kids were able to find tons of them this day. We do not keep any of them, of course. It is illegal to remove live shellfish/shells from the beach.

You can find starfish all along the beaches in the summer. They are typically around in great quantities between the end of August through Mid October. If you see them and tide has gone out you can help by tossing them back in. 

If you’ve not heard the parable of the starfish:

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.

Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”.

The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”

The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”

Breakfast at Cove Inn Coffee Shoppe Naples | 185/365 Things to Do

If you’re looking for a place “where the locals eat” and want a non-franchise hole-in-the-wall breakfast place you should definitely stop into Cove Inn Coffee Shoppe. Cove Inn Coffee Shoppe is located in Downtown Naples not too far from the Naples City Dock. So if you’re looking for a walk, to take in the sites at the dock and marina and a breakfast you can do all three.

Cove Inn Coffee Shoppe has the best pancakes in Naples; end of story. They are tasty cakes. You can get all of the breakfast standards so everyone in your party should find something to eat.  Breakfast is usually fast. It’s diner style so there are always customers moving around. The griddle and most of the kitchen is open to the seating area so the smells are wonderful and the platters are clanking.

During our busy tourist season you might have a wait for a table but if you’re fortunate enough to be here during the summer you can usually get right in with little to no wait.

Don’t forget to bring your appetite!

Century Link Sports Complex Fort Myers | 184/365 Things to Do

Spring Training is another great reason that people flock to SWFL. Hammond Stadium is located in Fort Myers, Florida off of Six Mile Cypress Parkway. This is where the Minnesota Twins have their Spring Training camp.

This Century Link Sports Complex not only has the big stadium but there are smaller fields that host local and out of town tournaments. There are many leagues that fly in from out of state and host a weekend long tournament.

There is also a place where they host players. Players get drafted and during training they are able to stay on the grounds of Century Link Sports Complex. There is a full kitchen that cooks three meals a day for the players. There is also a game room and meeting room. The players are on a strict schedule when they are here.

Most Spring Training Baseball games end in fireworks so it’s a great event to plan if you are looking for things to do with kids in the Bonita Springs area.

Key Lime Pie at Peace River Seafood | 183/365 Things to Do

So, for years and years I drove past the old building that is Peace River Seafood on the way, back and forth, to Orlando for real estate conventions.  One day I decided to drive around Lake O and then stop at Peace River Seafood for lunch.  I found out that you don’t do that on a Sunday because they’re closed.  Eventually I made it during business hours and I ended up going back a few times.

It took several visit before I accidentally ordered dessert and accidentally ordered key lime pie, on top of that.  Key lime pie isn’t my favorite … or wasn’t my favorite.  Simply put, it is the best pie on the planet.  So good is the pie at Peace River seafood that there is now an unspoken rule that anyone who drives by has to pick up a pie.  It makes it very easy to get all of the kids and grandkids to the house.

Peace River Seafood has a great menu with “paper on the table, crab dinners” and even simply shrimp dishes. Whatever you order don’t for get the pie.

Peace River Seafood is located on 17 just east of I-75 on the way to Arcadia Florida. Their address is 5337 Duncan Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33982

July 5th Coastal Cleanup at Bonita Beach | 182/365 Things to Do

The day after Independence Day is usually a beach clean up day.  Many people go to Bonita Beach and Barefoot Beach to watch the fireworks.  When you’re at the beach you can see fireworks from Sanibel to Naples, both public and private displays.  The downside is the crowds do leave their mark in both discarded goods or things they just forget.  From simply cigarette buts to full size tents the beach clean up crews generally pick up several hundred pounds of garbage.

The beach clean up the day after 4th of July isn’t limited to Bonita Springs, Fort Myers and Naples also have beach clean up programs. Simply put there are some organized events but you can also simply go to the beach at your leisure and pick up on your own, as well. 

Smuggler’s Cove Mini Golf | 181/365 Things to Do

Smuggler’s Cove Mini Golf boasts an exciting 18 hole course with live gators! Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf courses features adventure themed golf in which players navigate through caves, pirate ships, waterfalls and even through live alligators.

At Smugglers Cove you can feed the alligators using cane fishing poles for a unique and fun experience. It is also popular as mini golf party venue which makes it a popular spot for birthday parties or team building/office outings.Smugglers Cove has been voted “Best Mini Golf in Florida” five years in a row.

Smuggler’s Cove is located in Fort Myers on San Carlos Blvd. just north of Fort Myers Beach. If you’re looking for fun things to do with kids you can easily take them to a variety of restaurants in the area and then stop for a game at Smuggler’s Cove.

You can learn more at their website: www.smugglersgolf.com or their Facebook page here, www.facebook.com/SmugglersCoveFortMyers. You should visit their Facebook page because they post tons of cute photos on their page. Very creative!

Visit Weeki Wachee Springs | 180/365 Things to Do

Weeki Wachee Springs is located about 200 miles north of Bonita Springs. The spring is actually the point where an underground river is located. The water temperature is a steady 72–74 °F year-round so it is refreshing to jump in during the summer months. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park offers water rides, animal shows, mermaid shows, and manatee watching. 

We took some friend and all the kids and we rented a house directly on the Weeki Watch River. We brought our own kayaks, floats and snorkel gear. We found a house to rent on VRBO. The river isn’t much different than the Imperial River so we packed light clothes and bathing suites to protect from the sun.

We paddled up river in our kayaks and pulled some tubes for the smaller girls to enjoy the ride. We paddled against the river upstream and then we floated back to the house. We all jumped in the river from many of the numerous jumping platforms and rope swings along the river. When we were on the river enjoyed watching the manatees travel both up and down the river.

There are places you can rent paddle craft or small boats. There is a lot of life on the river during the day. We enjoyed being right on the river. The kids would wake up in the morning and barely make breakfast before they were in the water. It was hard to keep the kids out of the water.

This is a great place to visit in the summer if you are looking for fun things to do with kids.  Weeki Wachee is just far enough away from Bonita Springs to make it feel like a vacation but not so far that the expense of airfare is needed.

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

Celebrate Independence Day Bonita Springs | 179/365 Things to Do

Nearly every city in Southwest Florida has scheduled July 4th events.  Both the city of Naples and Bonita Springs have a parade and fireworks.  The city of Bonita Springs has a parade that runs from Rosemary Drive to Reynolds Avenue. Riverside Park in Bonita Springs is hopping with activities all day and into the night – including a fireworks/laser show.  The tributes vary slightly from year to year so you can keep tabs on times for the events, including the parade and fireworks, on the city of Bonita Springs Facebook page and their website.  Also, we generally have a running list of holiday events curated in the Bonita Springs Estero Community Forum group.

A few great tips for the parade are:

• Go early and get a chair set up on the east side of the road so you aren’t staring into the sun.
• If you can find shade, grab that spot.
• Don’t sit by a storm water drain or you may not get thrown candy because it will go down the drain.
• Take water and sunscreen. An umbrella won’t hurt either.
• People have water guns at the parade so guard your camera equipment and infants.
• Take a small bag to collect your candy/giveaways.
• Have fun!

Dine at NY Pizza & Pasta Naples | 178/365 Things to Do

Southwest Florida is the state capitol of Italian restaurants but one of the local favorites is New York Pizza and Pasta.  Located at the corner of Immokalee Road and US 41, this is a great stop when you have a family full of finicky eaters. There is something on their large menu for just about anyone. Our family is not without a few members who have special diets and we are always able to accommodate everyone’s order/appetite.

Our favorites at New York Pizza and Pasta include the veggie pizza, veal parmesan and the broccoli-onion calzone.  There’s also a full children’s menu that consists of buttered noodles, spaghetti and even chicken fingers.

If you’re out and about in Naples consider stopping at New York Pizza and Pasta for lunch or for dinner. It’s right around the corner from Veterans Park and not too far from Naples Pier so you can coordinate a few activities before a great meal.

To learn more or to review the menu visit the website at www.newyorkpp.com.

Oak Creek Preserve Bonita Springs Node Park | 177/365 Things to Do

There’s a hand full of node parks in Bonita Springs. They are the few tiny little parks with unsung publicity that most people do not know about.  Besides Carpenter Lane Park there is the Oak Creek Preserve park located near Samanns in Bonita Springs at the corner of Matheson South and Dean Street. 

Oak Creek Preserve is a slice of old Florida with tall sabal palms and old oak trees draped in Spanish Moss. The land is cleared of underbrush and Oak Creek, one of the smaller tributaries in Bonita Springs cuts through the land.  There isn’t much to do at Oak Creek Preserve but it does fulfill wildlife with a place to live in our ever growing area.

Read also, Carpenter Lane Node Park Bonita Springs | 165/365 Things to Do

Read also, Leitner Creek Tributary to Imperial River