Something of an institution, the Main Dining Room at The Gasparilla Inn & Club treats taste buds to a four-course menu in an airy setting that oozes old Florida vibes. Best Places to Eat and Drink on Gasparilla Islandīeing an anglers’ paradise comes with its advantages - most notably, the abundance of freshly caught seafood that gets delivered to the area restaurants. Those who prefer the comforts of home should consider booking a vacation condo with multiple bedrooms, ocean views, and a communal pool through Boca Grande Club Rentals. The property also offers private cottages and villas. This character-rich resort still charms visitors more than a century later with its breezy vibe, spate of family-friendly activities (think croquet and scavenger hunts), pampering spa treatments, beach club, tennis courts, and colorfully decorated rooms. Snowbirds have been flocking to The Gasparilla Inn & Club since it opened in 1913. The lodging scene on Gasparilla Island is quite small and centers around Boca Grande. Best Places to Stay on Gasparilla Islandīrantley Photography/Gasparilla Inn & Club While Cayo Costa State Park is currently closed due to damage sustained by Hurricane Ian, this idyllic stretch of untouched shoreline, fragrant pine forests, and hiking trails regularly ranks among the highlights for travelers. Great for families, it has a "please touch" section with fossils and shells. Don’t miss the historic lighthouse that now houses a museum with exhibits about the island’s heritage. Bush and Katharine Hepburn back in the day, the charming village of Boca Grande boasts palm-fringed streets dotted with grand Mediterranean Revival and Key West-style homes, cute shops, alfresco restaurants, and art galleries. A favorite of notable names such as former president George H.W. Anglers from near and far journey to the Boca Grande Pass, as it’s renowned as one of the best spots for tarpon fishing in the world. Opportunities to cast a line are excellent as well. There’s great snorkeling, plus kayaking and private charter cruises. Of course, that’s not to say visitors who require a bit more stimulation between sunbathing and swimming will be bored. Many tourists don’t feel the urge to do much else beyond lazing on the sand and cooling off in the water. The beautiful beaches of Gasparilla Island State Park are the highlight of this scenic, serene destination. Some travelers and residents actually prefer the summer, since it’s less crowded, more relaxed, and the rates tend to be quite reasonable. However, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, the odds of a storm are highest between August and October, so it’s recommended to avoid that period. Hurricane season on the Gulf Coast runs from early June through the tail end of November. Winter is the busiest season, with many travelers fleeing the cold in search of swimsuit weather in the Sunshine State. Just like plenty of other holiday havens in Florida, Gasparilla Island tends to be warm and sunny year-round. Most travelers opt to get around on sorbet-colored golf carts or bicycles. Getting Around Gasparilla IslandĮverything about Gasparilla Island feels delightfully laid-back - and that extends to its lack of traffic. The only road access is via the Boca Grande Causeway in Placida. Gasparilla Island sits roughly halfway between Sarasota and Fort Myers, making it easy to arrive at either airport and then drive to Eldred's Marina to hop on a water taxi or private boat. The arrangement allows the Reedy Creek region to collect its own tax pot worth around US$105 million per year, according to CNBC.Csfotoimages/Getty Images How to Get to Gasparilla Island There is even a concession for Disney World to build a nuclear power plant, if it so wished. Disney runs its own fire department and emergency services. Since 1971 the Disney World megaresort has been allowed to operate as a special fiefdom, collecting taxes and running its own civil infrastructure “at no cost to Florida taxpayers”. The newly-appointed board would hire new lawyers to settle the matter.ĭisney issued a brief statement on the development, saying “all agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums”. New board member Brian Aungst said that they would “deal with it and correct it” in a public meeting on Wednesday. The impish clause means they can do as they wish, essentially forever.įlorida says Disney’s lawyers are taking the Mickey. The 300-year-old legal covenant applies until “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, king of England”.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |