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 Islands Information

Check also Florida - Atlantic Coast USA

Gulf Coast Islands - USA

Florida Islands - Gulf Coast

Anna Maria Island:
There is a place in Florida that does not have the very best in beaches, the most Caribbean-like climate, the best recreational opportunities or the hottest resorts or nightlife in the State. So, why is an island peninsula community of 15,000 residents on the Gulf Coast considered by many to be a “best kept secret”? For those in the know, it is affordable subtropical nirvana.

Just south of Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway bridge, west of Bradenton and north of Sarasota and glitzy Siesta and Longboat Keys, the town of Anna Maria holds this honor. The most remote and outlying town on the island of the same name, it combines with two other municipal communities to the south, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, for the total Anna Maria Island experience. The secret is that the town of Anna Maria does not have any fast food or convenience franchises, chain stores, high rises or a stoplight and the community intends to keep it that way. Prominent destinations such as the Tampa, Clearwater or Sarasota areas are only 45 to 90 minutes away....read more »


Anna Maria Island:
Among the natural loveliness of your Anna Maria Island vacation is the splendor of sea turtle nesting. Sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in the sandy beaches in a timeless ritual every summer. The mother sea turtle returns to the same beach that she was born on and uses her flippers to dig a nest in the sand. After laying her eggs, she refills the hole and reshapes it to hide the nest, making it virtually invisible to the untrained eye. The babies hatch after they finish growing and instinctively head towards the water to start their lives. You can be a part of the wonder on a beach watch and help preserve this endangered species. Morning tours are available daily throughout July and August.....read more »


Destin
Destin, Florida Destin is part of the Northwest Florida barrier island system on Florida's Gulf Coast. Information on beaches, activities and vacation lodgings.

Florida Everglades and 10,000 Islands Area:
The Everglades and Ten Thousand Islands - A Guide to Everglades Florida and other Florida City Guides

Ft. Myers and Ft. Myers Beach:
The Calusa Indians were the first to inhabit this corner of the world hundreds of years ago. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon explored the area and tried to convert the Natives to Christianity. Juan was not a welcome guest or happy camper, and after being wounded by the Calusa in battle, he retreated to Cuba, where he eventually died.

During the 1800s' the area served as a cattle- shipping town, where cattle would be loaded onto ships destined for Cuba.

In 1869 the International Ocean Cable Company (later known as Western Union) established Punta Rassa as the Southern most end of the telegraph line. The telegraph operator at the time was George Schultz and he was probably instrumental in establishing the first of the hospitality properties to occupy this piece of real estate. For $1.50 a day Schultz and his wife fed the cowboys and permitted them to sleep on the floor at one end of the telegraph office during the cattle drives.

This eventually was an important influencing factor in the construction of the Tarpon House Inn that was ultimately recreated as the Sanibel Harbour Resort. No doubt, much has changed over the years, since the area welcomed such visitors as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and many more of the rich and famous, including warriors of the Civil War....read more »

Fort Myers Beach Online - A Guide to Fort Myers Beach Florida - with Dining Directory, Accommodations Directory, Information About Sports, Outdoors, Attractions, Sightseeing, Arts, Entertainment, Shopping, Real Estate, Visitor Information, Featured Web Sites, Events, and Other Southwest Florida City Guides.

Gasparilla Island/Boca Grande:
Boca Grande Florida Chamber of Commerce

Goodland:
Goodland is a quaint fishing village on Marco Island in southwest Florida. This online guide offers entertainment, dining and visitors information.

Isles of Capri:
Isles of Capri

Longboat Key:
Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce

"Located on a barrier island just off the coast of Sarasota in the Gulf of Mexico is paradise personified, Longboat Key.

This private island is only 7 miles from the Sarasota/Bradenton airport and a 2- hour drive from Orlando.

Eleven miles of sandy white beachfront, overlooking the blue-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, provides the ideal location rekindling those dormant love passions.

With a population of only 8,000 permanent residents, and the absence of t-shops, noisy traffic, mini-malls, fast food outlets, neon signs and everything else that is horrendous in many beachfront communities, Longboat Key well deserves its renowned reputation as an ideal get-away for families and couples..."read more »


Marco Island:
Marco Island Online - Marco Island Florida Travel and Tourist Informaton
Florida Saltwater Adventures.com - Eco-Tours, Fishing Charters, Bird Watching, Shell Collecting...

Naples Area Quicktour - An Online Tour of Amenities, Attactions, Accommodations and Recreation for Naples On the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida.

Islands Sports Shop - Destin, Florida kayak, bicycle, and Scuba gear sales and rentals.

Harborsurf.com Online guide to the Charlotte Harbor region in Southwest Florida.

Pine Island:
Pine Island - unique island on SW Florida's Gulf Coast!

Sanibel - Captiva:
A Guide to Sanibel - Captiva Islands - Resorts, Beaches, Activities, Fishing, Dining and more.

Sarasota:
Sarasota Convention and Visitor's Bureau - Hotels, Motels, Vacation attractions and restaurants in Sarasota, Fla

Siesta Key:
Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida - Travel information for Siesta Key & Sarasota Florida
Siesta Beachfront Getaways Beachfront efficiencies located on white sands of Crescent Beach on Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida


Palm Island:
The allure of vacationing on an authentic barrier island with palm trees swaying gently in the soft breeze off the Gulf of Mexico, osprey, bald eagles, sandpipers, blue herons, tree frogs, anoles, and leatherback turtles are free to roam without fear of being run over by an automobile... read the entire Palm Island Travel Article - click here


Pine Island
The Pine Island NWR is located on the southwest coast of Florida, north of Sanibel Island in the Pine Island Sound. It is administered as part of the J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR. The refuge was established by President Theodore Roosevelt through Executive Order 939 in 1908 to protect the thousands of herons, egrets, and pelicans that were being hunted to support the plume trade in the early 1900's. The refuge has also been designated as a Florida State Aquatic Preserve...read more »


St. George Island
St. George Island, a cozy and small town that still holds on to its past has a unique atmosphere that can momentarily transport you to an idyllic state of relaxation and make you forget about office meetings and daily errands. Enjoy yourself in the stunning beaches, blue waters and mouth-watering Southern cuisine. This barrier island in Franklin County has many great qualities for a fun and memorable beach destination...read more »


Tampa Area:
Gulf Beaches of Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce - Offers all of the ingredients to create both a memorable and affordable vacation holiday

Treasure Island:
Beach Directory - Offers information on several Florida coastal beach destinations


Gulf Islands National Seashore Birdwatching
The National Seashore comprises several diverse ecological communities which attract a wide variety of bird life. The offshore barrier islands consist of open beaches, dunes, freshwater marshes and wooded areas. On the mainland, also, are freshwater marshes, salt marshes and wooded areas which offer wildlife habitats. More than 300 species of birds have been identified within the boundaries of Gulf Islands National Seashore, since its establishment in January 1971...read more »


Gulf Islands SCUBA Diving
Scuba divers are required to have evidence for qualification of diving ability, such as a nationally recognized certification card or the assurance of a supervising instructor. It may be necessary to present this information to a law enforcement officer. Divers can be refused permission to dive by a law officer if in their judgment conditions are unsafe, or if equipment or individual abilities are questionable. Businesses are required to purchase a permit for training classes within park waters....read more »


Gulf Islands
The Gulf of Mexico, bays, sounds, and inlets provide bountiful waters for a wide variety of marine fauna. The quiet bays, sounds, and inlets are estuaries where fresh water from mainland rivers mix with saltwater from the Gulf. These estuarine areas are nurseries providing nutrients from decomposing marsh plants for developing shell and finfish such as shrimp, blue crab, and cobia.....read more »


Seagrove Beach
As Seagrove Beach, along with the entire Beaches of South Walton area, has gradually changed from a quaint destination filled with vacation cottages into a slightly commercialized, but still charming, retreat, vendors have cropped up to take advantage of its gulf front allure. Boat rentals and jet ski rentals are readily available for a family adventure out on the water, while setting foot aboard a fishing charter is perfect for those who dream of reeling in a trophy catch. However, beyond the immediate beachfront, plenty of water-bound and landlocked excursions are still awaiting in this stunning natural wonderland......read more »


Lido Key
Lido Key Florida attracts visitors from all over the world, seeking the sun, the sand and the peace and quiet of a private island paradise. All agree this is not just a place to visit for a weekend or vacation, but to consider for raising a family...read more »


Panama City Beach
Highly-acclaimed for its 27 miles of soft white sand, Panama City Beach continually ranks in the top 20 for beaches in America. While pictures can tell one story, the sight of the endless silky sand that slides towards the sparkling emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico is always breathtaking in person. The sand, blindingly white, is the perfect place to nestle in for an afternoon of sunbathing, while the crystal clear waters offer boundless inshore and offshore pursuits to occupy your vacation, including swimming, snorkeling, surfing, scuba diving, and anything else you can imagine....read more »


Of Interest

GORP - Gulf National Seashores - Outdoor recreation for Mississippi and Florida

A Guide to Southwest Florida - With online city guides for Marco Island, Naples, Florida Everglades, Fort Myers Beach, and more. Includes hotel, restaurant and attraction information for visitors and tourists.