Gasparilla Island,Boca Grande, & The Lighthouse Museum

 A MY QUALITY TIME ADVENTURE TO GASPARILLA ISLAND,BOCA GRANDE,BOCA,GRANDE LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM & MORE…………………..

All Aboard

and our intrepid adventurers::

Boca Grande is known for its charming authentic downtown, sugar sand beaches, blue water and world class fishing. READ MORE

Almost there…

The Gasparilla Inn & Club features a magnificent Pete Dye Signature 18-hole Championship Course located on scenic Charlotte Harbor Read More (which I didn’t play)

We made it to Gasparilla Island State Park with it’s beautiful beach. (to walk on)

Just $3.00 gets you in and free all day parking. Beautiful beach with great view of the pass and ocean. Water was nice and clear and the beach is really clean. (We rented a golf cart for the day and used it to get around the island)

Great shelling on this beach and there is the lighthouse in the distance.

“In 1888, the U.S. Congress allocated $35,000 for the U.S. Lighthouse Service to build a lighthouse on Boca Grande Pass, the deepest natural port in the state. The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse was lit December 31, 1890. The light was used to mark Boca Grande Pass, the entrance to Charlotte Harbor. A museum was built inside the lighthouse and opened in 1999 (Trip Through Time). It is one of only six lighthouses in Florida to be open to the public, and the only one on the west coast.” READ MORE

During WWII, the lighthouse was used to watch for German U-boats. I wonder what Linda is looking for.

You know, there is always someplace “off limits”

  I really wanted to go up those stairs… LOL

The museum is well done and gives information about early life on the island. Apparently, a truly integrated society!

You will just have to visit the museum to read the fine print…

Time to leave the island

Boaters: Observe all manatee speed zones; and don't tear up the grass flats – these are prime feeding zones for this unique marine mammal. Boca Grande ...

Boca Grande's serene beauty also makes it a destination for high profile weddings and residences for the elite seeking privacy. The Bushs' and Audrey Hepburn have called it home seasonally.

Captain Will (retired from the Coast Guard) of the Calusa Queen  gave us a quick eco-tour showing us manatee and dolphins as we returned to Burnt Store Marina.

Getting ready to dock::

 That’s all folks..Thanks for stopping by. Oh, one last item food info..

Boca Grande Restaurant Lingo:: “As is generally the case with locally known dining areas, the best places generally get shortened to a one word, one syllable phrase that shows you know how good it really is. These are four of the places you need to know about, and how to tell people where to go in Boca Grande: The Temp is the Temptation Bar and Restaurant; The Pink is the Pink Elephant Restaurant; The Loose is The Loose Caboose Restaurant and gift shop.”

For our visit “The Loose” was the place for a great lunch…

This photo of The Loose Caboose is courtesy of TripAdvisor

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 How do lighthouse keepers communicate?  Answer:: Shine Language.