"Florida is a place of unparalleled diversity of backgrounds, experiences and vision. It makes our culture unique, but it can also make it difficult to define a common identity and create a sense of community that reaches beyond our neighborhoods to all corners of our state." -- Jeb Bush
Pretty, beautiful, and lively: the English definition of the Spanish word "bonita." Situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Bonita Springs meets that definition. Part of the Cape Coral-Fort Meyers Metro area, Bonita Springs has a population of just over 43,000, and a beautiful spot on the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay. The gulf-side area of the city is called Bonita Beach, located on a barrier island between the Gulf and the Bay. Also, the Imperial River flows through the city center into Estero Bay. There’s water everywhere for swimmers, sunbathers, anglers, and boaters to enjoy. This is a quiet, beach loving town -- no rowdy beach blanket bingo here if that's not your thing. If you prefer the sound of the waves to the sound of a boom box, you’ll love strolling the soft white sands.
Bonita Springs has luxurious gated communities, country clubs, and high-rise apartment complexes
"Florida is a place of unparalleled diversity of backgrounds, experiences and vision. It makes our culture unique, but it can also make it difficult to define a common identity and create a sense of community that reaches beyond our neighborhoods to all corners of our state." -- Jeb Bush
Pretty, beautiful, and lively: the English definition of the Spanish word "bonita." Situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Bonita Springs meets that definition. Part of the Cape Coral-Fort Meyers Metro area, Bonita Springs has a population of just over 43,000, and a beautiful spot on the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay. The gulf-side area of the city is called Bonita Beach, located on a barrier island between the Gulf and the Bay. Also, the Imperial River flows through the city center into Estero Bay. There’s water everywhere for swimmers, sunbathers, anglers, and boaters to enjoy. This is a quiet, beach loving town -- no rowdy beach blanket bingo here if that's not your thing. If you prefer the sound of the waves to the sound of a boom box, you’ll love strolling the soft white sands.
Moving to Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs has luxurious gated communities, country clubs, and high-rise apartment complexes. It also has apartment homes and rental units ranging from one bedroom apartments to three bedroom apartments. Whatever apartment search youre undertaking, you’ll find a property to suit you here in this coastal city. So you can take a deep breath, and relax!
And whats the lifestyle like? Many residents work as service providers, and in sales or management. A solid percentage of workers telecommute to work -- the better to enjoy the beach lifestyle. Seasonal residents make the population rise during vacation time, with many businesses focusing on tourism, such as boat rentals, or beach excursions.
Sparse and low-key, regardless of your age or the neighborhood you choose you can expect a laid-back lifestyle focused on outdoor activities. Property availability increases when it's not vacation time, so if you're looking to move in the height of vacation season, allow plenty of time for your search.
Bonita Springs Neighborhoods
E Terry St/Poor Mans Pass Rd: This is a reasonably priced area with apartment complexes, mobile homes, and single family homes a short drive from the beach. A mix of older and newer housing options abound. This area is very budget-friendly so look here first if price is a huge concern.
Hickory Blvd/Mclaughlin Blvd: This neighborhood offers a great many single family homes and condominiums. Suburban and coastal, there are high-rise apartment complexes with a range of studio to large three bedroom units available.
Bonita Bay Blvd/Country Club Dr: Walkable and located close to the lush country club golf course, this area is just back from the beach and features a great many single family properties. Here you’ll find many residents commuting to work by crossing the hall from their bedroom to their home office. Technology and creative professions abound. ’’
Bonita Shores: This middle income neighborhood is close to the beach. With a mix of very new residences and older properties, youll find single family homes and a multitude of apartment complexes to choose from.
Life in Bonita Springs
You’
ll be sporting a tan and a smile if you live here. Florida is tropical, and Bonita Springs is on the west coast of the state, so you’ll find yourself comfortable in short sleeves in January when the temperature drops no lower than 60 degrees. Summer temps hover between 85 and 95, the perfect feel for a dip in the sea or a sail into the sunset. You can also visit one of the cultural stops around the city, if you want to eschew all that sunshine for awhile.
In Bonita Springs, there's art to be found just by enjoying the color of the aqua warm gulf waters -- the calm waters stay balmy year round. Shops abound with locally-made driftwood and sea shell art pieces and even furniture; you could create your own! But if you’d rather see art than make it,check out the Art League of Bonita Springs, a community organization that serves as a home for local and traveling art, music, and other cultural events. If you change your mind about making art, they hold classes, too. For cinema buffs, the center hosts 'dinner and a film' nights with classics, foreign films, independent cinema, and more for every film lover.The Bonita Springs Concert Band plays in the city’s Band Shell in Riverside Park. Concerts are free every Sunday from October through April.
Looking for the finest in soft Florida sand? There are several optimal choices for residents of this community. Bonita Beach Park offers two and a half miles of beachfront dunes plus a picturesque gazebo, covered picnic tables, and a boardwalk. The larger Barefoot Beach Preserve Park is one of the very last undeveloped barrier islands in the region. The 342 acres of pristine natural coast is reached easily via Bonita Beach Road. And guess what? This beach was rated the sixth best in the U.S. this year by Forbes Magazine.All told, Bonita Springs has ten beach access spots along the coast, including Little Hickory Island Beach Park, known as a key spot for shell gatherers. Don’t miss the vast Lover's Key State Park, with over 1600 acres consisting of four barrier islands, just outside Bonita Springs. With nature trails, kayak rentals, and mangrove trees, these natural beaches are the perfect place to spot bottle-nosedolphins, manatees, and even bald eagles.
Bonita Springs residents have gone to the dogs. With a dog park and a dog beach, canine friends are welcome here. You’ll find puppies and their pals strolling leashed all along Bonita Beach.Into racing pups? The Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track offers a chance to bet on the finest, right in Bonita Springs.
If you like animals other than dogs, the Everglades Wonder Gardens is a local landmark, with its wildlife collection that houses alligators, flamingos, and panthers. Open since 1936, the attraction is also a refuge for injured animals, and it contains a small natural history museum and botanical garden, too.For more exotic wildlife, check out the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a Bald Cypress reserve managed by the National Audubon Society. Keep an eye on the sky as the birds migrate by.
Keeping an eye on all these creatures is the Bonita Springs Water Tower, an addition to the shoreline on Big Hickory Island. Rising 156 feet tall, the blinking red beacon guides in any errant sailors at night.
With easy interstate access and the Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Meyers, Bonita Springs is as accessible as it is bucolic. Enjoy the remote feeling of a barrier island beach, but remember you are only a short commute from work. Most area residents average a 15 to 30 minute drive to work; some who work locally in service jobs can bicycle to work regularly.
