Welcome to Bonita Springs

Bonita Springs General Information - Map - Accommodations - Attractions - Dining - Fishing - Golf - Real Estate - Rentals - Shopping

Bonita Springs - It wasn’t long ago that Estero and Bonita Springs were known mainly as points between Naples and Fort Myers, easy to miss if you blinked. Today, Bonita is one of the fastest growing areas in the country, Estero isn’t far behind, and the changes there are impossible to miss.

Estero was best known for Koreshan State Historic Site, where the Koreshan religious sect settled in the late 1800’s to create a utopian “New Jerusalem.” Remnants of the society still stand at the state site, where visitors can learn about their unusual belief system and strange history. The park is also well known for its recreation opportunities. Right on the banks of the Estero River, people travel there to camp, fish, picnic, and relax in the natural setting.

Since Florida Gulf Coast University opened in 1997, Estero is blooming with other opportunities, including Miromar Outlets, which draws shoppers from miles around, and Germain Arena, home to the Florida Everblades hockey team, where special productions are regularly staged.

In Bonita Springs, upscale communities line U.S. 41. High-end restaurants, shops, and other businesses have been quick to follow in such centers as the Promenade at Bonita Bay, so those who enjoy dining and shopping have no shortage of choices. Golfers also have a good selection of courses from which to choose.

Just east of this polished swath of development remains old Bonita, a homey cluster of shops, restaurants, and neighborhoods that have stood for decades. Bonita celebrates its fishing and agricultural heritage each March with the Tomato Seafood Festival.

Of course, one of the main attractions in the Bonita area is the beach. Many beachgoers head to the public areas at Bonita and Barefoot beaches to stroll the clean, wide shore, play in the clear Gulf waters, and exclaim over dolphins curling through the waves just off shore. Farther north is Lovers Key State Recreation Area. There’s plenty of room to stake our own spot on the sand, fish, or kayak through the interior waterways where you’re likely to encounter a manatee-or several.

Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce: 25971 Chamber of Commerce Dr, Bonita Springs, FL 34135; 239/992-2943; www.bonitaspringschamber.com

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May 2008