Bonita Springs: Florida’s Barefoot Beach Mecca

Bonita Springs is situated on the southwest coast of Florida in Lee County near Cape Coral and Fort Myers. Benefitting from a tropical climate, Bonita Springs is located on both the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay. The Imperial River flows through the city’s downtown district, emptying into Estero Bay.

Planning a visit? Stay at Imperial Bonita Estates.

With “small-town charm and a bright future”—the city’s motto—Bonita Springs boasts several alluring beaches as well as cultural art attractions. The Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs hosts local, regional, and national traveling exhibitions as well as offering art classes and multiple community events. The arts organization, which is spread across two campuses, holds the annual Bonita Springs National Arts Festivals in January, February and March in the historic downtown district of town. Other local events held by various organizations, such as the Old Fashion Fish Fry and CREW Benefit Concert, keep locals and visitors entertained.

Bonita Beach Park features a swimming area and boardwalk along with picnic shelters and a gazebo. In 2013, Forbes ranked Barefoot Beach Preserve Park—one of the last undeveloped barrier islands on Florida’s southwest coast—the sixth best beach in the nation. Wildlife lovers and sightseers alike will enjoy Lover’s Key State Park, a wildlife haven composed of four barrier islands that feature hiking and biking trails and miles of pristine beaches. Just east of Bonita Springs, visitors will discover the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a Bald Cypress reserved managed by the National Audubon Society.