BOCA GRANDE - BUNGALOWS, BEACHES, BOUGAINVILLEAS AND SUNSETS

Across the road from the Innlet on the Waterfront, Boca Grande, a short walk down a gravel road, lovely cottages and glamorous digs on either side, is the natural, unspoiled beach.  Sparkling Gulf Coast waters, shells, blue skies, sunshine and magnificent sunsets.  

One of the cute little ones, garden of greens.

Lovely beach house

Bougainvillea and oleander - pink on pink - hides the wall that hides the pretty home inside.

Living in Maryland, I miss the palm trees of the sub-tropical Durban I came from - not to mention the spectacular bougainvillea that were so abundant and flowered profusely all summer long in my garden. 

Loved this leafy entrance to another be beachy home

Pretty or what!

Walk for miles, swim, pick up shells, soak up the rays - don't forget the sunscreen, it's hot

I'm in the warm swells, with my camera and all I see are fish and seaweed around me.  I wouldn't exactly say "surf's up!!"

Great to see the grasses growing naturally everywhere along the beach - holds the sand, provides nesting sites for water birds and turtles  

Coming to the end of another beautiful day on the Gulf Coast, southwest Florida

Not a soul in sight - peace and tranquility as the sun sets

Do I see a wave??

Plovers, plovers everywhere - scurrying back and forth with the water, drilling into the sand for treasure to snack on at the end of the day  

Going.........

going........... 

GONE.  THE END - of another beautiful beach day.

BOCA GRANDE, FLORIDA - INNLET ON THE WATERFRONT

On a recent trip to Naples, FL I headed north on a 2-hr drive to Boca Granda, on Gasparilla Island and spent a few days staying at the lovely, affordable Innlet on the Waterfront.  It sits on the Boca Grande Bayou which is an outlet that opens into the Gasparilla Sound.  Across the street and past a few pretty homes is the beach, the Gulf of Mexico.  Boca Grande is small, beautiful white sand beaches, lovely shopping area, adorable cottages, beachfront mansions, beautiful emerald green/azure blue Gulf water, great swimming.  Lots of bicycles, golf carts, ice creams, the Gasparilla Inn which is famous for hosting presidents and celebs alike, palm trees, manatees and fresh fish.

Innlet on the Waterfront, 11th St. Boca Grande - great location

Looking out from the room

Yes that is a manatee - oh I wanted to jump in and swim with it but are there alligators lurking beneath the surface??

There goes the magnificent creature, bobbing lazily along, munching on vegetation.

View from outside the ground floor room, across the Bayou

Peace and tranquility - a beautiful white heron adorns the piling

Gecko amongst the shells - and lots of them scurrying back and forth wherever you look 

View across the water from the Innlet - behind the mangroves, a golf course

Boca Grande Bayou - directly across from the front of the Innlet on the Waterfront