Bonita Beach Park
Every vacation needs to have little dose of beach, right? During our spring break in Southwest Florida, we stayed in Estero. We had a chalked full agenda of activities, some of which included just laying poolside but we also wanted to visit the beach one day. We were loaded down with sunscreen, beach towels and hats, a beach bag with snacks and water and plenty of time to relax. We decided to drive the ten to fifteen minutes to Bonita Beach Park knowing that this was a busy spring break season because of the ease of beach access and the amenities. We wanted to arrive early if not for just the leisure but to ensure a good parking spot.
Once we made it to the park about 8:00 am on a Friday morning, the parking lot was about three-quarters full and filling up fast so we quickly found a spot. As with most public beaches, the admission is free however, the parking has a fee. Parking at Bonita Beach park is paid via self served vending at about $2 per hour. The vending machine will dispense a time stamped ticket to place visible in the car dashboard and I strongly recommend keeping close attention to the time expiration. Another time stamp ticket can be purchased and placed in your car if you decided to stay longer. We set our smart phone timer with enough time to walk to the car and purchase another parking ticket.
I was impressed with the cleanliness of Bonita Beach including the parking lot, the restrooms, eight shelters, tables and grills, the playground area and a gazebo and the sand volleyball court. Bonita Beach park had a few picnic areas that were also already occupied when we arrived it still enough available space for others. There are also complimentary life jackets to use during your stay then return on your departure.
Once we gathered our belongings and paid for parking, we walked a short distance to the beach access ramp. It took my breath away … I could smell the salt water, hear the crashing waves and see the sugary white sand beach. There was a nice breeze and the sun was shining and I knew it was going to be a great day! The sand was a sugary white and the shells were abundant. Also being that we arrived early, we had our choice of seating with very little crowds.
The water was a bit chilly but was still refreshing on the feet as we strolled down the beach to find a spot to set our towels. The Gulf Coast beaches are known for their shelling and my kiddo didn’t miss a beat when it came to searching for the perfect shells.
When it was time to leave, we passed by the board walk ramp to access the parking area. We used the facilities on the premises as well as the foot showers to clean off any sand before heading to the car. It was such a beautiful day to spend our last day of Spring Break at the Gulf Coast Bonita Beach park.
When visiting Southwest Florida, I recommend visiting Bonita Beach park during your stay open from 7 am to dusk daily. Remover to arrive early, bring plenty of change or dollar bills for parking, pack plenty of water and sunscreen, a sun hat, reading materials and beach toys for an enjoyable day at the beach.
Then ..,. simply enjoy!
