Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island is a unique community -- an international destination for the rich and famous that has retained the ambiance of an "Old Florida" village.

Grand estates and "cracker" homes exist side-by-side along the seven-mile length of the barrier island, with many of the most magnificent homes overlooking the Gulf of Mexico or Gasparilla Sound. In the carefully preserved mid-island village of Boca Grande, wealthy winter residents rub elbows with descendants of the fishermen and port workers who formed the island's original working class.

While most of the premier properties in this tranquil part of Florida are located on Gasparilla Island, a growing number of luxury estates and condos are being developed on the mainland along the white-sand beaches and waterways of the Cape Haze Peninsula.

This area, midway between Sarasota and Naples, is just now starting to see a surge in development, and new luxury communities offer challenging golf and easy access to the Gulf for boaters.

The modern history of Gasparilla Island dates back to 1885, when phosphate rock was discovered on the nearby Florida mainland. This discovery turned the south end of Gasparilla Island into a major deep water port (Boca Grande Pass is one of the deepest natural inlets in Florida) and was responsible for development of the town of Boca Grande.

Wealthy American and British sportsmen soon discovered the fantastic fishing, and for almost a century, Boca Grande Pass has been famous for its unequaled tarpon fishing.

Luxury homes on the island today range from old Florida style to grand modern. On the mainland, magnificient new homes are being built along miles of canals, where fabulous fresh water fishing abounds.

The closest airports for scheduled commercial flights are Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport or the Southwest Florida International Airport, 10 miles southeast of Fort Myers.

The Boca Grande Seaplane can meet passengers at either of the airports and shorten the jaunt to Boca Grande.

Boca Grande

The village of Boca Grande is a step back into "Old Florida," with no high rise buildings, and no stop lights. The luxury estates strung out along the white-sand beaches to the north and south of the village are no more than a five-minute drive from Boca Grande's fine restaurants.

There is not a lot of nightlife on Boca Grande. Excitement here is provided primarily by the tarpon, which between April and July run through Boca Grande Pass. These fish can reach up to 300 pounds, and each year's winner of "The World's Richest Tarpon Tournament" pockets $150,000!

Cape Haze

The Cape Haze Peninsula, located directly on the Gulf of Mexico with long strands of white sand beaches, is a tranquil area of great beauty. Much of the coastal wetlands on the southern and eastern sides of the peninsula have been placed off-limits to development as part of the Charlotte Harbor State Buffer Preserve and the Island Bay National Wildlife Refuge. But luxury homes and condos being built on deep-water canals running through the peninsula offer fabulous fresh water fishing, and provide boaters with easy access to Boca Grande Pass.

Little Gasparilla Island

Accessible only by boat, Little Gasparilla Island -- just to the north of Gasparilla Island -- has no bridges, highways or cars. Seven miles of private, peaceful beaches provide outstanding seashells and breathtaking scenery. The island is a neighbor to several nature preserves. If you are looking for a place that has no crowds, stores or fast food restaurants, Little Gasparilla Island may be for you.