COASTE | ADVENTURES Events Manager for the Gasparilla Inn, a 103-year- old resort in “downtown” that’s the flagship property for the community. “Boca Grande is classic ‘Old Florida,’ with the coastal elegance of another era,” she says. “It’s like being in a different time, and it’s very charming.”
As word of this fishing frenzy spread, wealthy families from the north began to move in. Then in the early 1900s, phosphate was discovered — valuable for fertilizer and many other products — and shortly thereafter, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work on a railroad station and
railway that would make transport to Port Boca Grande (and then to ocean- bound freighters) fast and easy. Today, many of these local fishing families are now third- or even f ou r t h - gene r a t i on residents, who share
Those very words describe the Gasparilla Inn as well — a 163- room property of classic guestrooms, cottages and vacation homes. The resort reflects “southern genteel” in the best sense, while offering a gorgeous 18-hole
Today, many of these local fishing families are now third or fourth generation residents, who share their community with names like Vanderbilt, DuPont, Rockefeller and Bush.
golf course, state-of-the-art pool and fitness center, contemporary amenities, plus Gulf of Mexico beachfront.
their community with names like Vanderbilt, DuPont, Rockefeller, Bush and other personalities and celebrities. They’re bound by a common love of Boca Grande, and a casual, neighborly co-existence. As for the railroad station, it’s now a centerpiece of unique shops, boutiques and restaurants — while the railway has been converted to a bike and golf cart path, two of the best ways to explore. An area highlight each year is what’s called “The World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament.” Founded in 1991 and held this year May 19-20, fishermen pay to play (entry fee $5,000) and vie for $80,000 in prizes. It’s a catch and release tourney, with judge boats tallying
Local fisherman, who found the waters rich and plentiful, founded Boca Grande in the late 1800s.
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