Pine Island is a quaint little island in southwest Florida, situated between Ft. Myers and Sanibel.  There aren’t any beaches or big hotels, and it’s not on the radar of many Florida tourists.  It’s the home of Mango Mania, a celebration of the island’s ubiquitous fruit, and a lot of avid fishermen.  If your idea of a Florida vacation involves theme parks, this is probably not the place for you.  If you want to experience the quiet, natural beauty of Florida, then I thank you, and recommend you visit Pine Island.

Friends always ask where to stay and what to do if they visit, so here is my advice:  If you’re staying for a week or more, find a house to rent on vrbo.com.  For a weekend getaway, Tarpon Lodge is the way to go.  It was built in 1926 and it still feels like being inside an old Florida home.   The rooms are decorated with fish mounts and old photographs of fishermen and their catch.  The restaurant is the only one on the island using local ingredients (mangos, clams, salad greens). There is live music in the bar most nights.  You can also take a drink outside.  Lawn chairs by the dock await, the perfect place to toast the sunset.

Across the street you can explore The Calusa Heritage Trail.  It’s a massive shell mound built by the Calusa Indians over many centuries which became an archaeological site, now run by the University of Florida.

A kayak really made me love this place.  If you don’t have your own, rent one.  The Great Calusa Blueway is 190-miles of paddling paradise.  This website allows you to pick your put-in spot and find the perfect trail for you.

And, of course, there is fishing.  No boat?  Charter a guide for the day.  Either way, you could come home with a very good dinner.