About Don Pedro Island
Don Pedro Island, which is also known as Palm Island, is part of a small chain of barrier islands just off the coast of Placida, Florida. Placida is a small town a stone's throw from Englewood, Florida. We are about an hour fifteen minutes north of the Southwest Florida (Fort Myers) International Airport and about an hour thirty minutes south from Tampa International Airport. Other barrier islands found nearby include Boca Grande, Little Gasparilla and Manasota Key. Our islands are accessible by boat or the local car ferry service operated by Palm Island Transit. The ferry crossing, which takes about three minutes, will transport you, and your car to our island. It operates seven days a week. Below, we've included more information about the islands and the island lifestyle. We've also included some local area links so you can get a feel for our sleepy little beach town and things to do around the area.
Click here to enjoy an article from the Travel Channel about 10 Beaches With No Bridges. ​Don Pedro Island made the list!
Don Pedro & Palm Island
No crowds here, just miles of unspoiled, 100% natural Florida (the way it used to be!). World renowned shelling, fantastic sunsets and bird watching galore. You'll enjoy numerous dolphin sightings right along the beach, native gopher tortoise, and a lively lagoon where fish jump all day long. Don Pedro Island State Park is a short walk down the beach and includes a pavilion and nature trails.
You’ll want to capture the Island’s charm by traveling via golf cart, we rarely use cars here. Golf cart rental is available on the island, so please inquire about the golf cart if you'd like to include one with your rental.
Bring your boat or rent one for the ultimate in Florida lifestyle. All of our properties include a dock that will accommodate a single boat up to 22 feet. Coquina Cove includes a private dock and the townhomes offer community docks which are rarely used.
Like to fish? Fish right off the dock or try your luck surf fishing or book a charter with one of the local guides for a thrilling day of sport fishing or backwater challenges. Trout, Redfish, Snook, Tarpon and Grouper are just a few of the many species that call our waters home.
Don Pedro Island (Palm Island) is a barrier island and a stones throw from the mainland. You’ll arrive via a short car ferry ride that takes about three minutes. Our island has a terrific resort on the north end of the island that offers a casual restaurant, ice cream & coffee shop, very small convenience store, gift shop and a pirate show for the kids. The island is almost all single family homes so you’ll quickly find it has a pristine "non-commercial” family feel. There are no large high-rise resorts, beach bars or traffic and noise. If you’re looking for that place in the sun that you can actually hear the wind whistle through the palms - you’ve found your place.
Off island you’ll be close to restaurants, shops, golf courses and world famous Boca Grande as well as other attractions. As we like to say ... civilization is close, but not too close. Boca Grande offers exclusive shopping, dining and sightseeing. By boat you can reach Cayo Costa Island State Park and Cabbage Key where Jimmy Buffet was inspired to write "Cheeseburger In Paradise." Do it all, or do nothing at all, that’s the “island” lifestyle. It’s laid back, always casual (leave your tie at home) and Florida at its best. Come to our island and see why so many have fallen in love with this little "slice" of paradise!
Links of interest
Here are just a few links to sites of interest. We have also compiled a ton of additional links on our Links Page that include dozens more links for all sorts of activities, restaurants, services, fishing charter and guides, boat rental, and points of interest.
A Florida native's view of the barrier islands
I grew up in Florida and as a child and teenager we would always head over to the Gulf Coast beaches for our recreation and vacations. It was a lot of fun and holds a bunch of fond memories for me. Back then, the Gulf Coast was less discovered and certainly less developed. Today, it's hard to find a beach with so few people and so underdeveloped. Quite refreshing to say the least.
We chose Don Pedro Island (Palm Island) for the natural beauty and "Old Florida" feel. This chain of islands just may be the last true Florida beach you can walk down (7 miles long) and hardly see another person. We also liked that there are no beach bars and no high-rise buildings. It is the best of Old Florida, natural, unspoiled and a genuine paradise.
We decided to purchase our homes here for the unspoiled beauty of the island and the area in general. Englewood is a low-key Old Florida "beach town" that reminds you of how Florida looked many years ago, without the huge high-rise condominiums and massive hotels clogging the beach. There are plenty of local "home-grown" shops and restaurants and the fishing is some of the best in the world. The beaches are fantastic and the boating and shelling is world-class. If you are looking for a great family area that is close to everything, but far away from the congestion, traffic and noise, you'd be hard pressed to find a better place.
The only way to get on and off the island is by a three minute car ferry ride, or your own private boat. Having no bridge to the island allows for a semi-private atmosphere and keeps beach going traffic to an absolute minimum. The island is all residential other than the resort area at the north end of Palm Island which offers a quality restaurant, snack and ice cream shoppe and small convenience store. Most all of the island traffic is by golf cart.
Staying on the island is not for everyone. If you like lots of places to shop, tourist attractions, beach bars and chain restaurants, this isn't the place for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for uncrowded and unspoiled beaches, great kayaking, fishing and swinging in a hammock under some breezy palms, this may be just the place. It's for a couple or family that wants some serious down-time ... a place to unplug and recharge your batteries and enjoy some great family time.
INSIDER'S TIP: Visit the super cool "secret" mangrove tunnel and the hidden lagoon.
If you're up for a good paddle and are comfortable using a kayak (always wear a flotation device) – then click on the map thumbnail for an expanded view of the trail to the hidden lagoon.
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NOTE: Please stay close to the mangroves and land while traveling in the Intercoastal Waterway due to swift moving boats and wake patterns. The hidden lagoon is within the boundries of Don Pedro Island State Park.