Capsule: Located on the barrier island of Gasparilla midway between Sarasota and Fort Myers, Boca Grande is a step back into "Old World" Florida. Long before roads to southwest Florida were in use, wealthy northerners came by train to spend the winter on Gasparilla Island. The town of Boca Grande today is a carefully preserved part of Florida's history and beauty.

Waterfront Homes: Pristine white sand beaches stretch the entire Gulf of Mexico side of the 7-milt-long island, while protected waterways weave in and around the natural mangrove shoreline along side facing Gasparilla Sound and Charlotte Harbor.

With no high rises to be found on Boca Grande, the choice tends to be between upscale low-rise condos, luxurious bayfront estates with a dock for your yacht, or gulf-front homes on sugar white sand beaches.

Across the sound on the Cape Haze Peninsula, new waterfront condos and luxury waterfront homes share the spectacular sunsets over the water that can be viewed on almost a daily basis along the Southwest Florida coast.

Golf and Tennis: While the Gasparilla Inn & Golf Club and nearby mainland courses offer plenty of challenges for golfers, fishing is the heart and soul of Gasparilla Island and Boca Grande. Every spring, tarpon fishermen head for the "Tarpon Capital of the World" to fish famous Boca Grande Pass. In addition, year-around offshore fishing yields grouper, snapper, mackerel and kingfish, while inshore fishing is excellent for snook and redfish.

Weather: The average high is 74 Fahrenheit in January and 91 in August. But even in the heat of summer, cooling westerly breezes provide welcome relief.

Culture: Galleries present the works of local artists who have captured the spirit of Boca Grande in a multitude of media, and the theaters, symphonies, museums, ballet and opera of Sarasota are about an hour's drive away.

For information about luxury real estate in the Boca Grande area and the Realtors that can help you find the perfect home on Gasparilla Island, please click here.