Approximately 10 to 15 minutes drive west from your villa are the beautiful pristine Gulf coast beaches. If you follow McCall Road (776) to Englewood and turn left to Manasota Key you will have some 30 miles of fabulous unspoilt white sand and sparkling clear warm water to enjoy.

Chadwick Park at Englewood Beach
2100 North Beach Road Englewood.
Here you will have acres of amenities including Boardwalks, sheltered Picnic tables, BBQ Grills, Playground, Volleyball Courts, Fishing and Restrooms.

Lemon Bay Beach
If you continue driving north from Chadwick Park past the beautiful residential properties, you will come to a bend with a large car park on one side of the road and the beach opposite. This is well worth visiting. There are wide sandy beaches stretching for miles. You will also find restrooms and outdoor showers.

If you turn left (south) at Chadwick Park you will come to Stump Pass Park. Here you can walk along a sand spur, which has the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the inter-coastal waterways of the Stump Pass inlet on the other. This is a beautiful quiet unspoilt area with an abundance of wildlife. We have been lucky enough to see a school of dolphin swimming by.

Stump Pass Beach State Recreation Area
900 Gulf Boulevard Englewood
Amenities for Swimming, Sunbathing, Shelling, Fishing (you may even have the company of a heron or two) Picnic benches, Restrooms and showers.

If you drive east from Rotonda on the 776 and cross the bridge over the Myakka River you will be able to enjoy the community beaches at Port Charlotte.

Port Charlotte Beach Park
4500 Harbour Boulevard Port Charlotte
The many amenities include: BBQ, Basketball, Boat Ramps, Fishing Pier, Tennis Courts, Playground, Volleyball Courts, Canoe/Kayak, Picnic shelters, Restrooms.

Alternatively take a boat ride or hire a boat for the day from any of the local marinas and enjoy a day on an island beach.

Don Pedro Island State Recreation Area
Barrier Island Park – here you will find a mile of white sandy beaches accessible only by boat. Boat docks are located on the bay side via a channel from the inter-coastal Waterway at green marker No.35. Park fee: $2. per boat (subject to change)
Amenities include picnic tables, grills, outdoor showers and restrooms. Enjoy Sunbathing, Shelling and Fishing.

If you exit Rotonda on Rotonda Boulevard East to the 771, turn right and head south for 8 to 10 minutes, you will come to the Toll bridge onto Gasparilla Island, Boca Grande. Beaches are open to the public along the Gulf stretches and at the southern tip are the beaches opening onto Boca Pass where the Myakka and Peace rivers go out into the Gulf of Mexico. This is a good place to enjoy the views and sand but swimming is very dangerous for both adults and children.

Gasparilla Island - Long Beach
A long beach along the west coastline of Gasparilla Island. Amenities for Sunbathing, a Picnic area, Shelling and Restrooms.

Gasparilla Island - Lighthouse Beach
A small beach featuring two restored lighthouses, one of which is now a museum. This is a good place to watch Tarpon Fishing from the land. The water is not safe for swimming for either children or adults.