Exploring Pine Island
Pine Island is an oddity among Florida’s coastal islands. It sits where the waters of San Carlos Bay and Charlotte Harbor meet, and there is another island farther offshore protecting it from the Gulf of Mexico. So Pine Island has no beaches: it’s ringed by mangrove forests.
Without a sandy strand as an attraction, it’s remained very low-key, with much of its acreage taken up in tropical fruit orchards and public lands. A bike path parallels the main road of the island, Stringfellow Road, showcasing the agricultural bounty.
There are several communities on the island. Artsy Matlacha, at the bridge from the mainland, is the one you won’t miss. Pineland, on the mangrove coastline, showcases Calusa history. At the north end, Bokeelia is the launch point for trips to Cayo Costa State Park. The south end, St. James City, is more residential.
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New Galt Preserve, Buck Creek Preserve will have trails
Two new preserves in Lee and Charlotte County – Galt Preserve and Buck Creek Preserve – will provide stops along the Florida Saltwater Circumnavigation Trail as well as new places to hike
INCLUDES: Bokeelia, Matlacha, Pineland, St. James City | NEARBY: Cape Coral, Charlotte Harbor, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda | PART OF: Pine Island Sound, Southwest Florida