Getting There
We are located on the southwest Gulf coast of Florida just north of Charlotte harbor. The two largest nearby towns are Port Charlotte and Englewood. Our homes are located on Don Pedro Island also known as Palm Island, a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico, 70 yards across the intercoastal from Placida, Florida. Click here to launch Google Maps with a map of the area.
About the Ferry Service by Palm Island Transit.
The only way to access the island is via private boat or the Palm Island ferry service. There is no bridge. It only takes a few minutes to cross. To access all the information you'll need, please visit the Palm Island Transit links found on this site in various locations. The website includes every possible question you likely have about the cost, operation schedule, and rules. Passes are per round trip, there is no pass or ticket required to return from the islands back to the mainland.
The Gulf Front Townhomes
Our two Gulf front townhomes accommodate up to up to 6 guests in each. They are located next door to our Association's heated pool. Each building only has four units. The Gulf of Mexico is a few short steps away with a beach access path between our building and the pool (please do not walk over the natural sand dunes). Click on the image below to see an expanded view of our Gulf front homes.
Click on the image to visit Palm Island Transit online.
Ferry Landing
Access to the island with your automobile is by Car Ferry only. The ride across the intercoastal waterway is only about 3 minutes long. You can drive-on, walk-on, or bring your bike or golf cart. The rates vary by your method of transportation. There is also a video on their site which will help you see how the ferry operates. Click here for an aerial view of the car ferry landing area, which you can also use for driving directions.
For your GPS:
2000 Panama Boulevard, Englewood, FL 34224
About the Barrier Islands
From Fort Myers heading north along the Gulf of Mexico presides a chain of barrier islands with Sanibel Island being the largest, then followed by Captiva Island, North Captiva Island, Pine Island, Cayo Costa Island, Boca Grande (Gasparilla Island), Little Gasparilla Island, Don Pedro Island and Palm Island. This chain of barrier islands offer residents and visitors some of the most pristine beaches, fishing and boating waters in all of Florida. Some of the islands, such as Sanibel, are quite large with bridges to access the island via car which can lead to plenty of traffic and very crowded beaches and roads.
Don Pedro & Palm Island
Our homes are located on Don Pedro Island (aka Palm Island). Our island is only accessible by boat or a short car ferry ride (about 3 minutes) from the mainland. Because the island is only accessible by car ferry, both beach and car traffic is kept to an absolute minimum. We've walked down the beach many times and never even encountered another person. When you visit our island, you'll enjoy 7 miles of natural Florida beach, some of the best shelling anywhere in Florida and beautiful aqua blue Gulf waters that are similar to those found in the Caribbean. It is truly a unique and undiscovered part of Florida.
Bringing Your Boat
Charlotte Harbor and southwest Florida has some of the best boating in the entire state. If you choose to bring your boat, we can accommodate most shallow draft boats up to about 22 feet in length. Your boat should not have a tower as you'll need to go under two bridges to get to the house. To get to the house by water, some local knowledge is handy. The third map, shown to the right, will give you an idea of the route you'll need to take to make your way by boat. The canal that leads to our lagoon begins just to the south of the car ferry landing. As you enter the canal, hug the docks to your starboard side. Go under the first bridge and continue to follow the docks to the starboard side. As you near the end of the docks make a left turn hard to port. There will be some mangroves and a stretch of sand off your starboard side and an odd looking "tube" of sand to protect the canal from beach erosion. Slightly turn to port and now begin to follow the wooden seawall to your port side. This will lead to the second bridge. After you clear the second bridge, watch for sandbars directly to your port side. Stay in about the middle of the lagoon (Bocilla Lagoon) until you arrive at one of our docks. The lagoon is a no wake zone. Watch for sand bars at all times, especially at low tide.
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Groceries
There is a Publix grocery store to the north and south of the ferry landing. The larger store is about five miles to the north on Placida road (Merchants Crossing) and a smaller Publix is about two miles to the south on Placida road (Cape Haze). The smaller store is well stocked, so do not let that deter you from shopping there. There is also a liquor store next door to the Cape Haze location.
Airport Information
There are several airports used to reach the islands. The largest is Tampa International to the north and is about an hour thirty minute drive. To the south, there is Southwest Florida (Fort Myers) International, which is about an hour fifteen minute drive to reach the ferry landing. Smaller airports include Charlotte County Airport (Punta Gorda), Sarasota/Bradenton and Saint Petersburg/Clearwater airport. We've included links to all the airports for your reference.
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CLICK ON THE IMAGES FOR AN EXPANDED VIEW
NOTE: Dock GPS coordinates are close but not exact to each specific dock.
Click on this link for tide information.
Note: The Anne Merry Bridge is the last bridge before you enter Bocilla Lagoon. This bridge has a beam height of 8 feet. At low tide you will have about 9 feet of clearance and at high tide, perhaps 7 feet. Please keep this in mind if your boat has a fixed tower or hardtop.
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Here are some links to nearby Marinas:
Cape Haze Marina
Aquamarina Palm Harbour Marina
Stump Pass Marina
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GPS Coordinates Link
Use this link to find the GPS coordinates for any landmark along the water. If you know the street address you simply plug it into the site and the GPS coordinates will be shown. Easy to use!
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Current weather forecast:
Average Monthly Temperatures
Click on this link for the average monthly temperatures for the area. Plus other weather related information from weather.com.
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The Colony Docks
Our Town home docks are located across the sand road on Bocilla Lagoon. There is a small sign by the road for the access path that is in-between the blue house (Blue Crab), and the yellow house. Our docks are located directly behind the Blue Crab, and they are marked with our corresponding unit numbers that are visible from the water. Click on the image to see the sign and path to the docks.
