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The best beach in Southwest Florida is a closely held secret by locals. It cannot be reached by car. In fact, you might never know it was there if someone didn't tell you where it was or how to get there. The truth is, I lived in Ft. Myers for over three years before I ever knew it existed. This little piece of hidden paradise is on the island of Cayo Costa.

Unlike Sanibel Island, a popular place for upscale tourists to Southwest Florida, Cayo Costa cannot be reached easily. A 30 minute ferry ride takes you from Pine Island to Cayo Costa for the afternoon. This is a destination for the more adventuresome, but it is well worth the extra trouble to get there.

To reach Cayo Costa, you catch the Tropic Star on Pine Island. The marina is located beside the Tarpon Lodge and to get a seat on the ferry requires a reservation. Call in advance to make sure you have a seat. The cruise we took, on an off-season afternoon, made a side trip to Cabbage Key for lunch at the restaurant that inspired Jimmy Buffet to write "Cheeseburger in Paradise." We ate cheeseburgers, of course, and they were delicious. I recommend stopping for lunch before sailing on the Cayo Costa. The stop lasts for only an hour or so, not enough to cut into your day at the beach.

It is only a short trip from Cabbage Key to Cayo Costa. Remote and isolated, the island has no stores or amenities, so you will have to carry in everything you need for the day, including plenty of water, food and sunblock. A tram is available to take you across the island to the gulf front beach. We walked across the island, since we wanted to get away from the other passengers and see the natural vegetation. It is about a 20 minute walk across the island.

The sandy beach is clean and white. There are not as many shells as I would have liked, but the relative solitude is worth that sacrifice. There was no one competing for space on the beach. This is, I imagine, because people who will spend the money to ferry to a remote beach are not the typical beach goers, so there were no loud music-playing binge drinkers. Thank goodness.

After a quiet afternoon, the ferry comes back to the island to pick you up. Our captain took us into a cove where we could watch the manatees and view several alligators. Yes, alligators are in the water between Pine Island and Cayo Costa. There were some pleasure boaters taking a swim just beyond the cove, so we cruised over to warn them of the alligators.

The tropical birds you will view on the trip back to shore are awe inspiring. The large number of herons, egrets, pelicans, and ospreys you will see make the ferry trip a perfect ending to a wonderful afternoon at the beach.

Though we came back to shore on the same day, a primitive campground is available at Cayo Costa that offers cabins and campsites. This is something that may be worth doing, if you are taking your family to visit Cayo Costa or relish spending a night in isolation. Imagine watching the stars from the beach on your own secluded island.
It appeals to me. I think I will add it to my schedule for early fall.

Learn more about this author, Bonnie Garrison.
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