beaches / boating, fishing & diving / eating out / shopping

Rotonda is uniquely placed with several stunning beaches all within 15 minutes drive. If you are craving activity and enjoy water sports, then head for Port Charlotte Beach where sea sports are plentiful. If you prefer convenience or have small children, try Englewood Beach.

For more peaceful surroundings Boca Grande is great, but if you are yearning for adventure, a trip by boat to one of the gems of Florida 's State Parks could be for you. These are the barrier islands to the west of Lemon Bay and Charlotte Harbour - Stump Pass Beach on Manasota Key, Don Pedro Island , Gasparilla Island and Cayo Costa. Together they cover over 3,000 acres of beautiful beach on the Gulf of Mexico and provide habitat for many species of wildlife, including endangered species such as sea turtles and gopher tortoises. Not only are they pristine beaches, but they also provide recreational opportunities for anyone who enjoys swimming, beach walking, shelling, fishing and picnicking.

Approximately 10 to 15 minutes drive west from Villa Shangri-la 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, you will come to a bend with a large car park on one side of the road and the beach opposite. 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 .

Stump Pass Beach State Recreation Area
900 Gulf Boulevard, Englewood has amenities for swimming, sunbathing, shelling, fishing (you may even have the company of a heron or two) picnic benches, restrooms and showers. 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.

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.

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.