Little Gasparilla: Beyond the Reach of Urban Sprawl

Shells on a Little Gasparilla Island Beach.

The name “Little Gasparilla” doesn’t ring a bell with most folks. Not even with most Florida natives. It has managed to stay under the radar of just about everyone and everything.

People love cars. If ya can’t get there by car, they ain’t goin.

People love restaurants when they’re on vacation. Bringing all your own food in bags and coolers? To cook? Some would say that’s a little too close to camping for their taste.

No bridge connects Little Gasparilla to the rest of the world. It has no paved roads, no cars, no stop signs or traffic lights. No stores. No groceries or restaurants. No street lights.

But enough about what it doesn’t have. Let me tell you what it does have.

Peace and quiet. And trees. Lots of trees and singing birds.

It has miles of beaches with few people but with many shells and shark’s teeth, nesting turtles and long-legged birds.

It has several miles of twisting, turning, meandering, bumpy sand trails you can explore on foot, on bike, or by golf cart, the most common means of transport on the island.

And it has some of the darkest nights you’ll find anywhere on this coast. Some people are amazed at seeing so many stars in the sky for the first time in their lives. They had no idea.

If that doesn’t sound like your thing, I’ve probably already lost you by now. But if I’ve piqued your interest, you’ll probably want to keep reading.

Where is Little Gasparilla Island, Florida?

The simplest description places it between Sarasota and Fort Myers on Florida’s Gulf coast. Right above Charlotte Harbor.

To be more exact, it’s right below Englewood, just off the coast of a little town called Placida ( say it pla-SEE-da).

Red arrow marks the location of Little Gasparilla Island.

Don’t confuse it with Gasparilla Island, which is its southern neighbor, home to the famous island city of Boca Grande –famous mostly for attracting the truly wealthy along with anyone with a hankering for serious tarpon fishing.

Little Gasparilla is the southern end of a long, slender archipelago that hugs the Cape Haze peninsula. The island group is often referred to simply as Palm Island in an attempt to avoid a long explanation of its whereabouts, since the name Palm Island is somewhat more recognizable.

Four islands comprise this tightly integrated chain of barrier islands: Thornton Key, mostly a preserve; Knight Island, known as Palm Island for the resort located there; Don Pedro Island, the middle island which is also home to a state park; and finally, at the southern end, Little Gasparilla.

Map view showing Little Gasparilla and neighbor Don Pedro Island.

Question: Is Little Gasparilla suitable for a day trip?

If you have a boat, sure! Just anchor off the beach and wade ashore. The southern tip of Little Gasparilla Island, on Gasparilla Pass, is very popular with day boaters. There is a huge sand bar on the back side of the island next to Dog Island where boaters like to anchor and relax. You can see Dog Island in the photo above between the southern tip of the island and Boca Grande Causeway. It looks all green in the photo.

If you don’t have a boat, your best bet for a day trip would be to have Pirate’s Water Taxi (link below) take you to Don Pedro Island State Park, which is adjacent to Little Gasparilla. You could spend the day there (it has restrooms and a covered picnic pavilion) and easily walk down to Little Gasparilla to check it out and look at some of the beach houses.

What is the Island Like?

Little Gasparilla is two miles long and two thousand feet from bay to Gulf at its widest point. Three hundred and fifty homes and 130 condo units provide weekend retreats and vacation homes to escape artists while about 60 people call the island “home.” Either your boat or the water taxi will bring you and your food and toys right to one of the many bayside docks.

Typical beach homes on Little Gasparilla Island.

Narrow sand trails mostly shaded by thick vegetation and tall trees will get you most anywhere on the island.  Wherever you go the few people you encounter will be in total relaxation mode, except for the few workers you might see building a new beach house or renovating an old one. And they are on island time as well.

Life on the island centers around the bay, the Gulf, the beach, fishing, family and friends.

But for the satellite dishes  and the hum of air conditioners, it could be 1920 on the island.

Water is provided either by a desalination plant on the island, or by rainwater catchment systems attached to homes. Many of the homes on the northern part of the island are dependent on rainwater.

Septic tanks provide sewage disposal and treatment.

The island does have electricity.

More photos of the island (keeps you on this same website)

How to Get to Little Gasparilla Island

You’re going to need access to a boat. If you don’t have one, you have several options. The main option is to use Pirate’s Water Taxi which operates out of Eldred’s Marina on Gasparilla Island Causeway. Pirate’s will take you and your food and belongings right to your dock. Then you’ll either walk or take a golf cart to your island house. There are two small resorts on the island that have their own private water taxi.

Pirate’s Water Taxi on the way to Little Gasparilla Island.

The docks and trails on Little Gasparilla are all private and are only for residents and guests that are staying on the island. Little Gasparilla has no public docks or marinas.

As for food, there is a Publix grocery store  just up the street from the marina where you can stock up with whatever you need, and of course if you really need to make a grocery run while you’re on the island, just call Pirate’s Water Taxi and they’ll get you back to your car. The water taxi fee is reasonable and it just costs a few bucks a day to park your car at Eldred’s Marina.

It is important to understand that although the Palm Island Transit Ferry serves Palm Island and Don Pedro Island to the north, you cannot drive from those islands to Little Gasparilla. While roads and trails may physically exist that connect the islands, they are private and cross private property. So it is not an option to use the Palm Island Transit Ferry to get to Little Gasparilla.

Where to Stay on Little Gasparilla Island

There is quite a wide range of accommodations on the island, from ground level beach houses build in the 1950’s to more modern homes elevated twenty feet above ground on pilings. The best way to find the right place for you is to contact an experienced vacation rental agent on Little Gasparilla Island. They know how to hook you up with a place that will make you happy.

Beach homes on Little Gasparilla Island, Florida.

There are two resort condominiums on the island: Hideaway Bay, which is known for being very child and family friendly; and the Placida Beach condominiums which offer the experience of a smaller and quieter resort.

If you’re really into boating, you could locate yourself on the bay side of the island with quick access to your boat. The homes on the interior of the island are in shaded and often wooded areas with a good amount of privacy. But it’s a quick walk to the beach from anywhere on the island. If you’re really into the beach, there are several homes on the island that are up on pilings and literally have the Gulf waves washing under them on a high tide.

Little Gasparilla Island homes on the Gulf of Mexico.

What to Do on Little Gasparilla Island

The main activity undertaken by all visitors to Little Gasparilla is sitting on the beach with toes in the sand and watching new shells wash in from the placid Gulf of Mexico. And almost everyone spends some time soaking in the clean waters of the Gulf. If you really have some ambition you could take a long walk up the beach. You could throw a line in the water and catch dinner, or book a fishing trip with one of the many experienced local guides. Or perhaps you’d like to have a paddle board or kayak delivered for your leisure. No problem.

One of our favorite activities was to take a tour around the island in the golf cart provided by our rental. There’s no traffic to deal with and each trip we discovered something new, whether it was an interesting house we’d not seen before or the delightful island library tucked away under a mango tree.

Here’s a sample daily schedule:

• Wake up and go for an early morning beach walk.
• Go for a swim.
• Have lunch.
• Take a nap.
• Read or go for another swim.
• Have dinner.
• Go for a walk on the beach and watch the sunset.
• Try to identify stars in the night sky, or be amazed at the Milky Way.

If this type of vacation appeals to you, you might want to look into Little Gasparilla Island. The easiest way to pick the right place to stay on the island is to talk to someone from Tarpon Real Estate, which is a local company owned by David and Holly Haynes. They live on the island. Holly grew up on Little Gasparilla so she knows the island better than anyone. You can visit their web site at www.tarponrealestate.com or give them a call at 941-697-9797.

Click here to browse some Little Gasparilla Island rentals.

Here’s some info on Pirate’s Water Taxi.

Video below: Drive around Little Gasparilla Island with us on a golf cart.

Video below: Arrive with us by boat on Little Gasparilla and take a quick tour of a beach house we stayed in.