Another Paradise- Cayo Costa State Park

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to my blog. It is time to share some information about another beautiful Florida State Park. I will be actually visiting this park next weekend, and all the information provided below will certainly help me enjoy my time better at the park, and I truly hope you find this information helpful as well.

Cayo Costa State Park is located at a beautiful island on the west coast of Florida. It is surrounded by islands such as Captiva and Sanibel, which are also known as being great locations to visit. The only way to get to the Cayo Costa Park is by water, so therefore you can bring your private boat or take a ferry conveniently located at the nearby islands. The price for a ferry ticket ranges from $32-$50, depending on where you are taking the ferry and whether you will be staying half or full day at the park.

This place is just beautiful and full of activities for the family to enjoy. There is the Cayo Costa Amphitheater where you can go to learn more about the animal species and the history of the park, which is usually narrated by the park rangers or volunteers. This is a great opportunity for the children to learn about the importance of taking care of the natural resources and to become more familiar with the wildlife.

The greatest attraction of the island is the beach. There is about 9.5 miles long of plenty of space for you to spend a great day there. At the beach you can go shelling, snorkeling, swimming, or even enjoy a beautiful day only sunbathing if you want to. It is a great place to relax and to enjoy the beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico. Fishing is also allowed at the island, but you may be required to have a license in order to fish. For those who enjoy hiking, there are approx. 6 miles of hiking trails where you can explore and enjoy the natural beauty of the park. Furthermore, it is very common to see dolphins and manatees swimming close to the beach.

Due to the park being located at a small island, there are only about 12 cabins and 30 tents spot for the visitors that would like to spend the night there. It is very important that you make reservations if you are intending to spend the night at the park. For those, like me, who don’t enjoy camping as much, there are plenty of hotels available in the area.

Please keep in mind that it is very important that you bring your own food. They have picnic locations and pavilions where you can barbecue. There is a gift shop where you can buy drinks and snacks, but not an actual restaurant. At the gift shop you can also rent or buy camp items as well as rent kayaks.

Overall, this is an amazing place to visit and to spend a day full of activities and excitement. I can’t wait to explore this amazing Florida State Park on my next weekend getaway.

Hope you can get a chance to enjoy it as well!

P.S. For tips and information on cool places to visit (outside of Florida), visit my good friend JP’s travel blog.  You will be surprised to see how many beautiful places and great travel tips are available to help you plan your next vacation.