The small treasures of Boca Grande
Although Boca Grande is the biggest town located on the island of Gasparilla, it remains a very quiet destination for those looking to spend a relaxing day at the beach. Tourists started coming to this little town when the first hotel was built in 1911; one of the ways used to promote Boca Grande as an exciting new destination at the time was to imply that pirate Jose Gaspar had burried his treasure there - if such was the case, it still hasn't been found! But one thing that can be found is fish: Boca Grande is known as the "Tarpon Fishing Capital of the World", and as such it attracts quite a few visitors and part-time residents. However, compared with other Southwest Florida destinations, Boca Grande has retained much of its quaint small-town atmosphere. Its huge sandy beaches never seem to get too crowded, and there are more golf carts and bicycles than cars on the streets. The small...
