Lover's Key State Park

aussiemate
aussiemate
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
4
Reviews
5
Photos

Nature at Its Best

What a treasure of a park to discover as we left Fort Myers Beach looking for a place without condos and hotels. Just pure nature at its best. Thank you for saving it from development. A place to get away from it all and enjoy the solitude. I loved the uprooted tree covered with seashells, the sky, wind and surf. If you love nature this is the place to explore.
Editor Pick

Kayaking at Lovers Key State Park

  • August 13, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by kathyjohanna from Stratford, Wisconsin
Kayaking at Lovers Key State Park

In the early 1900s the islands were accessible only by boat. It was said that only lovers made the effort to get to this romantic island – thus the name Lovers Key. But a road was built to the island in 1965.

Kayaking (canoeing also available) in the 744 acres of waterways fed by the gulf and bay was the highlight of my vacation. While going for a leisurely ride in our sea kayaks we found manatees. We floated around them as they swam underneath our kayaks. It was remarkable experience to enjoy the animals in their natural setting. We found two groups of manatees in the bay and we were able to enjoy each group for about 30 minutes before they got sick of us and swam away.

The park is open from 8am until sundown, 365 days a year. A day pass to the park was $5 per vehicle. We paid $30 per kayak for half a day and that was plenty long. And we didn’t pay the $5 for a seat cushion, big mistake! It’s not just the cushion, it’s the entire seat. The lady at the kayak rental building also casually mentioned “You kids know that you can’t go swimming because there are alligators in the water, right.” Which was a much appreciated piece of advice because that hadn’t even crossed our minds?

Lover Key is located 10.5 miles west of I-75 exit 116 Bonita Beach Road. The park entrance is between New Pass and Big Carlos Pass on Estero Blvd.

From journal Soaking up the Sun on Fort Myers Beach

Lover's Key

  • January 26, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by BeachFan from Amana, Iowa
Depending on the time of year, you can watch for dolphins and manatees, enjoy fishing in mangroves, enjoy fishing in surf, rent a kayak . . . very easy paddling with great areas. It's easy to beach the kayak and enjoy the surf across from the backwaters. Shelling can be outstanding. Also, in spring/early summer, it's a great spot to view sea-turtle nesting areas . . . great volunteers that mark these each morning. Stay away and leave them undisturbed, but enjoy!! There are also great spots to see a ballet of stingrays during mating season. Overall . . . a great park!! Hats off to Lee County. Let's hope it all gets rebuilt better than ever and that the storms don't return! The hurricane in 2001 washed out some nice areas. Bring a lunch and enjoy a great day at a quiet and private southwest Florida beach!

From journal The Florida Beach Dream!

Lover's Key

  • August 10, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by aussiemate from Melbourne, Australia
This beach is a bit off the beaten path and doesn't have much actual sand. You have to put your towel down near the mangroves at the end of the beach because the tide is very high here. To give you an idea of how small the beach strip is, if you are lying out on your towel, it is difficult for others to walk by you without stepping into the ocean.The water is a gorgeous, clear blue, and you can see to the bottom even if you are in up to your chin.

There were only two other people on the beach while we were there, which was great. The water temperature was slightly cold, but after about two minutes, it felt terrific. We saw lots of little fish swimming around. I really enjoy Ft. Myers Beach and the little cafes and the jetskis, but if you want to get away from the tourists, this little spot is tops.

From journal Ft. Myers - A Little Known Jewel of Florida

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