Area and links

Sports and leisure - Golf

Sports and leisure - fishing

If fishing is your passion, then based all around the Rotonda West and its beaches are excellent opportunities for all types of fishing. All trips are only a few minutes drive from Sanctuary Villa. Just a couple of the fishing charters available are linked below.

Fishing Charter Captain Gary Miserlain having fished with Captain Gary we can thouroughly recommend him for all types of fishing in and around Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound, on the Gulf of Mexico.

Reel Charter Fishing Captain Kevin Lupold fishes the waters of Boca Grande, Charlotte Harbor, Lemon Bay and Pine Island Sound, Florida year round. These waters provide some of the best fishing that Florida has to offer, with air temperatures rarely dropping below 50 degrees, fishing 365 days a year is a luxury.

Wildlife Refuges and State Parks

Gasparilla Island State Park Boca Grande on nearby Gasparilla Island is accessed via a toll Causeway and has lots to offer in terms of natural beauty, leisure, dining, history and wildlife. Located in the park is the Boca Grande Lighthouse and Museum, as well as fishing, picnicing, shelling and swimming. Well worth a visit if just to catch the sunset, go shelling on the beaches of the gulf coast or watch the dolphins.

Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge is administered as part of the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge Complex (see below). It is located south of Charlotte Harbor, between the western boundary of Pine Island and the coastal islands of Cayo Costa, North Captiva and Sanibel. Access to the islands that makeup the Pine Island NWR is by boat only. Public Use Opportunities are saltwater fishing, wildlife observation and wildlife photography.

J.Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is located approximately 15 miles southwest of Ft. Myers, Florida, on Sanibel Island on the gulf coast of Florida. The refuge has a large diversity of species. Approximately 238 bird species have been identified utilizing refuge habitats, as well as 51 species of reptiles and amphibians and 32 species of mammals. The refuge is based on Sanibel Island about a 70 minute drive from the villa . This refuge also has amongst its other features a Visitor Center, 5-mile auto tour route, hiking trails, tram service, canoe and kayak rentals and wildlife observation tower. This magical place is ideal for fresh and salt water fishing, wildlife observation and stunning photographic opportunities.

Grande Tours

Grande Tours offers a variety of marine tours in the Charlotte Harbour area, and is based a short drive away at Placida. Also offered are kayak rentals and fishing trips. The experienced guides will take you to the best spots for viewing and photographing dolphins, manatees, marine life and a wonderful variety of birds.

Babcock Wilderness ranch

If you wish to experience the thrill of meeting panthers, Florida cracker cattle, birds, and dozens of wild alligators face to face, then this tour is a must. Perhaps you may be lucky to catch a glimpse of a white tailed deer or some of the many wild turkeys along the tour route. Specially built swamp buggies carry you through unspoiled pinewoods, fresh water marsh, and sections of the Telegraph Cypress Swamp.

Theme parks and attractions

Take a trip up to Tampa Bay and visit Busch Gardens for a great day out. This Park has it all, rides, thrills, attractions, animals, and is very good value for money.

Only a two hour drive away is Orlando and the numerous attractions that it has on offer. Be thrilled at Universal Studios. Get wet at Sea World. Try to take in some of the wonderful parks offered to you at Disney World, Florida.

If you would like to drive a bit further then you could visit the Kennedy Space Centre based on the Atlantic coast and a three hour drive from our Villa.

Don't forget that we can arrange two centre vacations in partnership with associates in Orlando. Please use the link on our web site or click here to find out more about two centre vacations.

The area around Sanctuary Villa

Our villa is located on a beautiful residential estate called Rotonda West in Englewood. The Englewood - Cape Haze area lies to the south of Sarasota in Charlotte County on the Gulf of Mexico. You will find 4 beautiful Gulf beaches to choose from along with 2 State Parks and miles of fishing along Lemon Bay and the Charlotte Harbor Estuary. There are many professional golf courses as well as tennis and all the water sports. We have many parks to choose from and excellent bird watching opportunities.To find out more please use the link Englewood Parks and Beaches on the Gulf Coast.

More information on the Florida area is available at these links: Florida USA Tourist Board and Florida Keys Tourist Board