Boating Areas

BayWater Exclusive Boat Club is located in Bonita Springs and allows its members the freedom to cruise as far north as Bokeelia and as far south as the Ten Thousand Islands. Southwest Florida is famous for some of the best fishing and shelling spots in the entire country.

Below we have gathered some ideas for exciting day trips that you are sure to enjoy!

Go restaurant hopping by boat.

Outside the obvious appeal of waterfront or near-waterfront locations, this is an excellent pastime because each little island has its own society, so it’s a little bit like traveling from state to state. Islands create their own communities.

Some places to check out:

Cabbage Key Inn on Cabbage Key
Flippers inside Big Carlos Pass
Parrot Key Caribbean Grill on Fort Myers Beach
Pineland’s Tarpon Lodge and Bonita Bill’s in Fort Myers Beach.

Catch some local tunes.

Fort Myers Beach is abundant with places to enjoy a live musical performance. Throw anchor and take a walk down the beach stopping at The Lani Kai Beach Resort, The Beached Whale, or The Barking Shark, just to name a few.

Make Shopping an Adventure!

The Naples area offers many wonderful places that allow you to dock up and experience great shopping. The Village on Venetian Bay has assembled a collection of nearly 60 shops, galleries, and restaurants that are all unique and special. With truly European style and class, you will feel as though you've boated all the way to Italy!

Tin City is another distinctive shopping experience that you won't find anywhere else. Originally a 1920's clam shelling and oyster processing plant, Tin City retains the rustic maritime spirit of what was once the center of Naples' fishing industry. Authentically Naples, Tin City lets you discover local treasures of yesterday and today.

Check out Sanibel’s wild side.

Take a slow boat ride in and around Sanibel Island’s own J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Here you’ll likely see dolphin, great white egrets, and maybe even a manatee. Though it’s a small place, it has a number of things to see in terms of natural history.

Investigate the mangroves.

If you drift slowly in two to four feet of water, you’ll be privy to a network of root systems and have a chance to see many unexpected things, especially on a clear, sunny day. You may see mullet feeding on detritus, various kinds of crabs, barnacles, immature fish, oysters, snapper and sheepshead.

Watch "The Pros"

Head out to Boca Grande Pass in a boat and watch the professional and amateur fishermen jockey for position during tarpon season. You’ll see different boats vying for the same fish. While it’s best to stay out of everyone’s way, the resulting show is very amusing and entertaining.

Observe the Sunset from the water.

It’s a quiet and intimate experience to see day turn into night by boat.