Have you ever wanted to hop on a boat and visit a secluded island with no beach and no nightlife options? That’s exactly what I did and the experience was a lot of fun. If there’s an option for a boat tour nearby, I’ll be the first to sign up. Whether by sailboat, yacht, or rowboat, there’s no greater experience than being on the water. And if that experience leads me to a secluded island off the coast of Florida, even better!
When I first learned about Cabbage Key, I honestly didn’t have to see much about the island before I decided it would be on my list of places to visit. I’m all about visiting places that are off the beaten path and exploring areas that many people likely haven’t been to before. I found a nearby company that offers day excursions to Cabbage Key and I was instantly sold!
This day trip was just under 8 hours in total, which included about 2.5 hours there, 2 hours on the island, and 2.5 hours back. My first experience didn’t go so well as we got a little ways out of the harbor before having to turn around due to the weather. But I came back the next day and had the most perfect day for a boat ride to the island! The cruise left from Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda, Florida, which is a great place to shop, dine and enjoy the views of the harbor, if you’re ever in the area. The boat that I was on was the Charlotte Lady with the Kingfisher Fleet.
The crew onboard was great and they gave interesting narration about the area and the island itself. Along the way, we were joined by a pod of dolphins who swam alongside the boat giving us an incredible show! Even though it’s not guaranteed that you’ll see dolphins along the way, I’d totally take this trip again in the hopes of seeing dolphin again!
Originally inhabited by the Calusa tribe of Native American Indians, Cabbage Key originally made an appearance on maps in 1875 under the name Palmetto Key. Over the years, the island was gaining visitors and eventually became the winter estate in 1937 for a wealthy couple, the wife being the heiress to the Corning Glass Works fortune. In 1944, the island was purchased by a couple from Illinois and the winter estate began its conversion to an inn. The island went through a few owners until 1976 when the Wells family, the current owners, acquired the island. You can view the full history of the island here. It’s quite fascinating.
Upon arriving to the island, you could instantly see the beauty and charm of this relaxing paradise.
When we arrived, my first stop was to the only restaurant on the small island, which sits on a hill in the middle of the island. For being such a small island, the restaurant was already very busy when we arrived and I knew I needed to beat the crowd of passengers on the boat with me. I quickly found a table outside with a great view and ordered the shrimp salad, which was delicious!
After finishing my lunch, I went inside to check out the famous Dollar Bill Bar, where thousands of bills are attached to the wall by visitors to the island. This tradition is said to have started when fishermen who would visit the area often would sign their name to the bills and attach them to the wall in case they didn’t have money the next time they visited. Thousands of dollars worth of bills falls off the walls annually and this money is donated to a variety of charities.
Next, I went outside to walk the nature trail and meet the resident gopher tortoises. These tortoises are all named after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which I found so funny! I only managed to get a photo of Donatello, however. You can also climb the water tower, which is next to the restaurant.
Upon boarding the boat for the journey back, we saw a manatee at the dock. The views of the island as we departed were just lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon visit to Cabbage Key and I’d love to visit again!
You can see the location of Cabbage Key below. If you want to visit, you’ll need access to a boat. The island is located in Pine Island Sound and is approximately 5 miles from Boca Grande, 8 miles from Sanibel/Captiva and 20 miles from Punta Gorda. If you choose explore or stay at Cabbage Key, I hope you have a wonderful experience!
