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- Admire the historic inn, originally built between 1911 and 1915. The president of the Boca Grande Land Company, Peter Bradley, designed the Gasparilla Inn to resemble the New England resorts of Newport and Mount Desert Island. Subsequent owners have added different architectural elements throughout the inn’s storied history, including the stately front portico. The structure’s pale-yellow wooden frame, white-pillared entrance, and gabled roofs quickly became a symbol of coastal Florida charm, and the inn has since played host to many notable guests, including Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison, and Katharine Hepburn.
- Discover the landmarks of Gasparilla Island. The Boca Grande Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 and features 25 acres of historic structures, including Gasparilla Inn & Club. The Boca Grande Community House (originally the Island School), the railroad depot, and Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church highlight Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. On the water, the weather-worn Whidden’s Marina has operated since 1926 and remains a symbol of the area’s bustling fishing industry.
- Discover the coastal flora of Gasparilla Island. The iconic Banyan trees along Gasparilla Island’s block-long Banyan Street were planted around 1915 and are a charming natural centerpiece of Boca Grande. Native mangroves stabilize the island’s shorelines, while towering Sabal Palms create an iconic Floridian landscape.
