Gasparilla Island State Park
Welcome to Gasparilla Island State Park
Separated from the mainland by Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound, this island is part of a chain of Gulf Coast barrier islands. The centerpiece of Gasparilla is the restored Boca Grande Lighthouse built in 1890. Swimming, snorkeling, fishing, and nature study are popular activities. Shelling is particularly good in the winter months. Two picnic areas offer pavilions for shade and scenic views of the surrounding water. The lighthouse is open to the public 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. daily from November through April. From May through October it is open Monday through Friday. It is closed on these major holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King´s Birthday, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. Visit www.barrierislandparkssociety.org for more information. Located on the south end of Gasparilla Island on the Boca Grande Causeway (private toll) at County Road 775 and Placida.
Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
Manager’s Message
Gasparilla Island State Park is located at the southern end of Gasparilla Island, just south of Boca Grande and accessible via the Boca Grande Causeway. From the Historic Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum and Visitors Center to the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, there is an adventure waiting for you!
Walk back in time to the birth of Boca Grande as you follow the self-guided tour of the Museum, to a time when the railroad provided the only link between the island and the mainland. Or spend the day on the beach enjoying the temperate climate for which Florida is best known. It is yours to experience! The Real Florida, Florida State Parks!
- Chad Lach, Park Manager
One interesting feature of Gasparilla Island State Park is the wooden lighthouse on the southern end of the island. The lighthouse was first placed into use by the U.S. Lighthouse Service in 1890 as a guide to mariners seeking the entrance to Port Boca Grande and Charlotte Harbor. In 1966, the Coast Guard closed the lighthouse down.
The Federal Government donated the lighthouse to Lee County in 1972 and by 1980 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Department of Natural Resources (today the Department of Environmental Protection) assumed ownership of the lighthouse in 1985 and spent a year restoring the complex. The light was relit in November 1986.
