Pine Island Florida

Photo courtesy of Florida Marine Times. All rights reserved.

Did you know Pine Island is the largest island in Florida? I didn’t either. In fact, I’d never heard of Pine Island before researching this article. Pine Island is located in the Gulf of Mexico between Captiva and Sanibel islands and the Florida mainland. The closest major airport is 35 miles away in Fort Meyers.

Visiting Pine Island

Pine Island isn’t heavily populated, which gives it a small town feeling. Residents and visitors go there specifically for its natural, rural charm as most of the island is zoned for agriculture. In fact, some people drive hundreds of miles to purchase Pine Island produce.

Pine Island is also known for good boating and fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. One thing it’s not known for are beaches. It doesn’t have a single large beach and the beaches it does have consist of coral rock. Ouch.

Staying on Pine Island

Are there any Pine Island, Florida resorts? No, not in the traditional sense of the word, but it does have hotels, a B & B, some apartment and home rentals, and an RV resort. Pine Island Chamber of Commerce lists 10 Pine Island hotels/motels/inns, 1 bed & breakfast, 2 local vacation rental companies, and 1 RV resort.

Pine Island Map courtesy of Pine Island Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.

Pine Island Florida Real Estate

According to Pine Island Realty, “Where to Retire magazine (Sept/Oct 2008) selected Pine Island, Florida as a top choice for retirement and called it a relaxed escape from urban life, yet offering a sense of community and activities for involvement. The casual lifestyle, sub-tropical setting and fun-loving spirit of Pine Island make it a popular destination for sports fishermen, boaters, retirees, nature enthusiasts and anyone looking to enjoy a slice of old-style Florida.”

That said, you may find yourself liking Pine Island so much that you want to live there. If so, there are vacant lots – both on and off the water – for you to build the home of your dreams, condos, off–water homes, and waterfront homes to choose from. On the whole, real estate prices on Pine Island are pretty reasonable because the real estate market in Florida hasn’t fully recovered from the housing bust and Pine Island isn’t as well-known as some other nearby places like Sanibel and Captiva Islands.

If you’re interested in Pine Island foreclosures, Greater Fort Myers Real Estate lists current foreclosures on Pine Island.

To many joyful beach experiences!

— Lisa Dworkin