Pine Island is not for everyone. And that may be the best thing about it.
At 17 miles long, it is Florida’s largest island, but it lacks something most islands have – beaches.
Located 18 miles west of Fort Myers across two causeways, this lightly developed island has no high rises and no stoplights. There are only a few hotels or restaurants. It is surrounded by aquatic preserves and to its west are a few little-developed barrier islands.
It is just north of Sanibel and Captiva and just south of Boca Grande, all islands where people and developers flocked. But without that sandy coastline, folks skipped right over Pine Island.
Why go there? The fishing is excellent. The waters are clear and kayakers are likely to see dolphins when they paddle and to hear ospreys overhead. You can take a ferry or water taxi to beautiful Old Florida places like Cabbage Key. On the few roads on Pine Island, you’ll pass mango groves, palm tree farms and even a few cows.
People who like Pine Island like how it is: nothing like Sanibel or Boca Grande.
We spent a few lovely days on laid-back Pine Island to kayak its waters and because we had always wanted to stay at the Tarpon Lodge, which is celebrating its 100th birthday in 2026.
We also wanted to see how Pine Island and the neighboring island community of Matlacha were recovering from Hurricane Ian, which made a direct hit in 2022.
Matlacha and Pine Island after Hurricane Ian
Category 4 Hurricane Ian brought a massive storm surge on Sept. 28, 2022 – 10 to 15 feet in this area.
The causeway road washed away, cutting Pine Island off from the world for weeks.
Today, the only place on Pine Island with significant hurricane damage still evident is at the northern tip, where the fishing pier is mostly broken pilings and the historic waterfront restaurant was washed away.
Matlacha, a colorful, artsy small town built on the island causeway that brings you to Pine Island, is another story. Many historic buildings in Matlacha are just gone and others are boarded up or in the process of being repaired and elevated. Storm impact remains very much a presence.
Still, many of Matlacha’s colorful galleries, shops and restaurants are back and open, and the lunchtime traffic on the one road through town is as slow and crowded as it used to be.
Here’s more about Matlacha and how it is recovering.
Excellent kayaking around Pine Island
We loved our two days of paddling in these waters – one kayak trip on the southern end of the island in the waters of Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge, and one along the northern end of the island in the waters of Pine Island National Wildlife Refuge.
My husband and I were struck by how clear and pristine the waters are and how much we had it all to ourselves.
We saw few other kayaks on the two days and the only power boats were in the far distance in the navigation channel.
The only sights and sounds were natural, and where on Florida’s coast can you count on that?
On our first kayak outing, we paddled a trail we learned about from the website of the Calusa Land Trust, which preserves many parcels here to protect natural diversity and beauty.
Near the southern end of the island, we launched from Tropical Point Park, which had an excellent sandy launch site, parking, picnic tables and a porta potty in the parking lot.
Our roundtrip paddle was about 5 miles long. On our outbound trip, we kayaked through an inland waterway called St. James Creek, rimmed by mangrove Islands. On our return, we went on the outer route along the island’s coast, which offered big views of Matlacha Pass.
We liked this kayak trail because the mid-point destination was a park, St. James Creek Preserve, which offered an easy kayak landing spot and a place to stretch our legs. Here we walked the half-mile St. Jude Trail, where we found a picnic table for our lunch.
The highlight of this trip was the opportunity to watch two dolphins hunting and maneuvering close to our kayak. It was thrilling. We also saw a number of birds, especially osprey.
Here’s a map of that kayak trail.
For our second kayak outing the next day, we launched from Pine Island Monument Park in the community of Pineland near the Tarpon Lodge.
This popular launch site has only five parking spots, which were full at 10 a.m. on a weekday, but you can drop your kayak and gear off and then park your vehicle about a block away at a large lot for the Randell Research Center. (See below for more on this fascinating facility.)
On this trip we paddled north along the coast past Tarpon Lodge and the busy Pineland Marina, which harbors the ferries and shuttles boats coming and going to the islands.
On this three-hour round-trip we paddled up the coast and into Big Jim Creek, which is a mangrove-lined waterway where we saw a variety of birds and, again, a pair of dolphins hunting. Wildlife was plentiful. Along our way we saw white pelicans, a shark and a ray.
On this trip, there were several sandy sections along the shorelines that looked like good places to stop and picnic.
We brought our own kayak, but there are several outfitters on or near the island: Matlacha Outfitters, Paradise Sup and Kayaks, Gulf Coast Kayaks and Carmen’s Kayaks.
Randell Research Center: A pretty walk to learn about the Calusa people
A real hidden gem is the Randell Research Center, an outpost of the Florida Museum of Natural History, located in Gainesville.
Randell preserves an archeological site that offers a glimpse into the impressive civilization that predated the arrival of the Spanish. The Calusa were once the most powerful people in South Florida. For centuries, they shaped huge shell mounds, engineered canals, and sustained tens of thousands of people on the fish and shellfish of these waters.
Several shell mounds and the remnants of Calusa-built canals are located here along the Calusa Heritage Trail. Signage tells the story of this people who you can’t help but admire.
Not only is the historic information fascinating, the trail is quite beautiful, with large oak trees in spots and views over the water from the shell middens.
Randell is building a museum here and there currently is no charge for walking on the trail or visiting the site.
The Tarpon Lodge and places to stay and dine
The charming 100-year-old Tarpon Lodge commands a beautiful view of the waters and the distant barrier islands. It is a place made for sunsets. Guests gather each night on the dock and lawn chairs with beverages and cameras.
The lodge was built as a private home and has been an inn for decades – President Jimmy Carter and 23 family members once vacationed here. Renovated rooms are available not only in the lodge, but also in adjacent cottages.
The lodge has a distinct Old Florida feel – on a chilly February night, the big fireplace in the bar was lit. (While fireplaces aren’t common today, Old Florida homes had them.)
Owned by the Wells family, which also operates the inn on Cabbage Key, the landscaped Tarpon Lodge has the feel of a romantic wedding venue; one with great fishing. There is a heated pool and a very good restaurant for lunches and dinners.
It is across the street from Randell Research Center and a block away from the kayak launch at Monument Park.
There are a few other places to stay in St. James City, the largest population center at the southern tip of the island. Here’s a list of accommodations from the Chamber of Commerce.
Camping: There is a KOA campground on Pine Island.
For dining, we recommend the Tarpon Lodge, but Yelpers also give high marks to Blue Dog Bar and Grill in Matlacha, which drew a crowd for lunch as we drove by.
Other things to do around Pine Island
The Museum of the Islands, housed in the community’s original library, is worth a stop for an introduction to the island: you’ll see an assortment of items, ranging from a portrait of George Washington made out of thousands of glass beads to artifacts from Calusa Indians, antique dolls, and even an old buggy. If you take a few minutes to read labels and old press clippings you’ll discover interesting stories about the people of this island. Check the hours here.
Special event on Pine Island: With its extensive mango groves, Pine Island celebrates Mangomania annually. It’s planned for July 11, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Winn Dixie Plaza, 9940 Stringfellow Road, St. James City.
