Living in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs is the southernmost city in Lee County, on the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay, with Naples to the south and Estero and Fort Myers to the north. It has a beach on a barrier island, a river running through an old downtown, and a long stretch of planned golf and lake communities between US-41 and I-75 and beyond.
People have lived along this coast for thousands of years, the Calusa among them. In the 1870s the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers set up a camp on what was then called Surveyor's Creek, and the settlement became known as Survey. By 1912 developers had renamed the town Bonita Springs and the creek the Imperial River.
Bonita Springs first incorporated in the 1920s but gave up its charter during the Depression. It incorporated again on December 31, 1999, and the City of Bonita Springs now runs its own planning, building permits and parks, while Lee County runs the schools, the property appraiser and tax collector, and the county beach parks.
The city reads in layers from west to east: Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island on the Gulf, older neighborhoods and Bonita Bay between the bay and US-41, the historic downtown on Old 41 Road and the Imperial River, then newer gated golf and lake communities stretching east past I-75 along Bonita Beach Road and Bonita Grande Drive.
Two neighbors shape daily life. The Village of Estero, incorporated in 2014, sits immediately north, with Coconut Point and Hertz Arena, and some communities with Bonita Springs mailing addresses, such as The Brooks, sit inside Estero. To the south, the Collier County line runs just below Bonita Beach Road at the coast, so Barefoot Beach and North Naples are minutes away.
Bonita Springs neighborhoods and communities
Bonita Springs is mostly planned communities, many gated and built around golf, with older street grids near the river and the beach. Check the city or county and the association before you compare two homes, because rules and taxes follow those lines.
- Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island
- The barrier island along Hickory Boulevard, with Gulf-front condos and homes on the beach side and canal homes on Estero Bay behind them.
- Barefoot Beach
- A guard-gated community on the barrier island south of Bonita Beach, between Barefoot Beach Preserve and Wiggins Pass. It has Bonita Springs addresses but sits in Collier County, with Collier schools and taxes.
- Bonita Bay
- A 2,400-acre gated community started by the Bonita Bay Group, opened for sale in the mid-1980s, with about half its land kept as open space. High-rise and low-rise condos, villas and single-family homes, with five golf courses, a marina and a beach park.
- Pelican Landing
- A gated master plan along US-41 and Coconut Road, first approved in 1994 and developed by WCI, partly inside the city and partly in unincorporated Lee County. Single-family homes, coach homes and condos, with The Colony's high-rise towers inside.
- The Colony at Pelican Landing
- A high-rise and mid-rise condo community within Pelican Landing, next to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point and Estero Bay.
- Spanish Wells
- A gated golf community off Bonita Beach Road with a 27-hole golf club, single-family homes, villas and condos.
- Bonita National
- A golf and country club community in the eastern part of the city with an 18-hole course, mostly single-family homes, many with private pools.
- The Brooks
- A master plan of four gated communities, Shadow Wood, Spring Run, Lighthouse Bay and Copperleaf, east of US-41 off Coconut Road. Addresses say Bonita Springs or Estero, but it sits within the Village of Estero and is served by two community development districts.
- Worthington Country Club
- A country club community of single-family homes, condos and townhomes.
- VillageWalk of Bonita Springs
- A newer planned community east of I-75 with single-family homes around lakes and a central town center.
- Palmira Golf Club
- A golf community east of I-75 with single-family homes and attached homes around an 18-hole course.
- Bonita Shores
- An older, non-gated single-family neighborhood west of US-41, within biking distance of the beach and downtown.
- Downtown and Old 41
- The historic core around Old 41 Road and the Imperial River, with Riverside Park, older cottages and small homes, and newer townhomes and apartments.
- Imperial River neighborhoods
- Older streets east of downtown along the river, including the Quinn Street and Downs Drive area, which flooded badly after Irma and where the city offered a voluntary home buyout.
Kinds of homes in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs has five main kinds of homes: Gulf-front and bay condos on the beach, high-rise towers in Bonita Bay and Pelican Landing, homes in gated golf communities, newer lake communities east of I-75, and older single-family houses near downtown and the river.
On Little Hickory Island, condos face the Gulf and homes back onto canals off Estero Bay. These sit in the area Ian's surge hit hardest in 2022, so the elevation certificate, the building's age and its repair history come first.
The towers inside Bonita Bay and at The Colony in Pelican Landing are condos with views of Estero Bay and the Gulf. Florida's milestone inspection and reserve study laws apply to buildings three stories or taller, and associations carry the costs.
Golf communities range from bundled clubs, where membership comes with the home, to communities where golf is optional or not offered. Ask what the club requires, what the initiation and dues structure is, and whether the club is owned by members or a developer.
East of I-75, newer communities built since the 2000s often have lakes, a clubhouse and single-family homes on smaller lots. Some sit inside a community development district (CDD), a special taxing district that pays for roads and drainage through an assessment on the tax bill.
Near downtown and the Imperial River, older single-family homes sit on regular city lots. Some are low, so check flood history and elevation closely before you buy.
Schools in Bonita Springs
Public schools in Bonita Springs are run by the School District of Lee County. Lee County does not assign every child to one fixed neighborhood school: elementary and middle schools use smaller proximity zones, and high schools use a choice system built on East, South and West zones and subzones, with Bonita Springs in the South zone alongside Estero.
Under the district’s enrollment plan, families rank schools in their zone on a School Choice application and the district places students by proximity, space and siblings. The district also limits which schools get a bus, and students living less than two miles from their school do not get district transportation. The rules change most years, so check the address and the current plan with the district's Student Enrollment office and the FOCUS parent portal before you buy.
Homes in Barefoot Beach and other Bonita Springs addresses on the Collier side are in Collier County Public Schools instead. Bonita Springs also has charter schools, including Bonita Springs Charter School, and private schools such as Royal Palm Academy and Bonita Springs Preparatory. Contact each about admissions.
- Bonita Springs Elementary School
- A district elementary school in the city, near downtown.
- Spring Creek Elementary School
- 25571 Elementary Way, Bonita Springs.
- Bonita Springs Middle School
- A district middle school in the city with an arts focus, and the site of the district's South zone meetings.
- Bonita Springs High School
- 25592 Imperial Parkway, Bonita Springs, opened in its own building in August 2018.
- Estero High School
- The other district high school in the South zone, in neighboring Estero.
Beaches and parks in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs' beach is Bonita Beach on Little Hickory Island, reached by Bonita Beach Road and Hickory Boulevard, with Lee County beach parks and ten numbered public accesses along the island. Barefoot Beach Preserve to the south and Lovers Key State Park to the north are each a short drive.
Lee County charges for beach parking by the hour through its parking app and kiosks, and an annual pass is sold digitally. Hurricane repairs have closed some beach lots for long stretches, so check Lee County Parks before you go.
Inland, the city's parks are built around the Imperial River and downtown.
- Bonita Beach Park
- Lee County's main beach park on Hickory Boulevard near the corner of Bonita Beach Road, with access to the Gulf. Check parking status after Ian repairs.
- Little Hickory Island Beach Park
- Beach Access #10 at 26082 Hickory Boulevard, at the north end of the beach.
- Barefoot Beach Preserve
- A Collier County preserve on an undeveloped barrier island just south of Bonita Beach, reached from Bonita Beach Road. Collier resident stickers apply; Lee residents pay to park.
- Lovers Key State Park
- A state park north of Bonita Beach across Big Hickory and New Pass, with a beach, trails and paddling, at 8700 Estero Boulevard.
- Dog Beach
- Lee County's off-leash dog beach near New Pass at the south end of Lovers Key, just north of Bonita Beach.
- Riverside Park
- The city's park on the Imperial River on Old 41 Road downtown, with a band shell, concerts, movies and festivals.
- Everglades Wonder Gardens
- Opened in 1936 as one of Bonita's first roadside attractions, now a botanical garden with animals at 27180 Old 41 Road, across the river from Riverside Park.
- Bark-N-Play Dog Park
- An off-leash city dog park of about six wooded acres at 11071 East Terry Street, with separate areas for small, medium and large dogs.
- Estero Bay Preserve State Park
- More than 10,000 acres of bay, islands and shoreline along Estero Bay, north of the city.
Things to do in Bonita Springs
Life in Bonita Springs runs between the beach, the river and the shopping centers on US-41: an early walk at Bonita Beach, a paddle on the Imperial River, an evening concert at Riverside Park and dinner at The Promenade at Bonita Bay or Coconut Point.
Downtown is small and historic. The Liles Hotel, built in the mid-1920s and restored by the city in 2006, houses the Bonita Springs Historical Society, and the restored Imperial River cottages hold artist studios and shops.
Just north in Estero, Coconut Point is an open-air shopping center opened in 2006 off US-41, and Hertz Arena, home of the Florida Everblades hockey team, sits at the Corkscrew Road interchange. Naples' Mercato and Waterside Shops are a short drive south.
Getting around Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs sits right on I-75 and US-41, which makes it one of the easiest places in the region to reach both Naples and the airport. Most trips are by car.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is about 15 to 19 miles north by road, usually 20 to 30 minutes via I-75. Naples is about 15 miles south and Fort Myers about 20 to 25 miles north.
Season changes the drive. In winter, Bonita Beach Road, US-41 and the I-75 interchanges back up, and beach traffic on Hickory Boulevard slows to a crawl on sunny weekends. The state has a long-range plan to add capacity to I-75 from Golden Gate Parkway to Corkscrew Road.
- I-75
- Exit 116 at Bonita Beach Road serves the city; Exit 123 at Corkscrew Road in Estero leads to Coconut Point and Hertz Arena; Exit 111 at Immokalee Road in North Naples is just south.
- US-41 (Tamiami Trail)
- The main north-south commercial road through the city, from Naples north to Estero and Fort Myers, past Bonita Bay and Pelican Landing.
- Bonita Beach Road
- The main east-west road, from the Bonita Grande area past I-75 and US-41 to the beach.
- Old 41 Road
- The original highway through downtown, crossing the Imperial River at Riverside Park.
- Hickory Boulevard
- The beach road along Little Hickory Island, north from Bonita Beach Road toward Lovers Key and Fort Myers Beach.
- Imperial Parkway
- A north-south road east of US-41 that continues south into Collier County as Livingston Road, past Bonita Springs High School.
- Coconut Road and Corkscrew Road
- East-west roads at the north edge of the city and in Estero, leading to Pelican Landing, The Brooks and Coconut Point.
Hospitals and healthcare near Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs sits between two hospital systems: Lee Health to the north and NCH to the south. The nearest emergency departments are a few miles from the city in either direction.
Lee Health runs a 24-hour emergency department at Lee Health Coconut Point in Estero and the Bonita Community Health Center with urgent care. NCH North Naples Hospital is just south of the county line, and Lee Health's main hospitals are in Fort Myers.
- Lee Health Coconut Point
- 23450 Via Coconut Point, Estero, with a 24-hour emergency department.
- Bonita Community Health Center
- 3501 Health Center Boulevard, with urgent care, imaging and rehabilitation.
- NCH North Naples Hospital
- 11190 Health Park Boulevard, North Naples.
Bonita Springs weather and seasons
Bonita Springs has a mild, dry winter and a hot, rainy summer, with hurricane season running June 1 to November 30.
From about mid-October into May, days are sunny and low in humidity, nights can be cool enough for a light jacket, and there is little rain. That is when beach lots fill, golf tee times book up and traffic on US-41 is heaviest.
The wet season usually begins in late May and runs to about mid-October. Expect hot, humid mornings and thunderstorms most afternoons, often with lightning and heavy rain that can fill the Imperial River and the low streets near it quickly.
The most active part of hurricane season is late August to mid-October. Know your evacuation zone, keep shutters or impact glass ready, and if you leave for the summer, arrange for someone to check the house after any storm.
Daily life in Bonita Springs
Everyday shopping in Bonita Springs lines US-41 and Bonita Beach Road, with grocery-anchored centers near most communities.
Water and sewer come from Bonita Springs Utilities, a member-owned nonprofit cooperative founded by local residents in 1970 that serves the City of Bonita Springs, the Village of Estero and unincorporated south Lee County. Electricity comes from Florida Power & Light; LCEC serves other parts of Lee County, so confirm the provider for the exact address.
Trash, recycling and yard waste are collected by Lee County's franchise hauler, once a week since April 2024. Look up your day on Lee County Solid Waste's site.
- Center of Bonita Springs
- A grocery-anchored shopping center at US-41 and Bonita Beach Road.
- Publix at Bonita Bay Plaza
- 26841 South Tamiami Trail.
- The Fresh Market
- 27251 Bay Landing Drive.
- Aldi
- 8951 Bonita Beach Road, at US-41.
- The Promenade at Bonita Bay
- An open-air center of shops and restaurants on US-41 that has hosted a Saturday farmers market in season.
- Bonita Springs Public Library
- Lee County Library System branch at 10560 Reynolds Street, in a two-story building opened in 2019.
Dining, arts and events in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs' restaurants cluster in four places: Old 41 Road downtown, The Promenade at Bonita Bay, the waterfront spots near the beach on Bonita Beach Road and Hickory Boulevard, and Coconut Point just north in Estero.
Most big events happen in winter, with Riverside Park downtown as the main stage.
- Center for the Arts Bonita Springs
- The city's arts center, which runs classes, exhibits and the Bonita Springs National Art Festivals each winter, plus a film festival.
- Liles Hotel and Bonita Springs Historical Society
- The mid-1920s hotel on Old 41 Road, now the historical society's home and a stop on downtown history walks.
- Everglades Wonder Gardens
- A 1936 roadside attraction turned botanical garden on Old 41 Road.
- Star-Spangled Bonita
- The city's Fourth of July celebration at Riverside Park, after a parade on Old 41 Road.
- Concerts and Movies in the Park
- Free city events at Riverside Park through the season, with a holiday event in December.
- Hertz Arena
- The 7,000-seat arena in Estero at 11000 Everblades Parkway, home of the Florida Everblades and concerts.
Golf and boating in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs has golf in almost every direction, from private clubs inside gated communities to public courses. Boaters use the Imperial River and Estero Bay, with Gulf access through Big Hickory Pass, New Pass and, to the south, Wiggins Pass.
Estero Bay is shallow, with oyster bars and seagrass, and much of it is a state aquatic preserve with manatee zones. Learn the channels before you run it, and check current charts and the clearance under any bridge on your route.
Paddlers have one of the best kayak trails in the region. The Imperial River runs about nine miles from Bonita Springs to Estero Bay, with launches at Riverside Park, Depot Park and the county boat ramp, and the Great Calusa Blueway, a marked paddling trail of about 190 miles along the Lee County coast, reaches up the Estero River to the Imperial River.
- Imperial River Boat Ramp
- A Lee County ramp with a separate canoe and kayak launch and parking for trailers and cars.
- Big Hickory Pass kayak access
- A Lee County sand launch on Estero Bay for kayaks and small boats.
- Bonita Fairways
- A public 18-hole executive course opened in 1993.
- Raptor Bay at Saltleaf
- A Raymond Floyd-designed course opened in 2001 next to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, open for public play.
- Bonita Bay Club
- The private club inside Bonita Bay, with five golf courses.
- Spanish Wells Country Club
- A 27-hole club inside the gated Spanish Wells community.
- Bonita National Golf & Country Club
- An 18-hole course at 17481 Bonita National Boulevard; check its access rules.
Owning a home in Bonita Springs
Owning in Bonita Springs means planning for two kinds of water: storm surge on the beach and bay side, and river and rain flooding inland along the Imperial River. Here is what to understand before you buy.
Irma and the Imperial River. In late August 2017, heavy rain had already filled the Imperial River when Hurricane Irma's eye passed over Bonita Springs on September 10. The river and Estero River watersheds saw historic flooding, and the Quinn Street, Downs Drive and Dean Street area had as much as four feet of standing water in most homes. The city later offered a voluntary buyout and built drainage improvements there. Ask any seller near the river how high the water came.
Ian's surge. On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian brought what the city described as more than 12 feet of storm surge, hitting Bonita Beach and Hickory Boulevard hardest, with damage to homes, beach accesses and the road itself. Ask every coastal seller what happened in Ian and what was repaired, and check the permits.
Flood zones and the 50 percent rule. FEMA's A and V zones are Special Flood Hazard Areas, and a federally backed mortgage there requires flood insurance. The City of Bonita Springs reviews every permit for work in a flood zone under the substantial improvement rule, often called the 50 percent rule: if repairs or improvements reach half of the building's market value, the house must meet current flood elevation rules. Ask for the elevation certificate early.
Condo milestone inspections. Condo and co-op buildings three stories or taller need a milestone inspection at 30 years, or at 25 years where the local building official sets the earlier date for buildings near salt water, then every 10 years. They also need a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years. Ask the City of Bonita Springs Community Development office which schedule applies to the building, and read the reports before you buy.
Insurance. Get wind, flood and liability quotes during the inspection period, and order a wind mitigation inspection on Florida's OIR-B1-1802 form. Citizens Property Insurance now requires separate flood coverage on most of its homeowner policies.
HOAs, clubs and CDDs. Most Bonita Springs homes are in an association, many in a gated golf community with a club, and some sit in a community development district, such as the two districts serving The Brooks. A CDD's assessment appears on your tax bill, and the sale contract must disclose it. Read the documents for leasing, pets, vehicles and club membership before you buy.
Property taxes in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs homeowners get one tax bill, valued by the Lee County Property Appraiser and collected by the Lee County Tax Collector. Lee County, the school board, the City of Bonita Springs and other districts each set their own rate on that bill.
Homestead exemption. If the home is your permanent residence on January 1, file with the Lee County Property Appraiser by March 1. Homestead lowers the taxable value and starts the Save Our Homes cap: assessed value can rise no more than 3 percent a year or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.
Portability. Moving from another Florida homestead? You can carry part of that home's Save Our Homes savings to your Bonita Springs home if you file within three tax years of leaving the old one.
Non-homestead homes. A second home or rental has no homestead exemption, but its assessed value is capped at 10 percent growth a year for most taxes, though not school taxes. When a home sells, its assessed value resets to market value, so the seller's bill will not match yours.
CDDs and other assessments. Community development district assessments and other non-ad valorem charges appear on the same bill as flat amounts. Ask whether a CDD's bond portion has been paid off for the lot you are buying.
Pay early for a discount. Bills arrive in November. Paying that month takes 4 percent off, December 3 percent, January 2 percent and February 1 percent. The full amount is due March 31.
Barefoot Beach and other Collier County homes with Bonita Springs addresses use the Collier County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector instead.
Buying in Bonita Springs from out of state
You can buy a Bonita Springs home without living here. These are the steps.
1. Choose your side of town: the beach and bay, the gated communities between US-41 and I-75, or the newer communities east of I-75. Then confirm whether the address is in the City of Bonita Springs, the Village of Estero, unincorporated Lee County or Collier County.
2. Ask for the elevation certificate, wind mitigation report, roof age and Irma and Ian history for every home, and the HOA, club and CDD documents for every community.
3. For a condo, get the milestone inspection, reserve study, budget and recent minutes.
4. Line up financing and wind and flood insurance quotes before your offer.
5. Tour by live video, use local inspectors, and ask the title company about remote closing.
6. After closing, file for homestead by March 1 if it is your permanent home, set up Bonita Springs Utilities and FPL, check the school zone with Lee County if you have school-age children, and arrange storm checks for when you are away.
This is how Jorgie Arndt of Premiere Plus Realty Co. works with buyers who live elsewhere, and Bonita Springs is one of the areas she serves. Many of her buyers buy from out of state or from abroad. She sends homes before the trip, tours them on video, negotiates while the buyer is away, and stays on after closing. Her motto: "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Buying and selling in Bonita Springs
Jorgie Arndt is a REALTOR® with Premiere Plus Realty Co. in Naples and has been in real estate since 2010. These are the things to check in Bonita Springs, and she can go through each one with you.
Before you buy
- Confirm whether the address is in the City of Bonita Springs, the Village of Estero, unincorporated Lee County or Collier County.
- Get the elevation certificate and a flood insurance quote, and ask how the home fared in Irma's river flooding and Ian's surge.
- Check permits for storm repairs and how the 50 percent rule applies to any remodel.
- Read the HOA, club and CDD documents, including any required club membership and the CDD bond status.
- For a condo, read the milestone inspection, reserve study, budget and minutes.
- Order a wind mitigation inspection on the current OIR-B1-1802 form.
- Check the school zone and current enrollment plan with the School District of Lee County.
Before you sell
- Have your elevation certificate, wind mitigation report and roof age ready.
- Gather records of Irma and Ian repairs, permits and claims.
- For a condo, have the association's milestone inspection, reserve study and disclosures ready.
- Know your CDD and club details, including transfer or capital fees buyers will ask about.
- Give out-of-state buyers a video walk-through, floor plan and drive times to the beach and RSW.
