Lee County · Newcomer Guide
Moving to Bonita Springs
The Lee/Collier line — beach access without Naples pricing, and the shortest hop to RSW from the south.
The honest overview
What Bonita Springs is actually like
Bonita Springs sits on the county line, which matters more than newcomers expect: Lee County taxes, Lee County schools, Lee Health hospitals and Bonita Springs Utilities, but a 15-minute drive to North Naples shopping.
The city runs from the Imperial River and Old 41 downtown west to Barefoot Beach and east past I-75 into newer master-planned communities. Downtown Bonita has been steadily rebuilt around Riverside Park, and the Bonita Beach Road corridor is the main artery to the Gulf.
It is the practical middle ground for people who want beach access, newer construction and a shorter airport run than Naples offers.
- County
- Lee County
- Airport
- RSW — 15–25 minutes
- Beaches
- Bonita Beach Park, Barefoot Beach Preserve, Little Hickory Island
- Electric
- LCEC (not FPL)
- Water
- Bonita Springs Utilities (member-owned co-op)
- Main arteries
- US-41, Old 41, Bonita Beach Rd, Coconut Rd, I-75 exit 116
Neighborhoods
Where people live in Bonita Springs
Areas differ far more than the shared mailing address suggests — drive time, gate rules, utilities and price per square foot all change block to block.
Barefoot Beach
Gated Gulf-front peninsula shared with a county preserve. Guard gate, narrow road, and no room for a full carrier past the gate.
Bonita Bay
Large gated club community on the bay with marina, golf and its own beach park. Strict vendor hours at the gatehouse.
Pelican Landing / The Colony
West of 41, private beach island accessed by shuttle boat. Popular with seasonal residents.
Downtown / Old 41
Older Florida homes, Riverside Park events, kayak launches on the Imperial River. Walkable by SWFL standards.
Palmira, Vasari, Worthington
East-of-75 golf and bundled-club communities with lower dues than the west-side clubs.
Bonita National / Valencia communities
Newest construction east of I-75, heavy snowbird and second-home ownership.
Beaches & water
Beach access and parking
Bonita Beach Park
County park at the end of Bonita Beach Road; paid lot, restrooms, concessions, fills early in season.
Barefoot Beach Preserve
Quieter, gopher-tortoise habitat, limited parking that closes when full.
Little Hickory Island beach accesses
Several small public accesses with metered parking along Hickory Blvd.
Permit rules differ by county — see the SWFL beach parking guide.
Day-to-day
Groceries, healthcare, utilities and schools
Groceries & everyday shopping
- Publix — multiple, including Bonita Beach Rd and Coconut Point
- Coconut Point mall area (Estero, 10 min) — Target, Costco nearby
- Fresh Market and Trader Joe's within a short drive south into North Naples
- Bonita Springs Farmers Market at Riverside Park in season
Healthcare
- Lee Health Coconut Point (Estero) — ER and outpatient, 10 minutes north
- NCH North Naples — 15 minutes south
- Gulf Coast Medical Center, Fort Myers — nearest large inpatient campus
Who to call for utilities
- LCECElectric
- Bonita Springs UtilitiesWater/sewer
- Lee County Solid WasteTrash and recycling contractor by district
- Comcast/Xfinity, CenturyLink/BrightspeedInternet
Schools
- Lee County School District — school choice/proximity zoning, not strict boundaries
- Bonita Springs High School, Estero High School
- Private: The Village School of Naples and Community School of Naples are common southbound choices
Getting around
Driving, traffic and season
Driving notes
- Bonita Beach Road backs up badly westbound on weekend mornings in season.
- Old 41 is the local bypass when US-41 is jammed between Bonita and Estero.
- I-75 exit 116 (Bonita Beach Rd) is the main interchange; exit 123 serves Coconut Point.
- Corkscrew Road east of I-75 has heavy construction traffic from new development.
What season does
- Season traffic is noticeably lighter than Naples but the beach lots still fill by mid-morning.
- Many Bonita communities are 60–80% seasonal, so October and April are the busiest move months.
- Summer afternoon storms roll in off the Gulf almost daily from June to September.
Your vehicle
Moving a vehicle to Bonita Springs
This is the part we deal with daily. It is short on purpose — the point of this guide is the move, not the sales pitch.
- Barefoot Beach and Bonita Bay both require gate clearance for carriers; we handle the paperwork with the gatehouse ahead of dispatch.
- Bonita is one of the easiest SWFL cities for full-size carriers thanks to wide commercial corridors near I-75 exit 116 — good news for cost and scheduling.
- If your car is arriving before you do, ask about a short terminal hold rather than leaving it on a street in season.
FAQ
Common questions about Bonita Springs
Is Bonita Springs closer to Naples or Fort Myers?
Who provides electricity in Bonita Springs?
Is beach parking free for residents?
Can you move my boat, golf cart, motorcycle or other toys too?
Shipping a car to Bonita Springs?
Owner-operated and Naples-based. We know the gatehouses, the bridges and which streets a 75-foot rig cannot enter.