Over spring break, we took a much needed family vacation down to Boca Grande, Florida where my mother-in-law, who passed away last year, had a condo. If there is one place I enjoy going in Florida more than any other it is Boca Grande because it’s not anything like anywhere else in Florida. The town is on Gasparilla Island, a barrier island between Sarasota and Fort Myers on the Gulf coast. There is no gas station so a lot of the residents drive golf carts (there is even a golf cart path on the old railroad lines that used to run the length of the island), and it’s a bit like stepping back in time to the slow, quiet, good life of decades past. In the center of town is The Gasparilla Inn which is beyond charming and which I could spend all day just enjoying it’s old-school southern style. Can we just take a moment and ogle over those wood floors on the front porch?!

Around every corner, there is amazing design, but the main sitting room is particularly stunning. Four seating areas surround fireplaces and while each area is unique in its furnishings, they are all tied together with their consistent use of fabrics.

Game tables are a perfect spot to spend a rainy day or enjoy a cocktail.

And then there is BZ’s, the bar. The inside bar is fabulous, but on such a gorgeous day, we soaked up the amazing outdoor space filled with wicker furniture with bright lemon and lime cushions and covered with climbing flowers.

From the porch spot, you can enjoy the views of the fifth hole of the inn’s golf course.

Chances are if you tell someone you’ve been to Boca Grande, they’ll ask you if you went to The Pink Elephant, the inn’s more casual restaurant located just around the corner. In all our trips there, we had actually never been so my hubby and I managed to sneak in a date night and check it out this trip. The food was great, and there’s a wonderful outdoor patio, but if you want to enjoy the upstairs enclosed porch (which looked like the best seat in the house) you need to make a reservation in advance. The inn’s main dining room is also wonderful.

Other spots around town include Hudson’s, a small grocery store where you can get the basics. You’ve got to go off island for larger shopping trips.

It has the only gas pump in town (which doesn’t work), and of course it’s pink! It took every ounce of their being for my kids to give me one smile in front of it.

Fugate’s is one of the funniest stores I’ve ever been in. It’s basically the Boca Grande equivalent to a department store. They sell everything from Mariposa to swim suits, embroidered shorts, newspapers, and toothpaste.

And if you’re looking for ice cream on a hot afternoon or a quick meal, head over to The Loose Caboose.

The Down East Shop is a great gourmet shop that features prepared foods like lobster salad along with gorgeous pottery and linens. The other great shops nearby include Ariel and The Palm on Park, and all Lily Pulitzer store. We also loved Ltl. Ariel, a children’s shop where my mother was thrilled to find the Florence Eisman dresses she used to buy for my sister and I, and where I discovered the Sea Urchin Studios line.

Really, everything in this town is just charming and lovely. I mean if we had a church that looked like this at home maybe I would go a bit more often!

There are lots of big homes on the island, but I prefer the cottages.

Although the hedge at this mansion made me swoon every time we drove into town.

I mean, isn’t is just gorgeous? And I love that it is defined with the white pillars of the wall for the perfect balance of structure and nature.

Now, there isn’t a whole lot to do on Gasparilla Island, but if your idea of a vacation is enjoying quiet time by the pool or at the beach, and maybe enjoying a nice dinner out, or spending an afternoon on a fishing charter, then the slow island life of Gasparilla is a great way to go. I can’t wait for our next trip down there!