Bonita Beach Homes for Sale in Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Beach is the barrier-island stretch of the City of Bonita Springs in Lee County: Little Hickory Island along Hickory Boulevard, Big Hickory Island and the west end of Bonita Beach Road, ZIP 34134. The Lee County roll holds 1,999 parcels there, every one in the City of Bonita Springs taxing district: 1,436 condominium units, 351 single-family homes and 121 vacant residential lots. In the 12 months to September 25, 2026, Lee County recorded 21 single-family sales at a $2,600,000 median and 77 condo sales at $510,000. On October 21, 2026, the Southwest Florida MLS showed 86 active listings. For the whole city, start with Bonita Springs homes for sale; for the building-by-building view, see Bonita Beach condos for sale. Data updated: October 2026.
Bonita Beach at a glance
| Measure | Bonita Beach | Layer and window |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Little Hickory Island along Hickory Boulevard, Big Hickory Island, west end of Bonita Beach Road SW | Lee County parcel layer, latitude 26.326 to 26.378 |
| Parcels by class | 1,436 condominium units, 351 single-family, 121 vacant residential, 91 in other classes | Lee County roll, October 27, 2026 |
| Single-family recorded median, 12 months | $2,600,000 (21 sales) | Lee County recorded qualified sales to September 25, 2026 |
| Condo recorded median, 12 months | $510,000 (77 sales) | Same |
| MLS single-family closings, 12 months | 19 at a $2,600,000 median ($935 a sq ft) | Southwest Florida MLS, Bonita Beach area, pulled October 21, 2026 |
| MLS condo closings, 12 months | 64 at a $500,000 median ($551 a sq ft) | Same |
| Active listings, October 21, 2026 | 86 active and 5 pending; months of supply 12.4 for condos and 10.1 for single-family homes | Actives divided by 12-month closings per month, by class |
| Property tax rate | 12.7942 mills, adopted 2026, Lee tax district 017 | Lee County Property Appraiser millage book printed October 9, 2026 |
| FEMA flood zones | 120-parcel sample: 102 in zone AE and 18 in zone VE; base flood elevations 10 to 13 ft NAVD88 | FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, October 27, 2026 |
| Flood insurance discount | CRS Class 5, a 25 percent NFIP discount | FEMA Community Information System, October 27, 2026 |
| Beach parks | Bonita Beach Park and Access #10 closed to parking from September 8, 2026 for about 11 months | Lee County, September 2, 2026 release |
USDA NAIP aerial of Hickory Boulevard and the bay-side streets of Little Hickory Island, Bonita Beach, flown February 13, 2023 (public domain).
By Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar, Domain Realty Group. Recorded sales, MLS closings, flood maps, fees and rules checked against county, city, state and federal records in October 2026. Data updated: October 2026. Call Domain Realty Group at 239-441-2816.
Domain Realty Group, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, shows homes on Bonita Beach, and the tables below are the checks we run before a first tour: what sold, what the lot or building sits on, what the flood map says and what the paperwork costs.
Key takeaways for Bonita Beach home buyers
- Two price layers, never mixed. Lee County recorded 21 single-family sales at a $2,600,000 median and 77 condo sales at $510,000 in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser, qualified sales).
- Gulf-front and bay homes are different markets. In the 24 months to September 25, 2026, 17 recorded sales on lots with a roll seawall or dock flag (bay and canal lots) had a $2,100,000 median, and 20 sales on lots without one (mostly Gulf-front) had a $6,075,000 median.
- Supply is deep. On October 21, 2026, the MLS showed 86 active Bonita Beach listings, with 10.1 months of supply for single-family homes and 12.4 for condos (actives divided by 12-month closings per month).
- Every parcel we sampled is in a mapped flood zone. All 120 parcels drawn from FEMA's flood layer on October 27, 2026 were in zone AE or VE, with base flood elevations of 10 to 13 feet, and the City of Bonita Springs holds CRS Class 5 (a 25 percent NFIP discount).
- Beach parking changed in 2026. Bonita Beach Park and Access #10 closed to parking on September 8, 2026 for about 11 months, the Access #1 lot closes starting November 1, 2026, and Accesses #2 to #9 stay free.
- Taxes use the adopted 2026 rate: Lee tax district 017 totals 12.7942 mills, or $1,279.42 a year per $100,000 of taxable value, before exemptions (Lee County Property Appraiser, printed October 9, 2026).
- The condo stock is older than the houses: 981 condo units date from the 1970s and 438 from the 1980s on the county roll, while 49 single-family homes carry a year built in the 2020s.
- Rental rules sit in layers. The City rental permit is $100 per unit for three years, and only 5 of the 23 condo associations publish a rental minimum, all 30 days or one month (October 27, 2026).
Where is Bonita Beach, and what counts as Bonita Beach?
Bonita Beach is the barrier-island strip of the City of Bonita Springs in Lee County, ZIP 34134: Little Hickory Island along Hickory Boulevard, Big Hickory Island and the west end of Bonita Beach Road. Barefoot Beach and Bonita Shores are Collier County neighbors, not Bonita Beach. Data updated: October 2026.
| Place | County and city | What it is | Covered on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonita Beach strip (Little Hickory Island, Hickory Boulevard) | Lee County, City of Bonita Springs | 1,999 roll parcels: condominium towers on both sides of Hickory Boulevard, Gulf-front estate lots, bay and canal streets | Covered here |
| Big Hickory Island | Lee County, City of Bonita Springs | A 186-acre Lee County preserve; the City roll north of latitude 26.365 holds 10 parcels, none a single-family home or condo unit | This page, boating and storm sections |
| Barefoot Beach | Collier County, unincorporated | Gated community and a 342-acre county preserve south of the county line | Comparison section below |
| Bonita Shores | Collier County, mainland | Mainland neighborhood, not on the barrier island | Comparison section below; its own page is being built |
Every address in the table uses the mailing ZIP 34134. For the other places in the city, see Bonita Springs communities. Bonita Beach Club, a condominium on Hickory Boulevard, is gated; for the city's gated communities, see Bonita Springs gated communities.
Is Bonita Beach in Lee County or Collier County?
Bonita Beach is in Lee County. All 1,999 parcels in the Lee County Property Appraiser layer for the strip carry the taxing district "City of Bonita Springs / Bonita Springs Fire," and the 2025 beach fill was extended south to the Lee-Collier line. Barefoot Beach and its preserve are in Collier County.
How far is Bonita Beach from Naples, Fort Myers and the airport?
This page prints no mileage or drive time to Naples, Fort Myers or either airport, because none of the records behind it carries a sourced distance. Use the county map or your navigation app for a route on the day you tour.
What Bonita Beach homes and condos are for sale right now?
On October 21, 2026, the Southwest Florida MLS showed 86 active and 5 pending Bonita Beach listings. Condominium asks ran $274,000 to $1,475,000 across 66 listings, and single-family asks ran $1,499,000 to $18,250,000 across 16. Months of supply were 12.4 for condos and 10.1 for homes. Data updated: October 2026.
The other four active listings sit on parcels the county roll classes as vacant residential (three) or could not be matched to a class (one). The median ask was $686,500 for condos and $4,825,000 for single-family homes. Months of supply is the number of active listings divided by the 12-month closings per month for the same class. Source: Southwest Florida MLS (Matrix), Bonita Beach area, pulled October 21, 2026, joined to the Lee County roll for property class.
Active Bonita Beach listings by development, October 21, 2026
| MLS development or condo name | Active listings | Lowest ask | Highest ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonita Beach (houses and lots) | 18 | $1,399,000 | $18,250,000 |
| Casa Bonita | 14 | $639,000 | $959,000 |
| Beach and Tennis Club | 12 | $274,000 | $448,500 |
| Bay Harbor Club | 6 | $599,999 | $715,000 |
| Ambassador | 6 | $770,000 | $1,195,000 |
| Bonita Beach Club | 5 | $415,000 | $725,000 |
| Seascape | 4 | $525,000 | $625,000 |
| Sea Isles | 4 | $575,000 | $799,999 |
| Hickory Shores | 3 | $709,000 | $950,000 |
| Hickory Pointe | 2 | $525,000 | $545,000 |
| The Egret | 2 | $750,000 | $849,000 |
| Gulf Harbor | 2 | $935,000 | $1,475,000 |
| Windsong | 2 | $629,900 | $645,000 |
| Pelican Pointe | 1 | $825,000 | $825,000 |
| Beachwood on the Bay | 1 | $599,000 | $599,000 |
| Beach and Tennis Club (second MLS spelling) | 1 | $297,000 | $297,000 |
| Hickory Bay West | 1 | $679,000 | $679,000 |
| Barefoot Beach (listed in the Bonita Beach MLS area) | 1 | $1,775,000 | $1,775,000 |
| Bonita Springs (house on Hickory Boulevard) | 1 | $5,500,000 | $5,500,000 |
The 19 rows add to 86. The Bonita Beach row holds 15 single-family homes and 3 vacant-class listings.
Active single-family listings, October 21, 2026. The 16 homes ask from $1,499,000 (5690 Marimin Dr, 1,794 sq ft) to $18,250,000 (27566 Hickory Blvd, 6,543 sq ft); 12 of the 16 are on Hickory Boulevard, and days on market run from 9 to 316. The condo listings are covered building by building on Bonita Beach condos for sale, and the city-wide picture is on Bonita Springs condos for sale.
Start your search here:
- All Bonita Beach homes for sale
- Bonita Beach single-family homes for sale
- Bonita Beach condos for sale
- Bonita Beach condos for sale, the building-by-building page
What do Bonita Beach homes sell for?
Bonita Beach homes sell in two layers. Lee County recorded 21 single-family sales at a $2,600,000 median and 77 condo sales at $510,000 in the 12 months to September 25, 2026; the MLS counted 19 single-family closings at $2,600,000 and 64 condo closings at $500,000. Data updated: October 2026.
We tracked every Lee County qualified (arm's-length) sale on the strip's 1,999 parcels for this page, newest September 25, 2026. The MLS layer is closings in the Southwest Florida MLS's Bonita Beach area, pulled October 21, 2026. The layers do not match sale for sale, so each has its own table.
Table 1. Lee County recorded qualified sales (improved property), window ending September 25, 2026
| Window | Condo sales | Condo median (range) | Single-family sales | Single-family median (range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last 12 months | 77 | $510,000 ($199,900 to $2,000,000) | 21 | $2,600,000 ($750,000 to $14,079,525) |
| Prior 12 months | 53 | $528,000 ($160,000 to $1,950,000) | 16 | $2,187,500 ($799,000 to $13,800,000) |
| Last 24 months | 130 | $525,000 ($160,000 to $2,000,000) | 37 | $2,325,000 ($750,000 to $14,079,525) |
Table 1b. Southwest Florida MLS closings, Bonita Beach area, pulled October 21, 2026
| Window and class | Closings | Median price | Median $ per sq ft | Median days on market | Median sold-to-list | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Last 12 months, condominium | 64 | $500,000 | $551 | 101 | 93.9% | $200,000 to $2,000,000 |
| Last 12 months, single-family | 19 | $2,600,000 | $935 | 79 | 93.0% | $750,000 to $14,900,525 |
| Prior 12 months, condominium | 52 | $531,500 | $546 | 119 | 92.9% | $249,000 to $1,950,000 |
| Prior 12 months, single-family | 17 | $2,275,000 | $855 | 65 | 87.5% | $799,000 to $14,300,000 |
Table 2. Lee County recorded sales by price band, 24 months to September 25, 2026
| Price band | Condo sales | Single-family sales |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $500,000 | 56 | 0 |
| $500,000 to $750,000 | 48 | 0 |
| $750,000 to $1,000,000 | 17 | 7 |
| $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 | 6 | 3 |
| $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 | 2 | 4 |
| $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 | 1 | 9 |
| $3,000,000 to $5,000,000 | 0 | 2 |
| $5,000,000 and up | 0 | 12 |
Twelve of the 37 recorded single-family sales in the window were $5,000,000 or more, and 104 of the 130 recorded condo sales were under $750,000.
Table 3. MLS closings by quarter, all classes in the Bonita Beach area, October 2021 to September 2026
| Quarter | Closings | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Q4 | 20 | $664,500 |
| 2022 Q1 | 20 | $713,500 |
| 2022 Q2 | 39 | $900,000 |
| 2022 Q3 | 13 | $425,000 |
| 2022 Q4 | 2 | $950,000 |
| 2023 Q1 | 12 | $602,500 |
| 2023 Q2 | 18 | $901,250 |
| 2023 Q3 | 9 | $1,004,000 |
| 2023 Q4 | 7 | $950,000 |
| 2024 Q1 | 10 | $918,750 |
| 2024 Q2 | 22 | $702,500 |
| 2024 Q3 | 9 | $800,000 |
| 2024 Q4 | 6 | $597,500 |
| 2025 Q1 | 12 | $680,000 |
| 2025 Q2 | 31 | $620,000 |
| 2025 Q3 | 17 | $560,000 |
| 2025 Q4 | 15 | $500,000 |
| 2026 Q1 | 28 | $677,500 |
| 2026 Q2 | 30 | $693,275 |
| 2026 Q3 | 16 | $620,000 |
Volume rebuilt after Ian: 2022 Q4 closed only 2, and 2026 Q1 and Q2 closed 28 and 30. A quarter's median mixes condos and houses, so a quarter heavy in one class moves it.
Table 4. Top recorded sales, 36 months to September 25, 2026 (Lee County)
| Recorded | Price | Address | Roll text |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-31 | $14,079,525 | 27460 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block E, PB 8 PG 65, lot 4 |
| 2025-08-29 | $13,800,000 | 26532 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block I, lot 8 |
| 2024-11-07 | $12,600,000 | 27100 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block F, lot 16 |
| 2023-10-06 | $12,250,000 | 27586 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block D, lot 17 |
| 2025-05-13 | $10,900,000 | 26724 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block H, lot 8 |
| 2026-02-27 | $10,000,000 | 27390 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block E, lot 11 |
| 2025-04-30 | $9,900,000 | 26756 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block H, lot 4 |
| 2026-06-25 | $9,150,000 | 27130 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block F, lot 13 |
| 2025-10-31 | $9,100,000 | 27130 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block F, lot 13 (the same parcel, resold eight months later) |
| 2024-11-12 | $7,700,000 | 26762 McLaughlin Blvd | Carolands, lot 47 |
| 2025-10-17 | $6,900,000 | 26772 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block H, lot 2 |
| 2026-04-06 | $6,150,000 | 27524 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block D, lot 24 |
| 2025-10-10 | $6,000,000 | 27768 Hickory Blvd | Bonita Beach block B, parts of lots 8 and 9 |
| 2026-05-07 | $3,125,000 | 26353 Hickory Blvd | Villa Positano, lot 4 |
| 2026-05-28 | $3,100,000 | 27828 Forester Dr | Bonita Beach 1st Addition, block N, lot 17 |
Thirteen of the fifteen are Gulf-side Bonita Beach plat lots on Hickory Boulevard; the bay-side exceptions are Carolands on McLaughlin Boulevard and Forester Drive.
Gulf-front estates versus bay and canal homes
Bonita Beach single-family sales split by what the lot touches. The Lee roll flags a parcel with a seawall or a boat dock only when it sits on a bay or canal, so in the 24 months to September 25, 2026, the 17 recorded sales on flagged lots had a $2,100,000 median, and the 20 sales on lots without either flag, which are mostly the Gulf-front beach lots on Hickory Boulevard plus a few dry interior lots, had a $6,075,000 median.
The label matters because a Gulf-front estate and a canal home share a street name and almost nothing else. The Gulf side of Hickory Boulevard is the Bonita Beach plat, zoned RS-1, with a median parcel of 0.32 acre and a median 2026 just value of $7,312,080 on the county roll; none of those lots carries a seawall or dock flag, because the frontage is a nourished sand beach. The bay and canal streets east of the boulevard run 0.14 to 0.29 acre at the median, and 143 of the strip's 356 single-family parcels (roll code 01, a slightly wider filter than the 351 used elsewhere) carry a seawall flag and 37 a dock flag. Ask which side of the boulevard a listing is on, and whether the lot has a seawall, before comparing two prices.
What do vacant Bonita Beach lots sell for?
Lee County recorded 12 vacant residential land sales in the 24 months to September 25, 2026, at a $1,337,500 median, ranging from $538,000 to $8,200,000. The five in the last 12 months were 27833 Hickory Blvd at $1,095,000 (2025-12-15), 26901 Hickory Blvd at $782,000 (2025-12-19), 27490 Hickory Blvd at $5,100,000 (2026-01-02), 27553 Hickory View Dr at $538,000 (2026-03-20) and 25835 Hickory Blvd at $1,375,000 (2026-06-16). The seven in the prior 12 months included $8,200,000 at 27870 Hickory Blvd (2024-10-21), $7,250,000 at 27460 Hickory Blvd (2025-09-12) and $6,150,000 at 27440 Hickory Blvd (2024-11-15). Over 60 months the roll shows 33 sales at a $1,100,000 median, from $250,000 to $8,200,000.
On October 21, 2026, three active MLS listings sat on parcels the roll classes as vacant residential, with asks from $1,399,000 to $14,850,000. For land elsewhere in the city, see Bonita Springs land for sale.
Which Bonita Beach neighborhoods have single-family homes?
Bonita Beach has 351 single-family homes on the county roll, in four platted groups, one unrecorded subdivision and a few smaller tracts. The largest is the Bonita Beach plat on the Gulf side of Hickory Boulevard, with 116 homes at a median 4,571 square feet; Carolands and Kinleyland front the bay. Big Hickory Island has none. Data updated: October 2026.
Single-family groups on the Lee County roll (roll grouping by the leading name in the legal description, October 27, 2026)
| Group (roll text) | Homes (roll grouping) | Median year built | Median heated sq ft | Waterfront parcels (seawall or dock flag) | Recorded sales, 24 months to Sept. 25, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonita Beach plat, Gulf side of Hickory Boulevard | 116 | 2009 | 4,571 | 0 among the Gulf-side homes (sand beach) | 10 sales, $9,950,000 median ($6,150,000 to $14,079,525) |
| Bonita Beach 1st Addition (roll text "ST ADD" and "ST ADDN") | 45 and 10 | 1994 and 1988 | 1,645 and 1,671 | 19 and 6 | 6 sales, $1,700,000 median ($875,000 to $3,100,000); 2 more at $799,000 and $942,500 |
| Bonita Beach Addition | 35 | 1993 | 1,917 | 17 | 5 sales, $935,000 median ($810,000 to $2,999,900) |
| Carolands (unrecorded subdivision) | 64 | 1992 | 2,760 | 46 | 2 sales, $2,862,500 and $7,700,000 |
| Kinleyland | 27 | 1987 | 2,221 | 25 | 4 sales, $1,900,000 to $2,100,000 |
| Cape Hickory | 5 | 2014 | 4,329 | 0 | None in the county grouping; one MLS closing at $4,750,000 on February 24, 2026 |
The groups total fewer than 351 because roll groups under three homes and 41 metes-and-bounds parcels (found in a plat-level check) are not listed. The roll shows 324 of 356 single-family parcels zoned RS-1, with 18 in TFC-2, 7 in RPD, 4 in MH-1 and 2 in C-1. Medians print only where a group has 10 or more sales; smaller groups show the actual sales.
Bonita Beach plat, Gulf-front Hickory Boulevard
The Bonita Beach plat is recorded as Plat Book 8, Page 65 (blocks B through I on Hickory Boulevard, with Plat Book 8, Page 62 for two lots in block G). A plat-level count finds 135 parcels in blocks B to I: 114 single-family homes and 21 vacant lots. The median parcel is 0.32 acre (platted widths of 50, 75 and 100 feet by 100 to 200 feet deep appear on the roll for some lots), and every one is zoned RS-1.
Carolands
Carolands is an unrecorded subdivision. The county roll's legal text reads "CAROLANDS UNREC SUBD" on 81 parcels, so there is no plat book and page, and lot lines come from deeds and surveys. The homes are on McLaughlin Boulevard (61 single-family parcels, 44 with a seawall flag and 4 with a dock flag) and Carol Court (5 parcels, 1 seawall flag).
Kinleyland
Kinleyland is recorded as Plat Book 29, Page 91 and sits on Kings Kew and Queens Kew. It has 27 single-family homes on the roll (30 parcels counting vacant lots), a median 0.29 acre, a median year built of 1987 and a median 2,221 square feet. The waterfront pattern is nearly total: 18 of 19 Kings Kew homes and 7 of 8 Queens Kew homes carry a seawall flag, and 25 of the 27 homes are waterfront on the roll.
Bonita Beach Street Additions (Forester Dr and neighbors)
East of Hickory Boulevard, two older plats hold most of the small-lot bay homes. The Bonita Beach 1st Addition (Plat Book 8, Page 70; the roll spells it "ST ADD") covers Forester Drive, Marimin Drive, Hickory View Drive and Hickory Bay Drive: 60 single-family parcels at a plat level, a median 0.17 acre and a median year built of 1988. Forester Drive has 32 single-family parcels, 26 with a seawall flag and 10 with a dock flag; Marimin Drive has 10 and none is flagged.
Cape Hickory, Villa Positano and the newer infill
Cape Hickory has five homes on Cape Hickory Court, described on the roll by recorded instrument 2013000013062 (tracts A and B), zoned RPD, with a median year built of 2014 and 4,329 square feet. The recorded declaration was not read for this page, so ask for it if you are weighing one of the five. Villa Positano (Plat Book 75, Pages 45 and 46) has lots 1 to 5 zoned RPD; lot 4 at 26353 Hickory Blvd sold on May 7, 2026 for $3,125,000.
Big Hickory Island
Big Hickory Island has no single-family homes on the City roll we pulled. The 10 City-roll parcels north of latitude 26.365 are three government-lot undeveloped tracts, two acreage parcels, two in other classes, one each in two further classes and a Bonita Beach Club common-element tract. The island is also Big Hickory Island Preserve, a 186-acre Lee County preserve at 14502 Bonita Beach Causeway, open dawn to dusk, with a paddlecraft landing and one permitted primitive campground.
Which condominiums are on Bonita Beach?
We tracked 1,436 condominium units in 23 associations on Bonita Beach, 1,419 of them built in the 1970s and 1980s, and Beach and Tennis Club is the largest at 359 roll units across three roll names (median 508 square feet). Data updated: October 2026.
The 23 condominium associations on the strip
| Association | Units (state count) | Year built (county GIS) | Side of Hickory Boulevard | Recorded sales, 24 months (median) | MLS active, Oct. 21, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonita Beach Club | 198 | 1977 | Gulf side | 19 ($668,250) | 5 |
| Seascape | 136 | 1979 | Gulf side | 9 ($600,000) | 4 |
| Bay Harbor Club | 104 | 1983 to 1984 | Bay side | 12 ($555,000) | 6 |
| Sea Isles | 84 | 1980 | Bay side | 5 ($590,000) | 4 |
| Beach and Tennis Club | 360 | 1977 to 1980 | Bay side, Fish Trap Bay, Bonita Beach Road | 35 across three roll names ($277,000 to $292,000 medians); MLS 37 closings, $280,000 median | 13 |
| Ambassador | 60 | 1982 | Gulf side | 3 ($650,000 to $1,147,000) | 6 |
| Casa Bonita I | 54 | 1973 | Gulf side | 5 ($850,000) | 14 across the four Casa Bonita associations |
| Casa Bonita Grande | 54 | 1976 | Gulf side | 2 ($900,000 and $945,000) | counted above |
| Casa Bonita II | 54 | 1973 | Gulf side | 5 ($700,000) | counted above |
| Casa Bonita Royale | 40 | 1978 | Bay side with boat docks; Gulf access by driveway easements | 1 ($520,000) | counted above |
| The Egret | 40 | 1972 | Gulf side | 4 ($575,000 to $970,000) | 2 |
| Windsong | 24 | 1979 | Gulf side | 3 ($375,000 to $680,000) | 2 |
| Silver Sands of Bonita Beach | 24 | 1982 | Gulf side | 1 ($1,400,000) | 0 |
| Hickory Shores | 23 | 1974 | Gulf side | 2 ($650,000 and $2,000,000) | 3 |
| Beachwood on the Bay | 15 | 1982 | Bay side | 1 ($528,000) | 1 |
| Pelican Pointe | 10 | 1983 | Gulf side | none | 1 |
| Palm Bay Estates | 8 | 1985 | Bay side | 2 ($525,000 and $640,000) | 0 |
| Gulf Harbor | 8 | 1985 | Bay side | 1 ($820,000) | 2 |
| Snook Harbor | 3 | 2001 | Bay side | 1 ($1,950,000) | 0 |
| Bayscape | 4 | 1982 | Bay side | 1 ($899,000) | 0 |
| Bonita Beach Plantation House | 48 | 1985 | Bay side, Bonita Beach Road | 6 (5 at $265,000, 1 at $225,000) | 0 |
| Solenzara | 12 | 2003 to 2004 | Bay or canal side | 1 ($1,500,000) | 0 |
| Dolphin Way of Hickory Point | 75 | 1975 to 1976 | Gulf side | 11 ($460,000) | 2 (MLS name Hickory Pointe, matched by its 624 sq ft units) |
"Gulf side" means the west side of Hickory Boulevard on the county map, and "bay side" the east side; neither is a survey statement, and only an association's own text or the county GIS supports calling a building Gulf-front. Recorded sales are Lee County qualified sales in the 24 months to September 25, 2026, by roll group; the MLS column counts active listings by MLS development name, and the MLS files all four Casa Bonita associations under one name. Medians print only where a group has 10 or more sales, so smaller groups show the range.
Two facts frame the financing side of every row above. None of the strip's condominiums appears on HUD's FHA approved list as of October 27, 2026, and 1,419 of the strip's 1,436 condo units sit in buildings dated 1972 to 1985 on the county roll, so every one of those buildings with three or more habitable stories falls under Florida's milestone inspection and structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) laws.
Section 553.899 requires a milestone inspection of a residential condominium building of three or more habitable stories by December 31 of the year it turns 30, so for these buildings the first inspection fell due by December 31, 2024, unless the City granted a local extension. Section 718.112 requires a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) at least every 10 years. Of the 23 associations, two publish anything about their SIRS; for the rest, the SIRS or a statement that none exists comes with the contract documents. The condo page covers each building's status.
How does boating work from Bonita Beach?
Boating from Bonita Beach runs through back-bay channels to two Gulf passes: Big Hickory Pass, crossed by a bridge with 10 feet of clearance, and New Pass, with 30 feet. Slow-speed manatee zones, a state aquatic preserve and shoaling shape every route. Data updated: October 2026.
The Gulf side of Hickory Boulevard has beach, not boat water: the Gulf-front estate lots carry no seawall or dock flags on the county roll. Boat access belongs to the bay and canal streets (Carolands, Kinleyland, Forester Drive and the Bonita Beach Addition) and to bay-side condominiums with their own docks. Soundings printed below are historical reports with their dates, not current depths; the NOAA chart and a local survey are the authority.
Routes to the Gulf
| Route | How to reach the Gulf | Constraint | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Hickory Pass (south of Big Hickory Island) | Imperial River, Fish Trap Bay, Big Hickory Bay and Hogue Channel, then the pass | Bridge over the pass has a 40-foot fixed span with 10 feet of vertical clearance; channel marked by private daybeacons; the state's June 2026 plan puts the inlet at about 150 feet wide and up to 6.5 feet deep | NOAA Coast Pilot 5 and chart 11426; FDEP Big Hickory Pass Inlet Management Plan |
| New Pass (north) | Broadway Channel north from Big Hickory Bay | Bridge clearance of 30 feet; the Coast Pilot reports severe shoaling in 2016 between Lighted Buoy 1 and Buoy 4 | NOAA Coast Pilot 5 |
Manatee speed zones near the strip (Florida Administrative Code 68C-22.005, as mirrored October 27, 2026; confirm against the FWC map before running a route)
| Water | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| South Estero Bay and Big Hickory Bay, east of the centerline of State Road 865 | Slow speed, then 25 mph | Slow speed April 1 to November 15; 25 mph the rest of the year |
| Intrepid Waters, Fish Trap Bay and the Imperial River, south of the line near 26 20 51 N on Little Hickory Island's east shore | Slow speed | All year |
| Fish Trap Bay marked channel, Marker 90 to Marker 101 | 25 mph | All year |
Ramps and marinas
- Imperial River Boat Ramp (Lee County, 27551 S Tamiami Trail): two ramps, $5 per day per vehicle, trailer parking limited to 72 hours. The county page lists it, and it is the nearest public ramp to the strip's bay.
- We found no public boat ramp on the strip itself.
Docks, seawalls and the aquatic preserve. The bay side of the strip sits inside or beside the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, Florida's first (designated 1966, 13,829 acres, including Big Hickory and Little Hickory Islands as western border islands). The City's Ordinance 23-11, adopted September 6, 2023, limits a dock and its mooring area to 25 percent of the navigable channel width, and to 20 percent of the waterway width inside the preserve. Read the ordinance and the state rule before planning a dock.
What should Bonita Beach buyers know about flood zones and storms?
Bonita Beach sits in FEMA flood zones AE and VE, on map panel 12071C0651G effective November 17, 2022. All 120 parcels we sampled were in one of the two, with base flood elevations of 10 to 13 feet. Hurricane Ian's surveyed high-water marks ran 9.2 to 12.4 feet. Data updated: October 2026.
The current map for the strip is Lee County panel 12071C0651G, with 12071C0654G at the south end, both effective November 17, 2022. A buyer's lender uses the zone on the panel that covers the building, and it can differ from the building next door.
FEMA zone sample, 40 random parcels per class (seed 20261027), National Flood Hazard Layer, October 27, 2026
| Class | Parcels sampled | Zone AE | Zone VE | Base flood elevations seen (ft NAVD88) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family | 40 | 31 | 9 | 10.0 (18 parcels), 11.0 (13), 13.0 (9) |
| Condominium | 40 | 35 | 5 | 10.0 (8), 11.0 (18), 12.0 (9), 13.0 (5) |
| Vacant residential | 40 | 36 | 4 | 10.0 (12), 11.0 (24), 12.0 (1), 13.0 (3) |
A 120-parcel sample is a screen, not a flood determination for any address; the elevation certificate and the FEMA panel settle a specific building. Three test points on the current map (Hickory Boulevard north of Bay Harbor, Bay Harbor Club and Carol Street) each returned zone AE with a base flood elevation of 11 feet.
What Hurricane Ian measured. The National Hurricane Center's report says Ian made landfall in southwestern Florida at Category 4 intensity and that maximum inundation of 8 to 12 feet above ground occurred in Estero, Bonita Beach, Bonita Springs and North Naples. The USGS surveyed 13 high-water marks inside the Bonita Beach box at 9.2 to 12.4 feet NAVD88 (median about 11.3), which is 2.35 to 7.96 feet above ground. Two of them:
| Mark | Place (USGS description) | Elevation (ft NAVD88) | Height above ground (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HWM 13a | 26235 Hickory Blvd, outside wall | 11.3 | 5.00 |
| HWM15 | Garage on Harmony Ln | 12.4 | 6.94 |
Ian flood claims, ZIP 34134 (OpenFEMA, claim records dated September 27 to 30, 2022, queried October 27, 2026)
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Claim records in the window | 1,732 |
| With a net building payment above $0 | 1,468 |
| With a net building payment of $100,000 or more | 569 |
| With a net building payment of $250,000 or more | 201 |
ZIP 34134 is wider than the island and includes mainland Bonita Springs west of I-75, so these are ZIP counts, not Bonita Beach counts.
Beach and inlet work. A public program maintains the Gulf beach in front of Bonita Beach on a cycle, funded by state, county and federal money; it is periodic and storm-dependent, not a guarantee.
| Year | Event | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | Big Hickory Island breach closed after Ian | 71,356 tons of upland sand |
| 2024 to 2025 | Lovers Key and Bonita Beach nourishment; Lee commissioners awarded about $39.2 million on September 17, 2024; work reported complete in March 2025 | about 350,000 cubic yards on Bonita Beach |
| June 2026 | State order adopts the Big Hickory Pass Inlet Management Plan: sand bypassing target of 19,500 cubic yards a year, 17,300 to Bonita Beach and 2,200 to Big Hickory Island | n/a |
Coastal Barrier Resources System. The nearest unit is Lovers Key (P17). Point checks along Hickory Boulevard, Carol Street and Big Hickory Island returned no CBRS unit or buffer. Where a unit does apply, federal flood insurance is limited to structures built or permitted before the unit's prohibition date. Check any parcel in the USFWS CBRS Mapper.
How does the City of Bonita Springs 50 percent rule work?
The City treats a building as substantially damaged or substantially improved when the cost of restoring or improving it equals or exceeds 50 percent of its market value, and the building then has to meet current flood elevation rules. The City counts cumulatively over a five-year window, and the window opens at the first permitted improvement after November 18, 1992.
- Market value is the Lee County Property Appraiser's building assessment (land and accessory features excluded) plus 20 percent, or a state-licensed appraiser's value.
- The design flood elevation is FEMA's base flood elevation plus one foot. That makes 11 feet for a base flood elevation of 10, 12 feet for 11, 13 feet for 12 and 14 feet for 13.
- The consequence of crossing the line is elevation to the Florida Building Code level, with mechanical equipment, bathrooms and laundry raised, and below-floor space limited to parking, building access and limited storage.
Do you need flood insurance on Bonita Beach?
A federally regulated lender requires flood insurance on a building in a mapped special flood hazard area (zones AE and VE), and every parcel we sampled is in one. Separately, Florida law requires Citizens Property Insurance to condition coverage on flood insurance (Florida Statutes 627.351(6)(aa)). Inside the special flood hazard area that rule applied to new Citizens policies from April 1, 2023 and renewals from July 1, 2023. Condominium unit-owner (HO-6) policies and policies without wind are exempt.
| Population | Flood coverage must be in place |
|---|---|
| New personal lines residential Citizens policies in the special flood hazard area | At issuance on or after April 1, 2023 |
| Renewals in the special flood hazard area | By renewal on or after July 1, 2023 |
| Other dwellings, replacement cost $600,000 or more | Policies effective on or after January 1, 2024 |
| $500,000 or more | January 1, 2025 |
| $400,000 or more | January 1, 2026 |
| All other personal lines residential | January 1, 2027 |
The City of Bonita Springs participates in the Community Rating System at Class 5, which FEMA's table maps to a 25 percent discount on NFIP premiums; FEMA's Community Information System showed Class 5 on October 27, 2026, after the City filed a corrective action plan in 2024. As an illustration only, a $4,000 pre-discount premium would fall by $1,000 to $3,000. No public source publishes a Bonita Beach premium, so this page prints none. Under FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 (fully implemented April 1, 2023), most rates cannot rise more than 18 percent a year, and two capped renewals compound to about 1.39 times the starting premium.
What is the elevation and wind standard for rebuilding?
For new and substantially improved buildings, the Florida Building Code, Residential (2023, 8th edition) section R322.2.1 requires the lowest floor at or above base flood elevation plus one foot, or the design flood elevation if higher, outside Coastal A zones; V zones and Coastal A zones fall under section R322.3. The City's flood ordinance requires pilings or columns in coastal high-hazard areas and Coastal A zones and forbids stem walls in Coastal A zones. The City measures building height from the minimum required flood elevation in flood-prone areas, and special-area height limits apply to Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island under Section 4-1874 of the Land Development Code (the text of that section could not be read for this page, so this page prints no height number).
What is the hurricane evacuation zone for Bonita Beach?
Lee County names its surge evacuation zones A through E. Every strip point we tested, 22 representative points plus two re-queried on October 27, 2026 (a Hickory Boulevard point and a Carol Street point), returned Zone A (surge zone 1), according to the county GIS layer last edited March 11, 2025. Check your address on the county's GIS layer or the state's Know Your Zone tool; the county's older evacuation page address no longer works, so use the county's emergency management home page for current notices.
What does it cost to own a home on Bonita Beach?
Owning on Bonita Beach starts with the City of Bonita Springs millage for Lee tax district 017: 12.7942 mills adopted for 2026, or $1,279.42 a year per $100,000 of taxable value before exemptions and non-ad valorem lines. The worked examples below use the county medians. Data updated: October 2026.
Millage, Lee County tax district 017 (City of Bonita Springs / Bonita Springs Fire)
| Taxing authority | 2025 final | 2026 adopted |
|---|---|---|
| Lee County General Revenue | 3.7623 | 3.7623 |
| Public school, local board | 2.2480 | 2.2480 |
| Public school, by state law | 3.0710 | 3.0230 |
| City of Bonita Springs | 0.8470 | 0.8411 |
| Lee County Library District | 0.4218 | 0.4218 |
| South Florida Water Management District, district-wide | 0.0948 | 0.0948 |
| SFWMD Everglades Construction Project | 0.0327 | 0.0327 |
| SFWMD Okeechobee Basin | 0.1026 | 0.1026 |
| Bonita Springs Fire District | 1.9466 | 1.9999 |
| Lee County Hyacinth Control District | 0.0192 | 0.0190 |
| Lee County Mosquito Control District | 0.2116 | 0.2096 |
| West Coast Inland Navigation District | 0.0394 | 0.0394 |
| Total | 12.7970 | 12.7942 |
The 2026 column is the applied rate in the Lee County Property Appraiser's 2026 millage book, printed October 9, 2026 (the proposed total on the August TRIM notices was 12.8217). Non-ad valorem lines, such as solid waste, appear on the tax bill and are not in the millage. The Property Appraiser reassesses at full market value on January 1 of the year after a sale, and a second home or investment property is non-homestead. Tax bills for 2026 mail October 31, 2026, according to the Lee County Tax Collector.
Worked example 1: a $525,000 condo (the county's 24-month condo median), second home, 20 percent down ($105,000), loan $420,000 (conforming)
| Line | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Deed documentary stamps | $3,675 | $525,000 divided by 100 times $0.70 (Florida Statutes 201.02); seller by Lee County custom |
| Mortgage documentary stamps | $1,470 | $420,000 divided by 100 times $0.35 (201.08); buyer |
| Intangible tax | $840 | $420,000 times 0.002 (199.133); buyer |
| Owner's title premium | $2,700 | $575 on the first $100,000 plus $2,125 on the next $425,000 (Rule 69O-186.003); shown for reference, a seller-side custom in Lee County, and the contract controls |
| Lender's title premium (simultaneous issue) | $25 | Rule 69O-186.003 minimum; buyer |
| Estoppel certificate | up to $299, or $299 plus $119 expedited (DBPR's current inflation-adjusted schedule; statute base $250 and $100) | Florida Statutes 718.116(8); payer set by the contract |
| Recording, title search and exam, closing fee, appraisal, lender fees, prepaid items | variable | $10 first page and $8.50 each added page at the Lee County Clerk; the rest are not promulgated |
| Buyer-side financing taxes | $2,310 | $1,470 plus $840 |
Cash at closing before variable lines, if the seller pays the deed stamps and the owner's policy by custom: $105,000 down plus $2,310 plus $25, or $107,335. If the buyer pays the owner's policy, add $2,700. A cash purchase skips the mortgage stamps, intangible tax and lender's policy.
Yearly carrying: property tax at 12.7942 mills on a taxable value equal to the price is an upper bound of $6,716.95 a year ($559.75 a month); the first bill depends on the Property Appraiser's market value, which can differ from the price. Principal and interest on $420,000 over 30 years, as arithmetic and not a rate quote: $2,518.11 a month at 6.0 percent and $2,654.69 at 6.5. Association dues, special assessments and reserves are variable (read the budget, the SIRS and the estoppel), and so are condo and flood insurance.
Worked example 2: a $2,600,000 single-family home (the county's 12-month single-family median), second home, 25 percent down ($650,000), loan $1,950,000 (jumbo)
| Line | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Deed documentary stamps | $18,200 | $2,600,000 divided by 100 times $0.70; seller by custom |
| Mortgage documentary stamps | $6,825 | $1,950,000 divided by 100 times $0.35; buyer |
| Intangible tax | $3,900 | $1,950,000 times 0.002; buyer |
| Owner's title premium | $9,075 | $575 plus $4,500 on the next $900,000 plus $4,000 on the next $1,600,000; a seller-side custom, and the contract controls |
| Lender's title premium (simultaneous issue) | $25 | Rule 69O-186.003 minimum; buyer |
| Buyer-side financing taxes | $10,725 | $6,825 plus $3,900 |
Cash at closing before variable lines, on the same custom: $650,000 down plus $10,725 plus $25, or $660,750; add $9,075 if the buyer pays the owner's policy. Property tax at 12.7942 mills on a taxable value equal to the price is an upper bound of $33,264.92 a year ($2,772.08 a month). Principal and interest on $1,950,000 over 30 years, as arithmetic: $11,691.24 a month at 6.0 percent and $12,325.33 at 6.5. Lee County's 2026 conforming limit for one unit is $832,750, so this loan is $1,117,250 over it. Insurance, seawall and dock upkeep and the pool are variable.
Tax at 100 percent of price is an upper bound, and the formula for a specific parcel is Lee Property Appraiser market value times 12.7942 mills. Title insurance custom differs across the county line: in Lee County (Bonita Beach) the seller customarily pays the owner's policy, and in Collier County (Barefoot Beach) the buyer customarily pays it and chooses the closing agent. Treat it as negotiable and read the contract.
Utilities and trash. Bonita Springs Utilities is the water and wastewater utility on the island. Whether every island parcel is on utility sewer rather than septic was not confirmed, and the solid waste assessment on the tax bill for a Bonita Beach parcel was not confirmed.
Does homestead apply to a Bonita Beach purchase?
Homestead applies only if the buyer makes the home a permanent Florida residence and applies by March 1 of the tax year; the seller's exemption does not carry over. The first $25,000 of assessed value is exempt from all property taxes except special assessments, and for tax year 2026 an additional exemption of up to $26,411 applies to assessed value above $50,000 for non-school taxes (Lee County Property Appraiser).
- Save Our Homes limits the annual rise in assessed value to 3 percent, or the change in the consumer price index if lower (Florida Statutes 193.155), starting the year after homestead is granted.
- A change of ownership resets the assessment to just value on January 1 of the following year, so the seller's low assessed value does not follow the home.
- Portability lets a Florida homeowner move up to $500,000 of the Save Our Homes difference to a new Florida homestead if the new one is established within three years of January 1 of the year the old one was abandoned.
- Renting the home long term, or leaving it as a primary residence, ends the exemption.
- On the November 3, 2026 ballot, Amendment 3 would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 if approved by 60 percent of voters (Florida Senate release of June 2, 2026). Check the result after November 3 before relying on it.
What rules apply to Bonita Beach rentals, the beach and building?
Bonita Beach rental, beach and building rules come in layers: a City of Bonita Springs rental permit at $100 per unit for three years, Florida's vacation rental preemption, each condo association's own minimum stay, a nightly turtle-lighting season from May 1 to October 31, and state coastal construction rules for Gulf-front lots. Data updated: October 2026.
What is the City of Bonita Springs rental permit?
The City's rental permit program (Code Chapter 12, Article IV, Ordinance 05-14) requires the owner of a non-owner-occupied single-family home, duplex or multi-family dwelling to get a permit before leasing, whether the rental is transient (under six months) or long term. The fee is $100 per unit, the permit is valid for three years, and a Code Enforcement Officer inspects under the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code, with violations cured before issuance. The City's page excludes properties of more than six dwelling units regulated under Chapter 718 (condominiums).
In practice, a condominium building of more than six units under Chapter 718 sits outside the City permit, and a house, duplex or six-unit-or-smaller building sits inside it. The two smallest buildings (3 and 4 units) sit under the six-unit line, and the City's page, read October 27, 2026, is the record.
What does Florida law say about vacation rentals?
Florida Statutes 509.032(7)(b) says a local law, ordinance or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals, and that this does not apply to a local law adopted on or before June 1, 2011. The text is identical in the 2025 and 2026 statute books. Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation requires a license when an entire unit is rented more than three times in a calendar year for periods under 30 days or one calendar month, whichever is less; its guide (read October 27, 2026) lists a $50 application fee, a $10 hospitality education fee and a $170 annual fee for a single-unit license. Lee County collects a 5 percent tourist development tax on the gross rental amount for rentals of six months or less.
What rental minimums do the condo associations publish?
Only five of the 23 condo associations publish a rental minimum, and all five are 30 days or one month; the other 18 publish nothing, and the recorded declaration (book and page on the county roll) is the settling record. None of the five allows nightly rentals.
| Association | Published minimum | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Bonita Beach Club | 30 days for owners who bought after June 2006; earlier owners follow a 2006 amendment | Rules and Regulations adopted January 26, 2026 |
| Casa Bonita I | One month | Association rental rules page, read October 27, 2026 |
| Casa Bonita Grande | 30 days or one month, whichever is less | Association page, read October 27, 2026 |
| Casa Bonita Royale | 30 days | Welcome letter and lease application revised June 7, 2026 |
| Windsong | 30 days; whole units only | FAQ sheet dated October 1, 2026 |
A private declaration minimum is a separate layer from state and City rules, so read the current rules for the building you are considering.
What are the sea turtle lighting rules?
The City's sea turtle ordinance, effective June 21, 2023, covers barrier-island properties whose light is visible from the beach. Nesting season runs May 1 to October 31. From 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. in season, lights visible from the beach must be shut off or shielded, and beach furniture must be removed from the beach and stored behind the dune line. New-construction fixtures must be long-wavelength (560 nanometers or greater), downward, full cutoff and shielded. Fires are not permitted on the beach, and accessory structures seaward of the state control line need a Beach and Dune permit.
Are dogs, glass and fires allowed on the beach?
At Lee County's Bonita Beach accesses (#1 through #10) pets are not allowed, and fires and grilling are prohibited. Glass containers and alcohol draw fines under the county parks code (Lee County Ordinance 18-27, adopted December 4, 2018; fine schedule read October 27, 2026):
| Offense | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass container | $75 | $150 | $300 |
| Alcoholic beverage | $100 | $200 | $500 |
| Fire | $300 | $400 | $500 (and possible mandatory court appearance) |
| Failure to clean up after a dog | $100 | $200 | $300 |
| Dog in a prohibited area | $75 | $150 | $300 |
A saltwater fishing license is required to fish from shore at the county accesses. Dogs have one county beach of their own, Dog Beach: on-leash walking and an off-leash area, free parking, portable toilets, a rinse shower, and rules against glass, alcohol, fires and fishing where dogs are present. At mid to high tide the beach can be reached only by wading.
What zoning, height and coastal rules apply to Gulf-front lots?
Zoning on the strip is mostly RS-1: the zoning layer places 324 single-family parcels there, with 18 in TFC-2 (two-family cottage), 7 in RPD (planned development), 4 in MH-1 and 2 in C-1. The City measures height from the minimum required flood elevation in flood-prone areas, but Section 4-1871(4) of the Land Development Code says that rule does not apply to the special-area height limits for Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island, which Section 4-1874 sets. The text of Section 4-1874 could not be read for this page, so no height number is printed.
The state's Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) for Lee County was established in 1991. Unless exempt, construction and excavation seaward of it need a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection; the line is a jurisdictional area, not a setback. In a screening against the state's generalized line, all 135 parcels in Bonita Beach plat blocks B to I fall seaward of it. That is a screening, not a survey: 106 of the 477 parcels tested sat within about 40 meters of the line. The state's permit layer shows 145 "Single Family Dwelling" permit records at Hickory Boulevard addresses from 1992 to 2025, 29 of them from 2019 to 2025. Florida Statutes 161.053 also bars permits for repairs or rebuilding that expand a structure's capacity seaward of the 30-year erosion projection. Lee County's vegetation removal guide lists Little Hickory Island among the coastal islands where single-family and duplex owners must apply before clearing; whether the City applies the same rule inside City limits was not confirmed. The City ended its post-Ian permit fee waiver: permits submitted after January 31, 2025 pay the full fee.
How do you get to the beach on Bonita Beach, and what is open in 2026?
Beach access on Bonita Beach changed in 2026: Bonita Beach Park and Access #10 (Little Hickory Island Beach Park) closed to parking on September 8, 2026 for about 11 months, the Access #1 lot closes starting November 1, 2026, and Accesses #2 to #9 stay free. Beaches and pedestrian access stay open. Data updated: October 2026.
Lee County beach accesses on Hickory Boulevard, north to south (county pages, read October 27, 2026)
| Access | Address | Parking | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonita Beach Park | 27954 Hickory Blvd | Paid | Closed September 8, 2026; beach reached on foot through Access #1 |
| Access #1 | 27890 Hickory Blvd | $2 per hour; Lee annual parking pass valid; no restrooms, pets, fires or grilling | Open; lot closes starting November 1, 2026; pedestrian path stays open |
| Access #2 | 27720 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #3 | 27494 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #4 | 27260 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #5 | 27010 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #6 | 26786 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #7 | 26590 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #8 | 26410 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #9 | 26220 Hickory Blvd | Free | Open |
| Access #10, Little Hickory Island Beach Park | 26082 Hickory Blvd | $2 per hour; Lee annual pass valid; no pets, fires or grilling | Lot and amenities closed September 8, 2026; pedestrian access stays; portable restrooms outside the fence |
At Bonita Beach Park the county is repairing a county office building, restroom, boardwalks and pavilions; at Access #10 it is restoring structures, boardwalks and pavilions and replacing the restroom building Hurricane Ian destroyed. The county's September 2, 2026 release says "most projects are expected to take 11 months" from September 8 and gives no separate reopening date for Bonita Beach Park, so this page prints none. The county's pages for Accesses #2 to #9 carry a standing advisory that beaches have not been restored to pre-Ian conditions, debris can wash onshore, and beach shoes are advised.
Where to park and how to arrive:
- Lee County names free parking at the shopping center lot at 3300 Bonita Beach Road SW, and its LeeTran ULTRA On Demand service picks up at the northwest corner of US 41 and Bonita Beach Road for Bonita Beach Park. Fares and hours were not confirmed on the county's own page.
- The county's beach trolley routes (490 and 410) serve Fort Myers Beach to Lovers Key, not Hickory Boulevard south of Lovers Key.
- Barefoot Beach Preserve (Collier County Parks, 505 Barefoot Beach Boulevard) is about 342 acres, open 8 a.m. to sunset, with a $10 pay-to-park fee without a Collier resident permit, and no dogs. Collier's free resident permit is for Collier residents and part-time owners of Collier property, not owners of Lee County Bonita Beach parcels.
- Lovers Key State Park charges $8 per vehicle, 8 a.m. to sunset. Its tram service is discontinued, and since May 1, 2026 it has no gift shop or food service.
How do you buy a home on Bonita Beach?
Buying on Bonita Beach follows the Lee County pattern with a few strip-specific checks: confirm the condo project or flood zone before you write, review the association documents for the seven-day window, gather three insurance quotes early, and read your contract for who pays the owner's title policy. Data updated: October 2026.
| Step | What to check | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Financing and project eligibility | The 2026 conforming loan limit is $832,750. Second-home loans are commonly capped at 90 percent loan-to-value and investment-property loans at 85 percent under the conventional guidelines; lenders may set tighter terms | FHFA 2026 limits; Fannie Mae selling guide, read October 27, 2026 |
| Condominium documents | A buyer of a resale condo has 7 days to cancel after receiving the documents (Fla. Stat. 718.503); the association has 10 business days to deliver an estoppel certificate, with a fee capped at $299 under DBPR's current inflation-adjusted schedule (statute base $250, Fla. Stat. 718.116) | Florida Statutes, 2026 |
| Single-family documents | Ask for the elevation certificate (the City keeps a database back to June 1, 2008), the permit history from the City's permit portal, seawall condition, the wind mitigation form and any roof, electrical and plumbing updates | City of Bonita Springs, read October 27, 2026 |
| Insurance | Get three quotes before the inspection period ends: wind, flood and, for condos, the unit-owner policy. Citizens often asks for a four-point inspection when a roof or system is over 20 years old | Florida Citizens; contract terms |
| Closing costs | Fees follow Lee County custom and your contract; see the title paragraph below | Florida Statutes; Rule 69O-186.003 |
| Foreign sellers | FIRPTA withholding is 15 percent of the amount realized, 10 percent for a buyer's residence in the $300,000 to $1,000,000 range and 0 percent at or under $300,000 when the buyer will use it as a residence | IRS, read October 27, 2026 |
What financing questions come up on Bonita Beach condos?
Lenders review a condominium project before lending on a unit, and a project can fail on its reserves, litigation, owner-occupancy mix or critical repairs. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac decline projects with unresolved critical repairs. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) lists approved condominium projects on HUD's lookup: none of the strip's condominiums appears on HUD's FHA approved list as of October 27, 2026. A buyer who needs FHA financing should confirm the building with the lender before writing; cash and conventional buyers face a different set of tests.
What should you read in the condo documents?
Read the declaration for the rental minimum and pet rules, the budget and reserve schedule, the latest milestone inspection report and structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) for buildings of three stories or more, any pending special assessment, the insurance certificate and the estoppel. A buyer gets a seven-day window to cancel after receiving the documents. Ask the association, not the seller, for current figures.
Who pays for title insurance and closing costs?
In Lee County the seller customarily pays the owner's title insurance policy; in Collier County the buyer pays and chooses the closing agent. The contract controls in both counties. The lender's policy is a buyer cost, and a simultaneous issue with the owner's policy carries a $25 premium. Florida's title premium is set by rule (69O-186.003), so the rate does not vary by agent. Documentary stamps on the deed and the intangible tax on a new mortgage follow the state schedule.
What does Senate Bill 264 mean for a buyer?
Senate Bill 264 is a 2023 law (chapter 2023-33, Florida Statutes 692.201 to 692.205) that limits purchases of Florida land by certain foreign principals from named countries of concern. It applies to certain buyers, not to US citizens, and it is a legal question for your attorney and title company. A federal challenge is on the docket at the Eleventh Circuit (No. 23-12737). A buyer who might be affected should ask a Florida real estate attorney before signing.
Bonita Beach or Barefoot Beach: how do the two compare for buyers?
Bonita Beach and Barefoot Beach sit on neighboring barrier islands, but they sit in different counties: Bonita Beach is in Lee County and Barefoot Beach is in Collier. The two differ on millage, freeboard and rental minimums. Compare them on property facts, not on a single number. Data updated: October 2026.
| Item | Bonita Beach (Lee County) | Barefoot Beach (Collier County) |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded sales, 12 months | Lee, 12 months to September 25, 2026: 21 single-family sales at a $2,600,000 median and 77 condo sales at $510,000 | Collier, 12 months to October 2, 2026: 16 condo sales at a $1,300,000 median; 13 single-family sales at $3,875,000 |
| Parcels | 351 single-family parcels and 1,436 condominium units on the Lee County roll | 413 condo-coded parcels (the Villas included) and 212 single-family parcels inside the gate; 681 parcels in all on the Collier roll |
| Flood zones | AE and VE; BFE 10 to 13 ft NAVD88 on the sampled points | 668 addressed parcels: 597 in AE, 71 in VE, none in X |
| Freeboard rule | City: base flood elevation plus 1 ft | Collier: base flood elevation plus 12 inches |
| Community Rating System | Class 5 | Class 5 |
| 2025 millage compared with 2025 | 12.7970 (Lee, district 017) | 9.5058 (Collier) |
| Short-term rental | City permit; association minimums of 30 days or one month where published | Collier registration under Ordinance 2021-45; association minimums of 30 days (several), 60 days (Southport) and 90 days (the Gulf lanes) |
| Beach park | Ten Lee County accesses; Bonita Beach Park and Access #10 closed to parking from September 8, 2026 | Barefoot Beach Preserve, 342 acres, $10 pay-to-park without a resident permit, no dogs |
The millage row uses 2025 for both counties so the two are compared on the same year; Bonita Beach's 2026 adopted rate of 12.7942 is in the cost section above. Schools are not compared: the assignment for Barefoot Beach conflicts across the sources read for this page, so check each county's locator by address.
Which search fits which list? Start with Bonita Beach if you want Lee County's tax and permit rules, a mix of bay-side and Gulf-front homes, and Lee's free Accesses #2 to #9. Start with Barefoot Beach if you want a gated Collier community beside a preserve and Collier's rules. The median figures in the first row show the price levels each search will meet. Both searches are about the property and its costs, not about who lives there. To see the Collier side, look at Barefoot Beach homes for sale and Bonita Shores homes for sale.
Talk to a Domain Realty Group Bonita Beach specialist
Domain Realty Group, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, shows homes and condos on Bonita Beach. Tell us whether you want a Gulf-front house, a bay lot or a condominium, and we will pull the elevation certificate or association documents, flood zone and rental rules for each address before you tour. Data updated: October 2026.
★★★★★ "We thoroughly enjoyed working with Monica on buying a home in Bonita Springs. She is a true professional. She went way above and beyond , spent many hours researching and finding data, and was so flexible and responsive in setting up showings last minute and getting the necessary data we needed to help make a decision. Very service oriented and responsive which we greatly appreciated being remote in MN." Verified Google review. Tina Clark, a buyer, on working with Monica Bernd of Domain Realty Group.
★★★★★ "Ashley exceeded our standards right from the beginning of our home search. She was extremely thorough and knowledgeable on all properties shown to us and had an answer to every question we asked. I appreciate her patience and professionalism even when we took a break from the home search and being unsure to continue on. Very recommended!" Verified Google review. Ari Aguilar, a buyer, on working with Ashley Prescott of Domain Realty Group.
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Start your search here:
- All Bonita Beach homes for sale
- Bonita Beach single-family homes for sale
- Bonita Beach condos for sale
- Bonita Beach condos for sale, Beach and Tennis Club, Bonita Bay homes for sale, Bonita Springs communities, Bonita Springs gated communities, Bonita Springs land for sale and Bonita Springs condos for sale
Ready to tour Bonita Beach homes?
Contact Domain Realty Group or call 239-441-2816, and a Bonita Springs agent will line up showings on Bonita Beach, with the flood zone, the beach access status and the association rules for each address in hand before the first tour.
Own a home on Bonita Beach?
If you already own on Bonita Beach and want to know where your home stands against these recorded sales, Jesse and Marc's McGreevy and Comisar team will show you what your Bonita Beach home is worth.
Frequently asked questions about Bonita Beach homes for sale
Short answers drawn from the tables above, current to October 2026.
How many homes are for sale on Bonita Beach right now?
On October 21, 2026, the Southwest Florida MLS showed 86 active and 5 pending Bonita Beach listings: 12.4 months of supply for condos and 10.1 for single-family homes.
What is the median price of a Bonita Beach home?
Lee County recorded 21 single-family sales at a $2,600,000 median and 77 condo sales at $510,000 in the 12 months to September 25, 2026. The MLS layer counts differently, so we do not blend the two.
Is Bonita Beach in Lee County or Collier County?
Lee County, inside the City of Bonita Springs, ZIP 34134. Barefoot Beach, just south, is in Collier County.
How do Gulf-front and bay-side homes differ in price?
In the 24 months to September 25, 2026, 17 recorded sales on lots with a roll seawall or dock flag (bay and canal lots) had a $2,100,000 median; 20 sales on lots without one, mostly Gulf-front, had a $6,075,000 median.
How many condominium associations are on Bonita Beach?
We count 23 associations and 1,436 condominium units on the Lee County roll. 981 units were built in the 1970s and 438 in the 1980s.
Can you buy a vacant lot on Bonita Beach?
Yes. The roll holds 121 vacant residential parcels. Check the flood zone, the coastal construction control line, the island height rule (Land Development Code 4-1874, not read for this page) and the sea turtle lighting rules before closing.
What is the property tax rate on Bonita Beach?
Lee tax district 017 totals 12.7942 mills for 2026 as adopted, or $1,279.42 a year per $100,000 of taxable value, before exemptions and non-ad valorem lines (Lee County Property Appraiser, printed October 9, 2026).
How does the tax rate compare with Barefoot Beach?
Comparing 2025 with 2025, Bonita Beach's Lee district was 12.7970 mills and Barefoot Beach's Collier rate was 9.5058 mills. Taxable value and exemptions differ by address.
Does homestead exemption apply to a Bonita Beach home?
Only if you make it your permanent Florida residence and apply by March 1; the Save Our Homes cap then limits annual assessment increases. Amendment 3 is on the November 3, 2026 ballot, so check the result before relying on it.
Is Bonita Beach in a flood zone?
Every parcel we sampled was. All 120 parcels drawn from FEMA's layer on October 27, 2026 were in zone AE (102) or VE (18), with base flood elevations of 10 to 13 feet NAVD88, on panel 12071C0651G effective November 17, 2022.
What does CRS Class 5 mean for flood insurance?
The City of Bonita Springs holds Community Rating System Class 5, a 25 percent discount on National Flood Insurance Program premiums in the special flood hazard area (FEMA, October 27, 2026).
What is the 50 percent rule for renovating?
If an improvement or repair costs 50 percent or more of the building's market value, counted cumulatively over 5 years, the City treats it as substantial and the building must meet current flood rules, base flood elevation plus 1 foot.
How high did the water get during Hurricane Ian?
Ian made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane on September 28, 2022. USGS high-water marks on the strip ran 9.2 to 12.4 feet NAVD88, against mapped base flood elevations of 10 to 13 feet.
Can you rent out a home on Bonita Beach?
With a City rental permit, $100 per unit for 3 years. Florida Statutes 509.032(7)(b) limits local rules on rental duration, DBPR licenses frequent short rentals, Lee County collects a 5 percent tourist tax, and an association declaration can set a minimum stay.
Which condominiums publish a rental minimum?
Five of the 23: Bonita Beach Club, Casa Bonita I, Casa Bonita Grande, Casa Bonita Royale and Windsong, all 30 days or one month. For the other 18, the recorded declaration settles it.
What are the sea turtle lighting rules?
Nesting season runs May 1 to October 31. From 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. in season, lights visible from the beach must be shut off or shielded and beach furniture removed.
Are dogs allowed on Bonita Beach?
Not at Lee County accesses #1 through #10. Dog Beach has an on-leash walking area and an off-leash area. A dog in a prohibited area draws a $75 first fine.
Is beach parking free?
Accesses #2 to #9 on Hickory Boulevard are free. Access #1 charges $2 per hour and its lot closes starting November 1, 2026; Bonita Beach Park and Access #10 closed to parking on September 8, 2026. Beaches and pedestrian access stay open.
When does Bonita Beach Park reopen?
The county's September 2, 2026 release says most projects are expected to take 11 months from September 8 and gives no separate reopening date for the park, so we print none.
Can you buy a Bonita Beach condo with an FHA loan?
As of October 27, 2026, none of the strip's condominiums appears on HUD's FHA approved list. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also decline projects with unresolved critical repairs, so ask a lender to review the building first.
What is the 2026 conforming loan limit?
$832,750 for a one-unit home (FHFA). Many Bonita Beach single-family homes sell above it, so jumbo terms come up often.
What do you review before buying a condo?
The declaration, budget and reserves, milestone inspection and SIRS reports, any special assessment and the insurance certificate. A resale buyer has 7 days to cancel after receiving the documents (Florida Statutes 718.503), and the estoppel is due within 10 business days, with the fee capped at $299 under DBPR's current schedule.
What are milestone inspections and SIRS?
Florida requires milestone inspections for condominium buildings of three stories or more and structural integrity reserve studies that set reserves for structural items. Ask each association for its report dates and reserve figures.
Who pays for title insurance?
In Lee County the seller customarily pays the owner's policy and the contract controls. The lender's policy is a buyer cost, $25 simultaneous issue. In Collier County the buyer pays and chooses the closing agent.
Do foreign buyers have extra steps?
FIRPTA withholding applies to foreign sellers at 15 percent, 10 percent or 0 percent depending on price and use. Florida's SB 264, a 2023 law (chapter 2023-33), limits land purchases by certain foreign principals; ask a Florida real estate attorney.
What is the coastal construction control line?
A state line seaward of which construction needs a Florida DEP permit. In our screening against the generalized line, all 135 parcels in plat blocks B to I fall seaward of it. That is a screening, not a survey.
What bridge clearances matter for boaters?
Big Hickory Pass has a bridge with 10 feet of clearance and New Pass has 30 feet. See the routes table in the boating section.
Is Big Hickory Island buildable?
The island is a 186-acre Lee County preserve. The City roll north of latitude 26.365 holds 10 parcels, none a single-family home or condo unit.
How does Bonita Beach compare with Barefoot Beach?
They sit on neighboring barrier islands in different counties. Bonita Beach has a 12.7942-mill 2026 rate and a $100 City rental permit; Barefoot Beach has a 9.5058-mill 2025 rate, Collier registration for short-term rentals and Collier freeboard of base flood elevation plus 12 inches.
How old are the homes on Bonita Beach?
The roll shows 49 single-family homes with a year built in the 2020s and 61 in the 2010s, with a median heated area of 2,722 square feet. The condominium stock is older, with 981 units from the 1970s and 438 from the 1980s.
How do I tour homes on Bonita Beach?
Contact Domain Realty Group or call 239-441-2816, and a Bonita Springs agent will line up showings with the flood zone, association rules and beach access status for each address.
About Domain Realty Group in Bonita Springs
Domain Realty Group is a team of about 40 agents founded in 2008, serving Lee, Collier and Charlotte County, Florida, led by Jesse McGreevy (SL3101296) and Marc Comisar (BK3060671), who bring over 45 years of combined direct experience between Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar. Domain Realty Group, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, has $2.5 billion in team production and 4,000+ transactions. RealTrends 2026: #1 in Bonita Springs and #5 in Florida.
Domain Realty Group 239-441-2816
Offices in Bonita Springs, Naples and Fort Myers:
- Bonita Springs: 24031 S Tamiami Trl #101, Bonita Springs, FL 34134
- Naples: 9180 Galleria Ct #200, Naples, FL 34109
- Fort Myers: 8290 College Parkway, Unit 201, Fort Myers, FL 33919
Brokered by Domain Realty, a licensed Florida real estate brokerage. All agents are licensed Florida real estate professionals.
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page traces to the records below, read or pulled in October 2026. Confirm the current document before you rely on a building or association rule.
County, city, state and federal records
- Lee County Property Appraiser, 2026 Taxing District Millage Book
- Lee County Property Appraiser, 2025 Taxing District Millage Book
- Lee County Property Appraiser, tax roll data
- Lee County Property Appraiser, general exemption information
- Lee County, release on the Bonita Beach Park and Access #10 closures, September 2, 2026
- Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Accesses #2 to #9
- Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Access #10, Little Hickory Island Beach Park
- Lee County Parks and Recreation, Big Hickory Island Preserve
- Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Access #1
- Lee County Parks and Recreation, Imperial River Boat Ramp
- Lee County GIS, evacuation zones
- City of Bonita Springs, rental permits
- City of Bonita Springs, Community Rating System and FEMA information
- City of Bonita Springs, flood protection information
- City of Bonita Springs, Bonita Beach access
- City of Bonita Springs, council approves Hickory Boulevard roundabout
- City of Bonita Springs Community Development, elevation certificate search
- City of Bonita Springs Community Development, permit portal
- City of Bonita Springs Community Development, sea turtle ordinance update
- City of Bonita Springs, Ordinance 23-11 dock and shoreline amendments
- Florida DEP, Coastal Construction Control Line program
- Florida DEP, how to determine if your property is seaward of the CCCL
- Florida DEP, Big Hickory Pass inlet management plan, June 2026
- Florida DEP, Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve management plan
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, sea turtle lighting
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, manatee protection zones
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, vacation rental guide
- Florida Division of Condominiums, inspections
- Florida Division of Condominiums, SIRS reporting
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, title insurance overview
- Florida Department of Financial Services, wind mitigation notices, inspections and forms
- Citizens Property Insurance, flood insurance
- Citizens Property Insurance, 2026 rate and rule changes
- Collier County Parks, Barefoot Beach Preserve
- FEMA, National Flood Hazard Layer
- FEMA, Community Rating System communities and discounts
- FEMA, OpenFEMA FIMA NFIP redacted claims data set
- USGS, Short-Term Network high-water marks
- National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ian report
- NOAA, Coast Pilot 5 chapter 4
- HUD, FHA condominium project lookup
- Federal Housing Finance Agency, 2026 conforming loan limits
- Internal Revenue Service, FIRPTA withholding
- Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, opinion in No. 23-12737
Associations and clubs
- Bonita Beach Club Association
- Bonita Beach Club, key rules and regulations
- Casa Bonita I, rental rules
- Casa Bonita Grande
- Casa Bonita Royale, welcome letter
- Casa Bonita Royale, lease application, revised June 7, 2026
- Windsong Condominium
Florida statutes, rules and codes
- Florida Statutes 718.503, developer disclosure and buyer cancellation
- Florida Statutes 718.116, assessments and estoppel
- Florida Statutes 718.112, bylaws and reserves
- Florida Statutes 553.899, milestone inspections
- Florida Statutes 509.032, vacation rental preemption
- Florida Statutes 627.351, Citizens Property Insurance
- Florida Statutes 161.053, coastal construction regulation
- Florida Statutes 193.155, homestead assessments
- Florida Statutes 692.201, foreign principal land purchases
- Florida Administrative Code 69O-186.003, title insurance premium
- Florida Administrative Code 68C-22.005, Lee County manatee zones
- City of Bonita Springs Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12 Article IV rental registration
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, ineligible projects
Market data (no public link)
- Southwest Florida MLS, Bonita Beach area closings and active listings, member data pulled October 21, 2026, and Lee County Property Appraiser recorded qualified sales to September 25, 2026.