This 112-Acre Car-Free Florida Island Is Rumored To Have Inspired Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Cheeseburger In Paradise’

Posted on March 26, 2026
By Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living
Cabbage Key, Dining, History, Recreation, Reviews

Go for a day, or plan a weekend getaway.

Rumored to have inspired Jimmy Buffett’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” Cabbage Key is a southwest Florida island that feels suspended in time. Though the Buffett lore cannot be fully verified, you can indeed get a cheeseburger and beer at the on-island restaurant and famed “dollar bill bar” at Cabbage Key Inn while basking in an undeveloped island paradise.

Regardless of whether you crave a cheeseburger or not (in fact, it’s the house-smoked Fish Dip that you should order), Cabbage Key is worth a visit. Named after the Cabbage Palm, it’s a place that still lives the unstuffy, barefoot Florida lifestyle. A boater’s paradise, it’s popular for lunch and sees a herd of boats float up at the first-come-first-serve dock slip midday. But if it’s a digital detox you crave, you can stay overnight on the island at the historic 1930s home, or at one of its six island cottages.

Here’s what to know about visiting Cabbage Key.

Micro-Adventures Pack Big Fun into a Few Quick Days Away

Posted on March 24, 2026
By Terry Ward, tampamagazines.com
Cabbage Key Inn Reviews, In The Neighborhood, Staycation

One of a handful of waterfront cottages with their own dockage for rent at Cabbage Key, off the coast of Fort Myers. (Courtesy of Terry Ward)

In a world where escapism constantly comes calling, a trip of a lifetime to the other side of the planet to do something extraordinary has its appeal and place. But you don’t have to travel far from Tampa Bay to find yourself someplace completely transporting in its own right.

According to Allianz Partners USA’s 2025 Vacation Confidence Index, “micro-cations” closer to home — vacations for four nights or fewer — are trending as travelers look to strike an equilibrium between time spent away, cost and the overall value of what you actually get out of a trip.

Winter like Edison and Ford in Fort Myers

Posted on March 15, 2026
By Karon Warren – For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cabbage Key, Fort Myers, History

According to local lore, Cabbage Key’s restaurant is home to the cheeseburger that inspired Jimmy Buffett’s famous song “Cheeseburger in Paradise. (Karon Warren for the AJC)

Looking for your next cold weather getaway? Visit this historical town with a big legacy.

Many years ago, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford would spend their winters in balmy Fort Myers, Florida, and it’s easy to see why: gorgeous beaches, lots of sunshine and, of course, warm days.

During your winter getaway, you could enjoy these and much more, including a tour of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates; the Edison Museum; sailing to Cabbage Key for lunch, including the cheeseburger Jimmy Buffett made famous; and searching for shells on Sanibel Island, the world’s best shelling beach.

Experience ‘Old Florida’ on Cabbage Key, a Tiny Island Only Accessible by Boat

Posted on March 4, 2026
By Taryn Shorr-Mckeek, aol.com
Cabbage Key, Recreation, Reviews

Cabbage Key sits just off Pine Island near Cayo Costa State Park, tucked along a stretch of Gulf coastline that feels surprisingly wild.

Getting There is Part of the Experience

You can take a water taxi from Pine Island for $38 each way, which is what we did. The boat ride out feels like a reset, the mainland steadily shrinking behind you, dolphins occasionally surfacing in the boat’s wake, other boaters smiling and waving.

If you prefer more freedom, you can rent your own boat on Pine Island and cruise out independently. Several of Cabbage Key’s waterfront cottages have private docks, so pulling up “home” for the weekend by boat feels entirely natural. One word of caution: Pine Island Sound is notoriously shallow in several spots, so if you’re not comfortable captaining a boat in open water, this may not be the best place to try it out. Another option is booking a tour out of Fort Myers, but most are actual *tours* rather than water taxis, so they’re pricier and involve at least half a day.

Cabbage Key waterfront view from the water taxi approach

Photo by Taryn Shorr-Mckee – Only In Your State

The Tastiest Restaurants Along The Gulf Shoreline Serve Coastal Flavors And Southern Hospitality

Posted on February 18, 2026
By Sara Caskey, Islands.com
Cabbage Key, Dining

The Gulf Coast, which encompasses part of Southern Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, is known first and foremost for its white sand beaches, palm trees, and resort communities. During the winter and spring months, visitors from up North make the trek down south for the chance to sip margaritas beside the Gulf of Mexico, explore the historic Spanish-influenced architecture, or try their hand at water sports: waterskiing, tubing, or even snorkeling.

These oceanfront cities are also known for their vibrant culinary scenes, among which you’ll find quite a few similarities — restaurants along the Gulf shoreline typically serve a combination of Cajun, Creole, and Southern-inspired comfort foods. That means you’re bound to eat your fair share of gumbo, jambalaya, and po’boys. Food is colorful, flavorful, and filling. It’s also fresh, given the abundance of seafood in the Gulf of Mexico.

With the help of review sites like Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Google, as well as local blogs and magazines, we’ve curated a list of the 10 tastiest restaurants in the region, prioritizing finds closest to the water so you can enjoy the scenery while you eat.
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Why You’ll Find Dollar Bills Pinned To The Walls Of Southern Dive Bars

Posted on February 16, 2026
By Skye Sherman, Southern Living
Cabbage Key, Dining, History

If you’ve been off the beaten path in the right Southern places, you know dollar bill bars. At these delightfully divey watering holes, every visible surface is covered in dollars scribbled with the initials, anniversaries, hometowns, inside jokes, dates, or names of anyone who has darkened the doors of that particular bar over the past fifty years—or maybe just the past week.

These bars’ proprietors could close up shop and retire early if they cashed in their “wallpaper” and peeled all the greenbacks off the walls, ceiling, doors, and windows—but instead they opt to keep the dollar bill bar tradition alive. (Though, at some bars, bills fall off or are collected periodically and donated to local charities.)
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These 10 Towns Are Florida’s Best-Kept Secret

Posted on September 10, 2025
By Mina Wiebe, WorldAtlas
Cabbage Key, Recreation

The scenic setting of Cabbage Key, Florida.

After welcoming an estimated 143 million visitors in 2024, it is no surprise that Florida reigns as one of the top travel destinations in the United States. From Miami to Kissimmee, millions are drawn to all the Sunshine State has to offer. But what about the towns we don’t often see in travel vlogs and magazines? While Florida’s theme parks and resort cities are popular for a reason, sometimes the best treasures are hidden in the shadows. Whether located off the beaten path or eclipsed by more popular attractions, these 10 small towns are some of Florida’s best-kept secrets. Boasting postcard beaches without the crowds and charming downtowns without the tourist traps, these towns unveil a more authentic side of Florida you never knew existed.

I found a little-known part of Florida with quiet beaches and incredible wildlife

Posted on September 10, 2025
By Laura Mulley and Rebecca Jones, The Mirror
Cabbage Key, Captiva, Dining, Fort Myers, Hurricane Ian, Lee County

This coastal region of Southwest Florida has region has overcome natural disaster and now offers wildlife, beaches and delicious seafood to enjoy, as we discovered for ourselves

Dreaming of blue skies, breathtaking sunsets and soft sandy beaches, and need some inspiration for where to go? We found all this and more on a trip to Southwest Florida’s Lee County, where we explored the rich history and top seafood restaurants of Fort Myers before soaking up the sun on nearby Sanibel Island, known as the seashell capital of the world.

Regenerated following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in September 2022, Fort Myers and its beaches, neighbourhoods and more than 100 islands are back to being a must-visit destination.

2 old Florida restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers area make statewide best of list

Posted on July 28, 2025
By Robyn George Dave Osborn, Naples Daily News
Cabbage Key, Dining, Fort Myers

Hit the road in Florida and you’re bound to run into salty oyster bars, historic waterfront wonders, quirky roadside diners and a fabulous fish camp or two.

Welcome to the Sunshine State, where tastes of old Florida can be found here, there, and everywhere.

The USA TODAY Network Florida Dining & Entertainment team recently compiled a list of charmingly historic, road-trip worthy restaurants you’ll want to jump in your car, boat or golf cart to find.

Of the 16 old Florida finds from Perdido Key to Mayport to West Palm, these two were in our little nook of Southwest Florida:

Mangroves, Mollusks, and Frozen Key Lime Pie: Cruising to Southwest Florida’s Cabbage Key

Posted on July 28, 2025
By Phoebe Skok, Matador Network
Cabbage Key, Dining, Nature & Wildlife, Recreation

Five minutes after stepping onto the boat at McCarthy’s Marina in Captiva, Florida, I was already geeking out over a salinity gradient — the gradual transition between freshwater and saltwater.

The Lady Chadwick was my home for the day as guides from Captiva Cruises steered us through Pine Island Sound to Cabbage Key, a low-slung barrier island just off the coast of Fort Myers. Our guide, Captain Richard, casually mentioned that the tea-colored water surrounding us gets saltier the farther south you go, all thanks to a lack of freshwater flow from the Everglades.

Technically, yes, I was on vacation. But when you spend years studying climate science and oceanography, you can’t not get excited about what’s happening under the waves.

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