FORT MYERS: Classic cars and snappy songs highlight Florida destination

Posted on April 2, 2024
By Dave Pollard, Edmonton Journal
Cabbage Key, Fort Myers, Reviews

Night falls on the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers. PHOTO BY DAVE POLLARD /Toronto Sun

Classic cars and snappy songs.

And, maybe, if you’re lucky, a cheeseburger in paradise.

Yes, Fort Myers and the surrounding area, including Captiva and Sanibel islands, has all that – it was the winter home of Henry Ford (and Thomas Edison, for that matter), hosts the annual Island Hopper Songwriters Fest, and nearby Cabbage Key was allegedly the inspiration for one of Jimmy Buffett’s more well-known songs – and more for Canadian snowbirds to discover … if your timing is right.

This Remote, 112-acre Island Is One of Florida’s Best-kept Secrets — and It’s Only Accessible by Boat

Posted on March 27, 2024
By Caroline Eubanks, Travel + Leisure
Cabbage Key, Reviews

Cabbage Key, Florida, has attracted famous guests like Ernest Hemingway and Jimmy Buffett.

PHOTO: VITO PALMISANO/GETTY IMAGES

Set off the coast of Fort Myers lies a 100-acre island that feels like it has been preserved in amber. It’s the type of “Swiss Family Robinson”-style retreat that represents a bygone Florida and has attracted famous writers and heiresses — not to mention presidents Carter and Kennedy.

The 112-acre island on the Pine Island Sound was first inhabited by the Calusa people and Cuban fishermen. And in 1875, it appeared on maps with the name Palmetto Key.

Overnight on Cabbage Key, for a cheeseburger (and more) in old-Florida paradise

Posted on February 20, 2024
By Susan Glaser, cleveland.com
Cabbage Key, Recreation, Reviews, Tarpon Lodge

Looking down the long dock towards the quaint dollhouse cottage at Cabbage Key.

A cottage for rent on Cabbage Key, a Southwest Florida tourist destination named for the many cabbage palm trees on the island.

CABBAGE KEY, Florida – There’s no beach here, no pool, no high-rise condos.

What you’ll find on tiny Cabbage Key: an historic lodge, nature trails, a terrific restaurant that (perhaps) inspired Jimmy Buffett, and most strikingly, an old-time Florida vibe that’s fading fast elsewhere around the state.

Cabbage Key is a small island – just 112 acres – located in Pine Island Sound, west of Fort Myers. Its first inhabitants were the Calusa Indians, who left behind a large shell mound that has served to protect the land for centuries.

The island developed as a tourist destination in the 1930s, accessible only by boat, an off-the-beaten path spot where you could get away from it all (except from the mosquitoes, which also seem to have great fondness for the place).

It’s still that spot.
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Florida’s Gulf Coast: Hotels, restaurants and things to do

Posted on December 15, 2023
By Alicia Watts, Cosmopolitan
Cabbage Key, Reviews, Tarpon Lodge

John Coletti//Getty Images

Look no further for a relaxing, wholesome and feel-good trip

If you’re a fan of low-key, chain-free restaurants and hotels, protected wildlife, island hopping around secluded beaches and making real memories in a slice of paradise, Florida’s Gulf Coast could be calling your name. Here’s our travel guide of the best places to stay, where to eat and drink and what to do while you’re there. Basically, here’s what your adventure could look like.

Cabbage Key and Tarpon Lodge : The Best of the Gulfshore 2023 Award Finalists🏅

Posted on May 11, 2023
By Cabbage Key
Awards, Cabbage Key, Tarpon Lodge

We are excited to share that Cabbage Key and Tarpon Lodge & Restaurant were finalists in 17 categories in Gulfshore Life Magazine’s Best Of rankings. And we’re even more thrilled to announce that we WON the following:

Cabbage Key:

Best Boating Destination
Best Boating Access
Key Lime Pie

Tarpon Lodge:

Best Hotel/Resort
Best Kept Secret
Sunset View

These honors are a result of community and guest votes which means we could not have done it without you! We take pride in our history and we strive to provide the best “Old Florida” dining and getaway experience for our guests. After the year ⛈ we’ve all had, your votes mean the world to us and our wonderful employees. Thank you for contributing to this achievement. 🥰

The Best Themed Restaurant in Every State

Posted on May 23, 2022
By Caitlin Flynn, Eat This, Not That!
Cabbage Key, Restaurant Reviews

Craving a side of fun with your meal? Check these out!

There are plenty of factors to consider when choosing a restaurant—the quality of the food, the price point, and the location are typically at the top of the list. But sometimes the full experience is the real draw, which is why themed restaurants are so popular.

Cabbage Key: The Best of the Gulfshore 2022 Award Finalist🏅

Posted on May 23, 2022
By Cabbage Key
Awards, Cabbage Key, Tarpon Lodge

We’re Proud…

to have been selected as a FINALIST in Gulfshore Life’s “Best of the Gulfshore” 2022 awards for Best Overall Attraction, Best Vacation Rental, Best Day Cruise, Best Boat Access and honored to have WON

Best Boating Destination

In case you missed it, our sister property, Tarpon Lodge was voted Best Sunset View and Best Kept Secret.

Worth the Trip: Animal Kingdom

Posted on August 6, 2021
By John Thomason, Boca Magazine
Cabbage Key, Captiva, Recreation, Reviews

Part of the ideal South Seas experience involves leaving the resort: The on-site Captiva Cruises features five-to-six-hour narrated voyages to nearby islands, including Boca Grande, Useppa and Cayo Costa State Park. I joined a cruise to Cabbage Key, a 100-acre speck purchased by its original owners for all of $2,500. We disembarked at the Key’s sole attraction: a historic home converted into an inn and restaurant, one of many places in South Florida attributed as the site where Jimmy Buffett wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”

Boaters first view a sign in Pine Island Sound that marks the channel leading to Cabbage Key, seen in the background.

History, fresh seafood, famous Cubans: Here’s our 10 favorite iconic Florida restaurants

Posted on June 26, 2021
By Annabelle Tometich, USA TODAY Network
Cabbage Key, Restaurant Reviews

Cabbage Key Inn and Restaurant Outdoor Dining

Cabbage Key Inn and Restaurant. Wesley K.H. Teo

Every city has a legendary restaurant that everyone knows — and recommends to visiting family, friends and strangers alike.

When it comes to iconic restaurants, Florida has plenty, including several open for more than a century, including Tampa’s original Columbia Restaurant and Miami Beach’s Joe’s Stone Crab.

While some are special-occasion restaurants, others are everyday favorites.

Here’s our list of some of Florida’s most enduring (and endearing) restaurants, presented in alphabetical order, from USA TODAY Network contributors from across the state.

The South’s Best Stays 2021

Posted on May 23, 2021
By Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living
Cabbage Key, Reviews

Credit: Cedric Angeles

Historic Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant

Cabbage Key, Florida

On this Gulf island off the South Florida coast, peace and quiet reign. You won’t find any traffic jams (or pavement), and you’ll need a boat to get there. A stay on Cabbage Key is a worlds-away experience, thanks to its sandy paths, historic stays, and open-air restaurant. We’re not sure of the eatery’s actual name; we just reference the gazillion dollar bills that are plastered over every available surface and call it what everybody else does: “the bar with all the money on the walls.” (Whether it really inspired Jimmy Buffett’s song “Cheeseburger in Paradise” is up for debate, but let’s just say it did. It makes for a good story.) Explore 100 virtually undisturbed acres, and sleep with the ocean breeze blowing through the open windows of your 1930s cabin. While you’re at it, have a cheeseburger—you know—in paradise.

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Reviews | Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant