Reviews | Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant

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

Credit: Getty Images/Vito Palmisano

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.

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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.

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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

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Cabbage Key continues to enthrall with old Florida charm, dollar bill bar and storied past

Posted on April 11, 2025
By Robyn George, The News Press
Cabbage Key, History, Reviews

The small tropical island of Cabbage Key, Florida, accessible only by boat, is a beloved destination with an inn, restaurant and bar keeping it afloat

Story Summary:

  • Cabbage Key is a small, 112-acre island accessible only by boat, located in Pine Island Sound near Pineland, Florida.
  • The island, once home to the Calusa Indians, is now a popular destination featuring an inn, restaurant, and cottages.
  • The restaurant’s “Dollar Bill Bar” is a unique attraction, with thousands of dollar bills stapled to the walls, some of which periodically fall off and are donated to charity.
  • Cabbage Key is rumored to be the inspiration for Jimmy Buffett’s song “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” though the connection is anecdotal.
  • The Wells family has owned and operated Cabbage Key since 1976, maintaining its “Old Florida” charm and laid-back atmosphere.

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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

Fort Myers waterfront

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.

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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.

Aerial view of Cabbage Key ,Florida

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.

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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.

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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

The Best of The Gulfshore 2023

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. 🥰

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