Snook fishing is best early and late in the day, offering an ideal window for enjoying a leisurely lunch break on the island.
July 31, 2024
By Polly Dean
Cabbage Key is an island consisting of approximately 100 acres of tropical paradise with a feeling of remoteness as it is only reachable by boat. It lies in Pine Island Sound just west of Fort Myers. Though most Floridians have likely never stepped foot on this piece of Old Florida, it has been a destination for anglers and boaters for over 60 years.
It is the kind of place where you can grab a meal or “belly up” to the bar to find yourself alongside a celebrity seeking the same welcoming hospitality and laid-back charm the island offers. Legend has it that the late, great Jimmy Buffett wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise” after a visit, but that may have been somewhere in the British Virgin Islands.
With plenty of mangroves and nearby flats, the area’s waters are renowned for numerous species of inshore gamefish. Whether you prefer spin tackle or fly, the resort can recommend guides or arrange for use of a skiff.
Cabbage Key is perhaps best known for its restaurant and dining room with dollar bills taped to the walls and ceilings. Miraculously, the resort’s buildings and even the dollar bills came through relatively unscathed by Hurricane Ian, which left its destructive mark on most of the islands and towns in this portion of Southwest Florida. Our most recent visit occurred just over a year after Ian’s September 2022 landfall. We were happy and a bit relieved that this bit of Old Florida remained much as we had remembered.
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The open-air restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of the year. The main dining room is nestled among live Cuban laurels draped in Spanish moss. The porch offers a view of the marina and sound. The décor consists of antique fishing gear, classic photos and fish mounts—Old Florida style.
Meals are hearty offering fresh local seafood, a variety of soups and salads, and offerings for those that prefer non-seafood fare. For dessert, you must try their acclaimed key lime pie.
Cabbage Key, overlooking Pine Island Sound, can only be accessed by boat Visitors who choose to stay a night or two may opt for one of six charming, newly remodeled rooms at Cabbage Key Inn, or one of the cottages that range from the one-bedroom Dollhouse to the largest four-bedroom cottage that comfortably accommodates eight guests. The popular Dollhouse cottage was constructed in the 1930s as a playhouse for the children of the Rinehart family, the island’s owners at the time. The history of the island is as colorful as its many visitors over the decades.
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It has been pieced together from newspaper and magazine stories, a few legends and local lore. It has gone through a variety of eras, marked by its various owners. Over the years, the island has been known by locals and residents by various names, such as Palmetto Key, Gill’s Island, Rinehart’s Island, Turner Cay, and Cabbage Key Hide-Away Resort. The website even delves into its history from the island’s formation in 10,000 B.C. to being inhabited by the Calusa Indians on through its transformation as different owners left their mark. Since 1976, the Wells family has owned Cabbage Key along with their sister property Tarpon Lodge in Pineland.
Boaters may choose to travel to Cabbage Key and take advantage of the marina and dock. You may opt to arrive in style aboard a floating tiki bar by using Nautical Tiki Cruises (nauticaltiki.com ). For a complete list of shuttle options from various locations in the region, visit cabbagekey.com .
And be sure to ask your server for a black marker and piece of tape to add a dollar to the Cabbage Key collection.
If You Go Built on a Calusa Indian shell mound, the Inn has weathered many hurricanes. Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant cabbagekey.com Info : Cabbage Key, which has no paved roads, is accessible only by boat or other watercraft. There are seven cottages
plus six rooms in the inn. Pricing is seasonal; the restaurant serves three meals a day.Getting There : Island Girl Charters (islandgirlcharters.com ) serves Cabbage Key with several trips daily, departing from Pineland Marina, equipped to bring your kayak and luggage.Fishing : Available species include speckled seatrout, redfish, snook, flounder, and tarpon. Endless Summer Charters (sanibelislandfishingcharters.com ) offers guided trips for both fly and spin anglers.This article was featured in the June 2024 issue of Florida Sportsman magazine. Click to subscribe .
