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Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park
Categories: Active Life Parks Active Life Swimming Pools Active Life Beaches Parks, Swimming Pools, Beaches [Edit]
2 Barefoot Beach BlvdBonita Springs, FL 34134
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
5 reviews for Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park
5 reviews in English
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Review from Marissa C.
Columbus, OH
1/28/2012
Barefoot Beach was recommended to us as a must-visit, with the caveat that we should be sure to go early in the morning. We followed this and were delighted to find the beach to be extremely calm and peaceful, especially since we were about ready to head out by the time the crowds really started coming in. There was a fee for parking, $8, and you have to be careful when driving and parking to watch out for the wonderful gopher tortoises that live here in the preserve.
White sands, Gulf waters, good shelling, restrooms are available and the wonderful wildlife made for a very nice visit. The tortoises really made this beach a little more memorable than the rest.Listed in: 100 in 2012
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Review from Kassy M.
Brooklyn, NY
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really liked the idea of this beach more than the beach itself. The couple mile drive from right when you turn onto Barefoot Beach Blvd until actually getting to the beach is just beautiful. From the curvy brick road to the colorful homes surrounded by palm trees and other fun plants, it's just something you don't see in New York.
Perhaps, we went on an off-day. And the fact that we came here after having such a relaxing, fabulous time at Clam Pass Beach the day before probably had something to do with it too. But there were just too many kids here...and they supposedly do beach chair rentals but that was nowhere to be found. Also, we were confused because no one was working at the front entrance of the beach, where we were supposed to pay $8 for parking. Not complaining though.
I will give it 4 stars though because it was still a nice beach with tons of shells, and the trails were cool. I still prefer Clam Pass Beach though! -
Review from Jamie R.
Naples, FL
3/20/2011
Pristine beach, with the most picturesque approach in the County - through residential Barefoot Beach on a red brick street. Barefoot Beach Preserve is manned by County employees but is really guarded by devout beach volunteers. These foilks are both year round and seasonal residents and are well informed docents who make themselves available to take visitors on beach walks, on a canoe paddle through neighboring mangroves, to provide talks about shells, fish, and other wildlife, to maintain a butterfly garden lovingly, and to diligently watch for nesting turtles. It's a gopher tortoise sanctuary with well marked and protected dens in the sand along the road and along the well maintained boardwalks. A small concession stand on an open deck is open irregularly for beach food like hot dogs and sodas. Collier County residential beach stickers lets you drive in for free. Otherwise it's $8 per vehicle.
Listed in: Ralph Waldo Would Love This
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Review from John F.
3/13/2007
Nice beach well worth the $6 parking fee. County ownership prevents it from being overshadowed by highrises. Sand is mostly composed of crushed shells but was not too rough to walk on. Decent shelling
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Review from Doug B.
Naples, FL
5/17/2010
Amazing nature preserve with a beach with only one major drawback, Ill get to that later, first let me rave about this place. 342 acre nature preserve & gopher tortoise sanctuary on the beach with only one building in the entire park, this is the Ranger station & restrooms. There is also a chikee hut concession stand on the beach by the bathrooms as well as two tiny free standing restrooms further south in the park. The park has two great nature trails that run through five distinct zones of vegetation, some of which due to the overdevelopment of this area you wont see anywhere else unless you have a boat. There are Ranger guided canoe trips and nature walks etc. (contact Collier County parks and rec. for details). The beach itself is amazing, totally natural and not manicured with a machine as other area beaches are, so it gets very shelly and rough at times.
The southern tip of the park is Wiggins Pass and is a great place to pull up your boat and enjoy the beach.
The bad part of the park is it has a reputation for perverts who hang out along the trail and at time there have been sexual assaults on children etc so if your coming with your family don't let your young kids walk the trails alone.
Also there is limited parking as it is primarily a nature preserve so the place can fill up quickly. LImited parking = limited people.
No grills, fire of any kind, no glass as with all beaches in the state of Florida. No pets. Part of the park is owned by the state and leased to the county and this creates some confusion, it is a Collier County park and a state park permit will not work for the parking fee.
The park is also a gopher tortoise sanctuary so look under your car before you go, they like the shade under cars.
This is arguably the best beach in SW Florida.
