Bonita Springs, Florida
Encyclopedia
Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County
Lee County, Florida
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in southwest Florida, the principal cities in the county are Fort Myers and Cape Coral...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 43,914 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral is a municipality located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a master-planned, pre-platted community, the city grew to a population of 154,305 by the year 2010. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and...
–Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located on the southwest
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is a region of Florida , United States located along its gulf coast, south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee and mostly north of the Everglades...
coast of the state.
Geography and climate
Bonita Springs is located at 26.349654°N 81.790937°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 41 square miles (106.2 km²). 35.3 square miles (91.4 km²) of it is land and 5.7 square miles (14.8 km²) of it (13.95%) is water.
The city is located on both Estero Bay
Estero Bay (Florida)
Estero Bay, Florida, is an estuary located on the west coast of the state southeast of Fort Myers Beach. The bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, is long and very shallow, and covers about . Estero Bay is bordered on the west by a chain of barrier islands: Estero Island, Long Key, Lovers Key,...
and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The area referred to as Bonita Beach is located on a road-accessible barrier island
Barrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
(Little Hickory Island) that lies between the Gulf of Mexico and Estero Bay. The Imperial River
Imperial River (Florida)
The Imperial River is a river in southwest Florida in the United States. It is fed by the Kehl Canal and marshland at , just east of the city limits of Bonita Springs in unincorporated southwest Lee County...
flows through the downtown district of the city and empties out into Estero Bay.
The city is the northernmost city on the west coast of Florida that has a tropical climate
Tropical climate
A tropical climate is a climate of the tropics. In the Köppen climate classification it is a non-arid climate in which all twelve months have mean temperatures above...
, having a mean January temperature of 65 °F (18.3 °C). (Fort Myers Beach directly to the north has a January mean of 64 °F (17.8 °C) which gives it a subtropical climate).
Points of interest
- Art League of Bonita Springs - an arts organization that hosts both local and traveling art exhibitions, arts classes and other community events. (Website)
- Bonita Beach Park - a 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²) beachfront park that features a boardwalk and swimming area. Sand dunes and coastal vegetation surround a gazebo and 8 picnic shelters. (Website)
- Barefoot Beach Preserve Park - is 342 acres (1.4 km²) of natural land and one of the last undeveloped barrier islands on Florida's southwest coast. It is located on the border of CollierCollier County, FloridaCollier County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 251,377. The U.S. Census Bureau 2007 estimate for the county is 315,839...
and Lee Counties and accessible by Bonita Beach Road. (Web Site).
- Little Hickory Island Beach Park
- There are also 10 beach accesses with public parking located up and down Bonita Beach.
- Bonita Springs is located west of Corkscrew Swamp SanctuaryCorkscrew Swamp SanctuaryCorkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a National Audubon Society sanctuary located in southwest Florida, north of Naples, Florida and east of Bonita Springs, in the United States. The sanctuary was established to protect one of the largest remaining stands of Bald Cypress and Pond Cypress Corkscrew Swamp...
, a significant Bald Cypress reserve under management of the National Audubon SocietyNational Audubon SocietyThe National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
.
- Lover's Key State ParkLovers Key / Carl E. Johnson State ParkLovers Key / Carl E. Johnson State Park is a Florida State Park located on Lover's Key and three other barrier islands—Black Island, Inner and Long Key. It is at 8700 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach, between Big Carlos Pass and New Pass and west of Interstate 75 on exit 116. The park lies within...
, a 1616 acres (6.5 km²) park made up of four barrier islands, is located within the city and just north of Bonita Beach. The park features nature trails for hiking and bicycling, a canoe launch, kayak and canoe rentals, acres of unspoiled mangroves and miles of pristine beaches. A haven for wildlife, the islands and their waters are home to West Indian ManateeWest Indian ManateeThe West Indian Manatee is a manatee, and the largest surviving member of the aquatic mammal order Sirenia . The West Indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus, is a species distinct from the Amazonian Manatee, T. inunguis, and the West African Manatee, T. senegalensis...
s, bottlenose dolphinBottlenose DolphinBottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
s, roseate spoonbillRoseate SpoonbillThe Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea ajaja, is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae...
s, marsh rabbits and bald eagleBald EagleThe Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s.
- The Everglades Wonder Gardens features a large collection of Florida wildlife including exotic birds, panthers, alligators, flamingos and bears. The facility, originally opened in 1936 as both a wildlife exhibition and a refuge for injured animals, also boasts a botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
and a natural history museum.
- The Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track is located in Bonita Springs.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 43,914 people residing in the city. Household data and density data have not yet been released, but as of the 2009 census estimate, there are 19,233 households, and 12,974 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
in 2000 was 929.4 inhabitants per square mile (358.8/km²). There were 31,716 housing units at an average density of 661.1 per square mile (255.2/km²). The 2010 racial makeup of the city was 88.8% White, 0.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.3% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.5% of the population.
There were 19,233 households in 2009 out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.55.
The 2009 estimated median income for a household in the city was $53,452, and the median income for a family was $53,436. Males had a median income of $31,227 versus $25,358 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $37,958. About 6.2% of families and 10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
Business
While existing primarily as a retirement and second home vacation community, Bonita Springs is home to a growing number of businesses due to low business taxes, an abundance of inexpensive commercial office space, and a growing community of educated professionals.The home-builder WCI Communities
WCI Communities
WCI Communities, Inc. is an American home builder. The company offers single family and condominium homes. WCI also provides design, construction, financing, land purchases, marketing, and community management services. The company operates realty, mortgage, and title businesses. WCI is based in...
is based in Bonita Springs.
Education
Bonita Springs is served by the Lee County School District. (Web Site)Colleges and universities
- Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityFlorida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University...
- (Fort Myers) (Web Site) - Edison College - (Naples/Fort Myers) (Web Site)
Airports
- Southwest Florida International AirportSouthwest Florida International Airport-Statistics:-Accidents and incidents:* November 28, 2007 - A single-engine fixed wing aircraft crashed about 9:20 a.m. one mile west of Runway 6. The crash killed the pilot...
in nearby South Fort MyersSouth Fort Myers, FloridaSouth Fort Myers is an unincorporated area of Lee County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2000 the area had a population of 49,912....
serves over 8 million passengers annually. - Naples Municipal AirportNaples Municipal Airport-History:Established in 1942 as Naples Army Airfield by the United States Army Air Forces. Assigned initially to the Southeast Training Center . Provided basic flight training to flight cadets by Embry-Riddle Co; Fairchild PT-19s were the primary trainer used...
in Naples is a smaller airport primarily for private aviation
Major highways
-
Interstate 75Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border... -
U.S. Route 41 "South Tamiami TrailTamiami TrailThe Tamiami Trail is the southernmost of U.S. Highway 41 from State Road 60 in Tampa to U.S. Route 1 in Miami. The road also has the hidden designation of State Road 90....
" -
(County Road 865) Bonita Beach Road / Hickory Boulevard
Mass transportation
Fixed-route busTransit bus
A transit bus , also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus, is a bus used for short-distance public transport purposes...
and trolley
Tourist trolley
A tourist trolley, also called a road trolley, is a rubber-tired bus , which is made to resemble an old-style streetcar or tram....
service is provided by the Lee County Transit Department, operated as LeeTran
LeeTran
LeeTran is the transit bus service operated by the Lee County Transit Department, providing service to Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach and much of the unincorporated area of Lee County, Florida. Buses operate Monday through Saturday between 5:00 a.m. and 9:45...
(Web Site).
Rail
Seminole Gulf RailwaySeminole Gulf Railway
The Seminole Gulf Railway is a short line railroad located in Southwest Florida. It has two separate lines. The one line runs from Oneco south to Sarasota, with branches from Sarasota to Matoka and Fruitville. The other line runs from Arcadia to Vanderbilt Beach/North Naples, with no significant...
(Web Site) owns and operates a line which passes through the city. The company offers freight service and local, daytime excursions.
Newspapers
Bonita Springs is served by local editions of the Fort Myers News-PressFort Myers News-Press
The News-Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper located in Fort Myers, Florida serving primarily Lee County, as well as parts of Hendry, Collier, and Charlotte Counties....
and Naples Daily News
Naples Daily News
The Naples Daily News is the main daily newspaper of Naples, Florida, and Collier County. Its main competitor in this region is the Fort Myers-based News-Press, out of neighboring Lee County to the north. It is owned by Ohio-based Edward W. Scripps Company, who bought it from the founding Collier...
.
Radio
The metropolitan areaLee County, Florida
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in southwest Florida, the principal cities in the county are Fort Myers and Cape Coral...
is home to 32 radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s. With an Arbitron-assigned 836,700 listening area population, the metropolitan area of which Bonita Springs is one part ranks 61/300 for the spring of 2009. Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
Standard Radio Market: Ft Myers-Naples-Marco Island.
Bonita Springs Official Concert Band
The Bonita Springs Concert Band was an out growth of a concerted effort by a group of interested persons who, in early 2007, began exploring the idea of forming a new musical organization to be located in the Bonita Springs area. A meeting was held with the officials of the City of Bonita Springs who were enthused about the project and offered the band an opportunity to perform in the City's Band Shell located in Riverside Park. http://www.bonitaspringsconcertband.comTheir free concerts are held in the Band Shell on Sundays October through April under the direction of Dr. Dennis Hill. http://bonitaspringsconcertband.com/about-2/
Television
Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
designated market area: Ft. Myers-Naples.
2008 - 2009 estimate U.S. rank: 62/210 (509,530 TV Homes)
- WBBH - NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate - WEVUWEVU-CAWEVU-LP was a low-power television station in Fort Myers, Florida, broadcasting locally on channel 4. The station was last owned by Silver Point Capital; it was most recently a rebroadcaster of Univision affiliate WUVF-LP.-History:...
- UPNUPNUnited Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
affiliate - WFTXWFTXWFTX-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southwest Florida licensed to Cape Coral. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter in Punta Gorda east of I-75/SR 93 near the Charlotte and Lee County line. The station can also be seen on Comcast...
- FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate - WGCU - PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
member station - WINKWINK-TVWINK-TV, virtual channel 11, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southwest Florida that is licensed to Fort Myers. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 50 from a transmitter north of Fort Myers Shores near the Lee and Charlotte County line in Punta Gorda. The...
- CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate - WXCW - CW affiliate
- WZVNWZVN-TVWZVN-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southwest Florida licensed to Naples. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 from a transmitter in Southeastern Punta Gorda along SR 31. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 7 and in high definition on...
- ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate
Weather
Hurricane WilmaHurricane Wilma
Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Wilma was the twenty-second storm , thirteenth hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and fourth Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 season...
made landfall south of Bonita Springs on Monday, October 24, 2005.
Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley was the third named storm, the second hurricane, and the second major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley lasted from August 9 to August 15, and at its peak intensity it attained 150 mph winds, making it a strong Category 4 hurricane on the...
made landfall just north on Friday, August 13, 2004.