Englewood, Florida’s Hidden Gem
Located just north of Fort Myers, Englewood is truly one of Florida’s Hidden Gems! This area of Florida is known for its amazing sunsets, great beaches, and fun intercoastal waterway created by the “Keys”. Englewood is located on the “mainland” and Englewood Beach is located just across the bridge on Manasota Key. The Englewood area also has tons of fun bars and restaurants. In this post, I will highlight some of the great things to do and places to eat in Englewood Florida!
Disclaimer: Affiliate links are used, which means if you purchase via my link I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you! I only recommend products I use and love
Getting to Englewood
The best way to get to Englewood, Florida is by plane as most visitors are from out of state. The two closest airports are the Punta Gorda Airport in Punta Gorda, which is about 40 minutes away, and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers which is about 1 hour 15 minutes away. From here, I suggest visitors rent a car at the airport. This way you can easily get to Englewood and visit the various beaches, bars, and restaurants with ease.
Places to Stay in Englewood
There are many great places to stay in Englewood including local boutique hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, Vacation Rentals and so much more. Booking.com and Airbnb are my two favorite sources for finding fantastic accommodations while traveling. Search below for the perfect place to stay:
Top Things to do in Englewood Florida
Go to the Beach
The beaches in Englewood are some of the best in southwest Florida! With so many to choose from on Manasota Key, there is something for everyone! One of the most popular things to do on the beaches in Englewood is to go hunting for Sharks’ teeth! These small black teeth are millions of years old and it’s a fun experience to try and find them among the shells and small stones. Many people collect them and enjoy this hobby. You can buy the proper equipment- here!
Englewood Beach
Englewood Beach is the main beach located right in the heart of the Englewood Beach area. Here you can enjoy a relaxing environment close to bars, restaurants, and shopping. If you don’t want to bring all your beach stuff with you there is a place right on the beach where you can rent chairs and umbrellas. There is also a nice playground for the kiddos. If you are an early riser, you can enjoy a free yoga class right on the beach every morning at 8:30 am and 9:30 am.
Pro Tip– This beach is very popular so make sure to get there early to get a good parking spot.
The Beach Guy and Community Beach Yoga information.
Stump Pass Beach
Located on the far south end of Manasota Key, Stump Pass beach offers amazing Gulf of Mexico views! This state park can be accessed via car or boat on the intercoastal side. This is another great beach to relax or go sharks tooth hunting!
Blind Pass Beach
Blind Pass Beach is located in the middle of Manasota Key and is commonly known as “Middle Beach”. This beach area has decent parking and very nice bathroom facilities. This beach may be the best sharks toothing beach in the area!
Cruise the Intercoastal Waterway
Englewood and Englewood Beach area are separated by Lemon Bay. Once you cross the bridge you are then on Manasota Key. The water in between the mainland and Manasota Key is known as the Intercoastal Waterway. This goes for miles up and down the coast of Flordia! The best way, of course, to enjoy this is by boat. There are roughly 7 restaurants/bars that can be accessed via boat in the Englewood area and several beaches. You can rent a boat, jet ski, and other watercraft- here!
Eat at a Local Restaurant
There are many amazing restaurants in Englewood and Englewood beach! I will list a few of them here for you to check out. One of the best things to try is the local seafood especially Grouper!
Farlow’s on the Water
Located on the “mainland”, Farlow’s on the Water has a great seafood menu and a diverse wine/drink menu. They are known for their fantastic patio and nightly food specials. Make sure to try their St. Croix Seafood Pie which is full of yummy seafood including shrimp, scallops, and lobster!
Lock n’ Key
Located right across from Englewood Beach, Lock n’ Key is known for its great seafood and lively atmosphere! They are known for their steak, seafood, and prime rib. My personal favorite is their Stuffed Grouper entree and the Spicy Fried Shrimp!
Landy’s Restaurant
Located right on the intercoastal waterway, Landy’s is a lively place with great views! They have a great crab leg deal and amazing tropical drinks. This is a great place for dinner and drinks after a day at the beach! They also run a bottomless mimosa special on Saturdays!
The Waverly
Known for its fine foods and lovely views, The Waverly is situated right across the road from Englewood Beach. The restaurant has a lovely patio area and a downstairs bar area. In addition, they also have a great upstairs dining room and even space- both with wonderful views of the ocean. Make sure to try the coconut shrimp and the Sea Bass- both are amazing. The Waverly is the perfect place for a fancy date night!
Go Bar Hopping
There are lots of great little bars in the Englewood area! Many of them have amazing local drinks that will leave you wanting to sip them on the beach all night long. Here I have listed just a few of the great local bars in Englewood.
The Sandbar
Located on Manasota Key, next to Englewood Beach, the Sandbar is known for its amazing tacos and great tropical drinks! They even have live music in the evenings, sand games, and a dance floor. The Sandbar makes for a perfect first stop on your bar hop.
Beach Road Wine Bar and Bistro
This great little wine bar is located just before the bridge over to Manasota Key. It offers great outdoor seating with views of the intercoastal waterway. They have an extensive wine list and a great little gift shop.
The White Elephant
Located on Manasota Key, this great little place has lots of great drink options and outdoor seating with water views! They also have live music on the weekends- you can enjoy this from the restaurant itself or from your boat.
Visit the Englewood Farmers Market
Visiting the Englewood Farmers Market is one of my favorite things to do on any trip to Englewood! This takes place in downtown Englewood on Thursday mornings and features over 40 booths of fresh produce, local foods, and artisan gifts. The farmers market is on Thursdays from 9 am-1 pm, May through October.
If you arent full from eating your way around the Farmers Market, make sure to check out Mango Bistro for lunch. They have freshly made juices, smoothies, soups, salads, and sandwiches!
Take a Tour
Englewood is a great place to explore via water and taking a tour is a great way to do just that! Check out some great local tour companies below:
Special Thanks
A special thanks to my amazing Aunt Dozie and Uncle Joe for letting us stay with them on all our trips to Englewood! And when I called them and told them I didn’t have all the photos I needed for this post, they volunteered to go and take some for me. 🙂 So many of the photos seen within this post were taken by them on WanderMoore blog assignment!
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About the Author
Hi my name is Sara and I am the creator of WanderMoore! 🙂 I started WanderMoore in early 2020 after leaving a full-time job in the Communications/Marketing field to stay home and raise my kiddos, Mila and Liam. I wanted something fun to work on in my free time and WanderMoore has become one of my biggest passions! Thank you for reading my post! I can't wait to share more of my travel adventures with you 🙂
I never heard of Englewood, Florida. It looks beautiful and now I need to add it to my Florida beach bucket list. There really are so many hidden gems in that state. 🙂
So true!! Add it to your list for next time- totally worth it!
This was a fun read! I’m from Florida and have never visited Englewood but it looks like a blast. Also, great photos!
Thank you! Worth a visit for sure!
I can’t believe I’ve never heard of Englewood – it looks like there is so much to do! I’ll have to add this to my summer road trip 🙂
It’s a great addition! A nice place to relax on the beach 🙂
I’ve never heard of Englewood before but it does look really beautiful! Your photos are super pretty 🙂
Thank you! It’s even better in person 🙂
Englewood, FL looks like such a great beach town! I would definitely spend most of my time on that gorgeous beach soaking in the sun.
It really is! A great place to get a tan 🙂
Very nice place. The beaches look so inviting. Of course, I would love all the seafood and beach drinks, too. Thanks for sharing this little gem.
Happy to introduce you to a new travel location! The beaches and bars are amazing!
Lock n Key and Sandbar both look delicious! Thank you for sharing, so many great tips of things to do in Englewood!
Happy to share!! yes their food is amazing!
Thank you for making this post! It’s so detailed. I’ve never been to Englewood, FL but I’ll put it on my bucket list!
Of course! So glad to introduce you to a new place to travel!
I live an hour and a half south of Englewood and it’s my favorite area to hang out in South Florida. It’s so beautiful and relaxing.
Oh so cool! Jelous! I love this area too 🙂
I’ve been to Florida several times, including the Keys, but have never even heard of Englewood. I love discovering new places and will definitely have to check this out on the next trip!
Me too!! I am so happy to introduce you to a new great place!