Stay Along the Blueway

The Great Calusa Blueway holds days’ worth of on-the-water exploration for paddlers. Should you decide to make your adventure last longer than a day trip, nearby campgrounds, inns and hotels offer a place to lay your head – often waterside – before you pick up the trail – and your paddle – again the next day. Whether you like roughing it or “plushing” it, you can find accommodations to suit your style of paddle vacationing.

Camping Out

Public parks along the 190 miles of Blueway trails provide woodsy spots where you can set up a tent for the night without venturing far from the water. 

On the Caloosahatchee River branch of the trail, Caloosahatchee Regional Park provides a convenient dock and launch site with oak-shaded campsites a short hike away. Call ahead to 239-533-7440 for reservations and to request a cart to transport your vessel to the campground. From Estero Bay on the trail’s southern end, the Estero River leads to the banks of Koreshan State Historic Site. The park has two launch ramps, one within walking distance of its forested campground. To make camping reservations at Koreshan, visit www.reserveamerica.com or call 800-326-3521.

Paddlecraft-Friendly Lodging

If you’re one who looks forward to a soft bed and creature comforts after a day of paddling, your options are broad in the vicinity of the Great Calusa Blueway. Some, such as the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Spa on Fort Myers Beach and Tarpon Lodge on Pine Island line the shores of the Blueway or have canal access to the trail. Matlacha Cottages and the Angler’s Inn in Matlacha have their own launch ramps. Others welcome paddlers and their vessels with storage space and transportation from the trail. The majority of the region’s resorts are less than a 15-minute drive to the Blueway and make for convenient headquarters for a drive-and-paddle vacation.

Fun Events

Also check out: Calusa Blueway Kayak Fishing Tournament each November in Matacha. and/or Battle on the Blueway SUP & Kayak race each June on Fort Myers Beach.