6 Best Things to Do in Englewood, Florida

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Englewood, Florida, look no further, this guide has you covered!

Englewood is a beautiful beach and ecotourist destination south of Sarasota and Venice where you can explore beautiful tucked-away sections of beach and hike a number of trails through coastal vegetation without having your vacation spoiled at heavily touristed destinations.

You won’t find crowded beaches here or have to drive around endlessly to find a place to park.

The four beaches in Englewood are all beautiful but uniquely different. Manasota Key Beach and Blind Pass Beach have picture-perfect shorelines with clear blue warm waters and pristine soft sand.

But these sunny Charlotte County beaches aren’t the only thing that Englewood has to offer.

You can also shop for local goodies at the Englewood Farmers Market, or hike at Lemon Bay Park and Environmental Center.

Englewood is perhaps one of the most overlooked towns in Southwest Florida and is the perfect destination for a Naples day trip.

While the vast majority of visitors opt to explore Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, or Sanibel, Englewood is a hidden, beach-filled natural gem and a great addition to any Southwest Florida getaway.

6 Best Things to Do in Englewood, Florida

Spend a Few Hours at Manasota Key Beach

8570 Manasota Key Road, Manasota Key

Of the four main beaches in Englewood, Manasota Key Beach may be the best of them all.

This beautiful wide sandy beach is bordered with lush green coastal vegetation and hiking trails to explore the surrounding natural world.

There’s also a boat ramp, excellent fishing, canoeing and kayaking, and snorkeling along the beach in the clear water.

Manasota Key Beach stands out from the other nearby beaches because of its remote location on Manasota Key — one of southwest Florida’s most beautiful coastal islands — with warm turquoise waters, golden sand, and most importantly, lack of crowds.

There’s so much space that you can easily claim your own little slice of beach for fun in the sun.

Shelling is excellent and be sure to keep an eye out for prehistoric shark teeth hiding in the lines of broken shells

It’s no surprise that spending a few hours at Manasota Key Beach is one of the best things to do in Englewood, Florida.

Shop Local at the Englewood Farmers Market

335 W. Dearborn St, Englewood

Every Thursday during season from October to May, the Englewood Farmers Market is in full swing!

And this fun weekly event is definitely worth a visit.

As you browse the farmers market, you’ll find loads of local gems.

You can purchase everything from fresh veggies and fruit to warm baked goods to brightly colored flowers.

There are even food trucks with prepared plates and talented live musicians performing during the Market, so you’re sure to stay entertained.

Hunt for Shark Teeth at Blind Pass Beach

7770 Manasota Key Rd, Englewood

One of the coolest and most unusual things to do in Englewood, Florida is search for shark teeth!

While you can find quite a few at Manasota Beach Key, you’ll find way more at Blind Pass Beach Park.

Thousands of these fossilized, shiny black teeth lay along Blind Pass Beach, but it takes a bit of patience to find them.

The tried-and-true method is to scoop up the sand just past the water line and sift through it to find these shark teeth.

Renting a Florida “snow shovel” makes it much easier.

Think of a short broom handle with a mesh basket at the one end to help your scooping.

It takes some time, but the reward is definitely worth it.

If you really want to get into the shark tooth hunting experience, you can dive for them! It’s a fun spin on a unique activity.

Don’t miss the annual Shark’s Tooth Festival held every year in April.

It’s fun to see so many awesome shark’s teeth (some are even for sale!) and learn how to up your game to score the big haul!

Sunset SUP with SUP Englewood

5350 Placida Rd, Englewood

If you haven’t tried stand up paddle boarding, SUPEnglewood runs a truly unique paddleboarding experience — a guided sunset paddle board tour — at twilight!

Paddle boarding at this time of day is peaceful and relaxing, and makes an outstanding photo op.

It’s a great way to catch sunset on the water.

They’ll also offer free lessons to get you started and keep you safe.

Spot wildlife at Stump Pass Beach State Park

900 Gulf Blvd, Englewood

Stump Pass Beach State Park has a lot going for it. Sunny skies, sandy shores, great shelling, and sparkling waters are just the start.

But one of the coolest things about Stump Pass Beach State Park is all of the wildlife that have made their homes at this Englewood park.

Nature lovers will especially love Stump Pass Beach State Park for its abundance of wildlife.

If you’re looking to get out on the water or go snorkeling, you’ll almost always see Atlantic bottlenose dolphins swimming close to the shore, or West Indian manatees, sea turtles, and even seahorses.

If you’re searching on land, keep a sharp eye out for live sand dollars in shallow water (they are live animals so leave them where you find them), waterbirds, and gopher tortoises might also make an appearance.

If you’d like to extend your stay at Stump Pass Beach State Park, there are quite a few other activities for you to enjoy over a few days as well.

You can fish, hike, boat, relax in the sun, kayak, and picnic to your heart’s content.

It’s one of our favorite natural places and one of the most unique that you’re likely to find along the entire US Gulf Coast!

Hike the Trails at Lemon Bay Park and Environmental Center

570 Bay Park Blvd, Englewood

While many of the best things to do in Englewood, Florida are quite relaxing, Lemon Bay Park and Environmental Center provides a way to get your blood pumping.

This beautiful park has a few different hiking trails, including the Eagle Trail, the Bobcat Trail, and the Flatwoods Trail.

If you’d prefer not to hike these walking paths, you can also explore this park by kayak, take a guided bird walk, and enjoy a lovely little picnic during your time at the Lemon Bay Park and Environmental Center.

Fun Day Trips from Englewood

With such an enviable location in southwest Florida, Englewood offers lots to see and do.

But if you’re looking for a few fun day trips less than an hour away, check out these charming coastal towns:

Matlacha

A quaint and bright multi-colored town, Matlacha (pronounced mat-la-SHAY) is surrounded by water with only one road going in and coming out.

There are art galleries, antique shops, and some of the funkiest boutique shops you’ll ever see.

Add in casual waterfront restaurants and you’ve got a perfect day trip.

From Englewood, Matlacha is an easy 56 mile drive, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, making for a perfect day trip.

Boca Grande

Only 18 miles and less than a one half hour drive, laid back Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island is one of the best places to spend a day when visiting Englewood.

There are quaint shops and excellent restaurants, but the biggest attraction here are the beautiful beaches.

The water is clear and calm, great for snorkeling and shelling.

The beach has public changing rooms and restrooms.

Boca Grande is quiet and a great place to just lay back and relax. And be sure to check out the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum.

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The best things to do in Englewood, Florida have something for everyone.

Whether you’re hoping to spend a relaxing day on the beach, snorkel the clear warm waters, hike into nature, or enjoy a wine tasting, you’re sure to enjoy your time in this Southwest Florida town.

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