LOCAL INFORMATION                                                                    

SUNRISE RESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT LLC
THE DELIGHTS OF THE SUNCOAST


ROTONDA is one of the small, delightful communities located on the Cape Haze Peninsula in Charlotte County in the South Gulf Coast of Florida.  This is a tranquil area of unspoiled natural beauty and a rich history.  The Cape Haze Peninsula is approximately 100 miles south of Tampa, between the cities of Sarasota and Ft. Myers.  It rests on the waters of the Myakka River and Lemon Bay.  Known for its diversity, the peninsula is not incorporated, and includes the other unique communities of El Jobean, Cape Haze and Englewood.  Together these communities make up one of the fastest growing areas of the state, each with its own distinct flavour.  Beautiful white sands provide sunbathing, swimming and beachcombing.  Hiking, biking, boating, fishing and other watersports are available in Rotonda, and golf and tennis are nearby.  You can enjoy canoeing, kayaking, searching for sea shells or do nothing except enjoy the exotic sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.  When you visit Rotonda, you discover a part of Florida that is off the beaten track - unhurried, unspoiled and un-crowded.  The whole coastline is know as "The Gem of the Suncoast", and when you visit Rotonda and the Cape Haze Peninsula, you will discover the reason.

AREA BEACHES
MANASOTA KEY is an enchanted barrier island off the coast of Englewood where there are no high-rises, no traffic lights, just a two lane road and pristine beaches.  There are low-rise multi-family condos and apartments on the south end of the island.  The north end has private homes on one acre lots, tucked behind lush tropical foliage.  The south end of the island also has many restaurants for your pleasure.

ENGLEWOOD has 4 beaches situated on the Manasota Key barrier island. Manasota Beach and Blind Pass Beach both offer a variety if amenities. Manasota Beach boasts 14 acres of gulf front beach and sand dunes with special areas set aside for sheltered tables, barbecue pits, boardwalks and bathhouse facilities.  Blind Pass Beach is ideal for swimming, fishing and has more than 60 acres of nature trails.  There is a docking area for boaters on the Intra Coastal Waterway.  Englewood Beach offers recreation areas, boardwalk, picnic tables and concession stands as well as confidently located nearby restaurants, shops and nightclubs.  Walking south from Englewood Beach is Stump Pass Beach; a narrow strip of beach that offers anglers a great place to fish.

The Southwest Coast of Florida, and Englewood in particular, has a variety of shells for the serious or just fun-loving shell collector to find.  Many of these shells not only arrive on the beach intact, surviving the trip to shore, are still inhabited and very much alive.  Many shells found on Englewood Beaches are the Left Handed Whelks, the Auger shells, Coquina shells and, caught at low tide, the Rough Scallop and the Fighting Conch that are great for chowders. Another common find is the Shark Teeth that usually come ashore after a storm. Some of these teeth are over a million years old, black and brown coloured, ranging from a tiny 1/8th inch to three inches long.

Celebrated every Labor Day Weekend, Englewood commemorates the pioneers who were responsible for its origin in 1896.  Golf and fishing tournaments, boat races and a huge parade bring this community to life.  Other annual celebrations include an Art Guild Show, Seafood Festival, July Beach Bash with Fireworks, as well as the annual Turtle Watch.  When Sea Turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in the sand.

BOCA GRANDE is a charming village on 7-mile-long Gasparilla Island, which is approximately 7 miles south of Rotonda.  Legend has it that the infamous pirate Jose Gaspar once lived here in style, and the lure was then, as it is now, the wonderful weather and some of the world's best tarpon fishing.  The biggest event in Boca Grande is the annual “World's Richest Tarpon Tournament,” usually held the second week of July.  There are three state parks located in the Boca Grande area.  Cayo Costa occupies most of one of a chain of barrier islands, which can be reached only by private boat or ferry service.  Visitors can enjoy miles of beaches on the island, picnicking, fishing, swimming, shelling and primitive camping.  Nature trails are available for hikers.  Day-use docks are available on Don Pedro Island State Park, and a one-mile white sand beach is excellent for year-round swimming.  Gasparilla Island State Recreational Area is the site of a still-working, wooden U.S. Coast Guard lighthouse, built in 1890. Swimming and fishing are available in this park which also has two picnic areas with spectacular views of the ocean.  Boca Grande is a Florida version of Nantucket, where you'll find upscale boutiques, art galleries and fine dining.  You might even see ice machines spewing “snow” onto the main street at Christmas!