Tag: Boats

Cape Coral, Florida is located in Southwest Florida near Fort Myers with a Population of 204,510 (2021). Cape Coral is known for having over 400 miles of canals giving it the nickname “Waterfront Wonderland”. Most homes in Cape Coral have access or are on one of its many canals making it a boater’s paradise. The following blog post will dicuss in detail and go over what discovering a hidden coastal retreat on the gulf coast means.

Interesting Fact

Cape Coral has the largest population of burrowing owls in Florida. They are the smallest owl species averaging 5 to 8.5 ounces and 7 to 11.5 inches tall

Cape Coral has over 400 miles of canals, often called the “Venice of America,” offering more extensive waterways than Venice, Italy (Washburn, 2022).

355 Days of Sun: The city averages 355 days of sunshine per year.

Where to Stay

The Westin Resort at Marina Village

5951 Silver King Blvd, Cape Coral, FL 33914

The Westin Resort in Marina Village is considered a 4-diamond AAA resort. This hotel has 263 rooms and was built in 2010. This hotel is considered a hidden gem for couples and anniversaries due to its privacy and amenities. The resort has 2 pools and 2 restaurants. Thier is a small upscale shopping plaze connected to the hotel with additional restaurants and even an icecream parlor.

The main lobby was quite impressive as it was clean, polished and its centerpiece was a floor to ceiling water feature that really added to the ambience. In additon, next to the check in station was a large in wall aquarium that was also really cool. Overall. the hotel was very clean, freindly staff and the hotel was well kept up. The Westin Resort is located at Marina Village in Tarpon Point.

The rooms are spacious with screened in lanias that over look the Caloosahatchee River and nature preserve. We really enjoyed the mornings as they were peaceful watching the sunlight reflecting over the waterway was very serene. The whole area in general is extremely quiet and relxing as their is no traffic accept the occasional boat or Pelican.

For a more indept walk through of a Suite at this hotel please see the below video.

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Marina Village Tarpon Point

Marina Village is the connecting point and is located right next to the resort. The village is a small open air shopping center with several restaurants, shops, and even an ice cream parlor. A beautiful boardwalk with upscale shoping and dining that encomasses the marina.

Marina Village connects the resort with the marina and the neighboring condo complex. The Village resembles coastal Italian architecture and is very pleasant to walk though as it is well landscaped and also quite peaceful.

A beautiful shopping center right on the water edge. Features great restaurants, ice cream and upscale art and boutique women’s clothing store.

The Food of Cape Coral

Now no trip would be complete unless we talk about the food. Marina Village despite its size had a few amazing places to dine at.

Cape Coral, Fl. has an amazing array of food and surrounding beauty to enjoy it in. Tarpon Point has some of the best restaurants in the area and some of the best cold treats too.

The first being the restaurant Gather. This was a more of a formal / business casual restaurant that served breakfast on the weekends and a dinner menu Tuesday through Sunday. Talk about pretzel and how you and your wife love a nice baked pretzel.

A warm Pretzel with a side of Truffle Honeycomb Mustard Dip.

Gulf Coast Fudge Ice Cream
This charming establshment has some amazing treats along with ice cream. A perfect placer to take the family after dinner or catching the sunset.

MY wife and I enjoyed the Freak Shakes as you can see pictured below they were quite impressive.
This will make any child happy and probably hyper.

PB OMG a delicious assortment of nutty buddy’s peanut butter cups mixed in a creamy vanilla ice cream. Best Ice Cream and Candy Shop in Cape Coral, FL

Cape Coral, FL. A place of Peace & Tranquility.

Cape Coral, FL is a great place to relax and enjoy a more intimate family vacation away from the hustle and bustle of other Florida coastal cities.

As both photos show the Westin Resort in Cape Coral and Cape Coral in general is quite a relaxing place.

The photo to the left was taking at their pool looking up at the back end of the resort. I think this was the most relaxed my wife and I have every felt at a resort pool.

The other photo to the right was taking during one of our morning walks and it shows how beautiful the sun rise is despite being on the west coast of Florida. Very calm morning with minimal traffic. No highway noise or large attractions nearby just birds and trees and gentle breezes.

Take Care for now and Enjoy the Journey.

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Reference:

Washburn, M. (2022) Greater Fort Myers, Live your dream, Premiere Plus Realty Co. Bonita Springs, FL. retrieved from: https://www.greaterftmyers.com/blog/fun-facts-about-cape-coral/

Charlevoix, MI – What to See and Do in a Day

By travelingmindfully@gmail.com

On June 14, 2025

In Michigan

Enjoy the Lake, Boating, and Waterfront Dining

A bridge over a body of water

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Enjoy the Lake, Boating and Waterfront Dining during the summers in Northwest Michigan. Charlevoix is a beautiful old-fashioned town located between Lake Michigan and Round Lake. This is a true northern Michigan treasure. The town is associated more with Lake Charlevoix, which connects into Round lake. Lake Charlevoix is one of Michigan’s most premier lakes registering as the third largest inland lake in the lower peninsula (Michigan.org/city/Charlevoix, 2020). Charlevoix is famous for its lake, boating, waterfront dining, boutique shopping and ferry rides to Beaver Island. Charlevoix has just an all-around charming appeal.

Moreover, this is a great place to visit while passing through to other destinations. The town has many options for a bite to eat, an ice cream cone or to enjoy a relaxed shopping experience. This beautiful town offers an abundance of photo opportunities from its beautiful lakes and parks, to its charming flower lined streets. If you enjoy Lakes, Boats and Ice-cream with a relaxed and intimate feel then this is a place to visit. A short visit around the town and you will see there is a great deal of pride that goes into the well-manicured parks, and sidewalks. This will be a truly enjoyable visit for anyone who wants beauty and relaxation out of their trip.

Restaurants

Stafford Weathervane Restaurant

A building next to a river

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Stafford Weathervane Restaurant

The summers in Northwest Michigan should also include great food. The best place to enjoy a great meal in Charlevoix, MI. would be Stafford Weathervane. Stafford Weathervane is a beautiful restaurant located on the charming Round Lake Channel, overlooking the Charlevoix iconic drawbridge. The food and the view are incredible. This is a must see if you are visiting Charlevoix, Michigan. I would recommend making a reservation if possible, since the wait time can be lengthy. I would also recommend asking for outside seating on their terrace that overlooks the Channel so that you can get the full northern Michigan experience. This is a lot of fun, especially if you have children as the boats drift by frequently. If you are lucky you might be able to see the drawbridge ascend, and the Emerald Ferry depart to Beaver Island.

The food is also amazing. They have your typical northern Michigan selection of freshwater fish, such as Whitefish, Perch, and Walleye. They do cater more to the seafood lover but they also have selections such as chicken, prime rib, tenderloin, BBQ ribs and lamp chops. I would highly recommend this restaurant based on the ambiance, location, views, food, and service. As for the price point, they are on the pricier side; a typical lunch is around $50.00 for two people not including alcoholic beverages. I did not attend dinner as this was a day trip, but I can only imagine from glancing at the dinner menu that the food only gets better. Enjoy!!!

A boat on the water

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_{Emerald Isle ferry passing under the Charlevoix bridge seen from the Stafford Weathervane Restaurant Terrance. This ferry transports visitors along with cars to Beaver Island.}

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Lakes, Boats and Parks

A close up of a flower garden Description automatically generated — _{PHOTO: Christopher Gradwohl}
Charlevoix Public Library Park

Charlevoix Public library park is a beautiful park that is well maintained. The assortment of flowers and landscaping was truly a joy to photograph. In the center is a large statue of a butterfly enjoying nectar from a flower.

A boat dock with boats on the water

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Charlevoix East Park Marina

Summers in Northwest Michigan should always include a mindful walk to enjoy the sights and sounds and Charlevoix East Park Marina is a great spot to do just that. East Park Marina is a public park that has many benches and tables with umbrellas. The Park overlooks the city marina and Round lake, which connects Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan. This connecting lake makes Lake Charlevoix highly desirable for boating enthusiasts as they can not only make use of Lake Charlevoix but also have access to Lake Michigan without having to leave the water. This park also hosts the Charlevoix Waterfront Art Fair.

A large house on the water

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Estates on Round Lake

This would be an example of a boating enthusiast. Round lake grants the enthusiast access to Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan along with providing a deep-water docking for their boats. This lake has become very prestigious because of this, making it a highly desirable real estate area in Michigan and Internationally.

A boat on a body of water

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Round Lake Channel

This deep-water channel connects Round Lake with Lake Michigan, giving boaters a broader option of boating and much longer excursions since they now have access to all that Lake Michigan has to offer. In the distance is the Charlevoix South Pier Light Station.

Charlevoix, Mi is a great place to enjoy lakes, boats, ice cream and so much more during the summer months in northwest Michigan. Every summer road trip through northwest Michigan should include a stop or a night in beautiful Charlevoix.

Be Mindful & Enjoy the Journey