Bonita Bay

Bonita Bay is a 2,400-acre master-planned community on Florida's Gulf Coast in Bonita Springs, positioned between Naples and Fort Myers and bordered by the Imperial River, Spring Creek, and Estero Bay. Developed beginning in the mid-1980s by David B. Shakarian (founder of GNC) with environmental stewardship as the guiding principle, more than half of the property — roughly 1,400 acres — is preserved as lakes, parks, nature preserves, and open space. The community became a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in 1995 and is the largest gated community in Southwest Florida with a Blue Zones Recognized Community designation. At buildout, Bonita Bay will have approximately 3,300 residences spread across 56 distinct neighborhoods, ranging from attached villas and coach homes to single-family estates and six (soon to be seven and final) luxury high-rise towers overlooking Estero Bay and the Gulf. Home sizes span from about 1,500 square feet up to nearly 7,000-square-foot penthouse condos and 7,000+ square-foot estate homes. While the community is not deed-restricted 55+, it attracts a strong retirement demographic — census data puts the median resident age around 74 — and the lifestyle, amenities, and social calendar are built around active adult living. The amenity package is among the most comprehensive in Southwest Florida. The member-owned Bonita Bay Club operates five championship golf courses: three Arthur Hills-designed courses on the main Bonita Bay property (the original Marsh course was named 'Highest Ranking New Course' by Florida Golf Week in 1986) plus two Tom Fazio-designed courses — Cypress and Sabal — at Bonita Bay East in north Naples, which together form the world's first private 36-hole Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. The Sports Center offers 18 Har-Tru tennis courts (13 lighted) with 25+ active league teams, 10 pickleball courts, and swimming. The 55,000-square-foot West Club is the social heart, with five dining venues including the Fireside Room, Club Room, and the 55th Hole bar. A Lifestyle Center houses a 20,000-square-foot fitness center and a 9,000-square-foot full-service spa with seven treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, a whirlpool, and a salon. Beyond the club, residents enjoy a private Gulf-front beach park (rebuilt after Hurricane Ian, reopened in early 2025 with elevated pavilions), a full-service 125-slip deep-water marina with direct Gulf access via the Imperial River and Estero Bay, three waterfront parks, and Backwater Jack's waterfront restaurant. More than 12 miles of walking, jogging, and biking trails weave through the 56 neighborhoods, preserves, and along the water. A full-time activities director coordinates an extensive roster of clubs — art, cooking, bridge, canasta, book clubs, bocce, pickleball, boating, canoeing, day trips, and a Bay Breeze Concert Series — plus holiday dinners, wellness programs, and tournaments. HOA structure is layered: a master association (around $216/month for the communitywide infrastructure) plus a village or condo sub-association that varies by neighborhood, with total annual HOA costs typically running $3,000–$6,000 depending on home type. Club membership at the Bonita Bay Club is separate and optional, with tiers ranging from social to full golf (golf membership initiation has historically run $50,000–$110,000 with substantial annual dues). Location is a major draw: Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is 18 miles / 30 minutes north, downtown Naples is 16 miles south, and NCH Bonita Springs Emergency Department is just 4 miles away. The Promenade at Bonita Bay sits right at the community's edge for upscale shopping and dining, and Coconut Point Mall is minutes away.