Check out our highlight video along with this year’s winners.

You don’t have to believe the stories of rogues, rascals, pirates, captive damsels and hidden treasure chests to enjoy the magic of southwest Florida’s Lover’s Key. Squeezed between the popular island vacation destination of Fort Myers Beach and the quiet upscale beach community of Bonita Beach, it’s a nature preserve in an unlikely place, with a colorful and embellished history.

If you’re not paying attention, you’ll drive right by Lover’s Key State Park without noticing the sign that marks its entrance. But an increasing number of folks are discovering the park and stopping by for a closer look, especially since the park was featured in a Travel Channel special on Florida’s Best Beaches.

This 700+ acre park comprises four interconnected barrier islands with two miles of white sand beaches (Lover’s Key), miles of nature trails (Black Island), and a maze of intricate backwater canoe and kayak trails through the mangroves.

Launch your boat at the boat ramp on the bay side of the park, or launch a canoe or kayak and glide quietly among the mangroves within the park where you may spot manatees, rays, and numerous long-legged, long-necked wading birds. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the concession in the park.

Here are some other ideas for fun in the park:

• Have your wedding ceremony or family reunion at the gazebo right on the beach.

• Bring your fishing gear (and your saltwater fishing license) and go after snook, trout, redfish, and even tarpon.

• Bring your binoculars and enjoy a day of birding.

• Go shelling and match what you find to the collection on display in the park.

• Take a hike on your own or take a ranger-guided nature walk.

• Go for a bike ride on 5 miles of bike trails (bike rentals are available).

• Bring a picnic basket, a cooler and a good book and just relax on the beach and go for a swim in the calm waters. Bring the whole family.

It’s a good walk to the beach from the parking lot where the concession is located, so a tram is provided to help you make the trip on the unpaved trail and boardwalks. Once out on the beach it’s not difficult to find a quiet and scenic spot. Here’s a tip: if quiet is important to you (listen up you romantic types), plan your visit on a weekday when there are fewer people in the park. Weekends bring a flurry of visitors. Fall is often the quietest time.

Restrooms are provided out on the beach, but take a small cooler with drinks and snacks or stop at the concession before you make the trip out to the beach.

Getting to Lover’s Key State Park – from Interstate 75, the quickest route to Lover’s Key begins at exit #116 at Bonita Springs. Drive west on Bonita Beach Rd, which becomes Hickory Boulevard as it parallels Bonita beach before turning toward the mangrove islands that make up Lover’s Key State Park. The park’s address is 8700 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL.

If you’re coming from from Fort Myers Beach, the Lover’s Key is just over the bridge at the south end of Estero Island.

Visit the Lover’s Key Carl E. Johnson State Park web site for more details and a park brochure.

About the author: David McRee is the author of Florida Beaches: Finding Your Paradise on the Lower Gulf Coast, a guide to the beaches of southwest Florida, and served for 2 years as the beach and surf “expert” for VISIT FLORIDA. You can find David on the web at BeachHunter.net and BlogTheBeach.com.

For information, contact:
Carolyn Masten
SunStream Hotels & Resorts
(239) 765-4111 (office)
@SunStreampr (Twitter)
CarolynM@SunStream.com
www.SunStream.com

THE RESORT AT MARINAVILLAGE HOSTS FIRST ANNUAL GEO PADDLE

(CAPE CORAL, FL) – September 4, 2009 – The First Annual GEO PADDLE, the premier, professional and amateur on-the-water geocaching treasure hunt for Lee County, is a first-time festival slated for October 25, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Resort at MarinaVillage located at Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral, Florida. According to organizers, this event is slated to become a one-of-a-kind, signature event for the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival, just as the Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail has been certified and recognized for its uniqueness, and as a “must do” for Lee County visitors and residents alike.

Geocaching is a term given to the sport of seeking out objects at specific coordinates. The term Geo refers to the Earth and Caching refers to placing something to pick up later. It’s the newest outdoor adventure activity and has become popular in Southwest Florida. Geocaching is similar to a scavenger hunt, but with a modern, digital twist. It begins when someone hides a treasure and then posts the GPS coordinates for people to search for it.

The First Annual GEO PADDLE will consist of two separate water courses, one for beginner geocachers – includes map directions – and one for advanced geocachers – includes GPS coordinates (please bring your own GPS unit). The beginner course will use a multicache principle – directions lead you to a location that provides new directions to the next location and eventually to a cache. The advanced course will use classic GPS coordinates that lead from cache to cache encouraging participants to complete the course for prizes from The Resort at MarinaVillage.

The GEO PADDLE has been designed for those canoe and kayakers who are more interested in a leisurely approach to the Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail, whether it be families, couples, teams or individuals. Kayakers and canoeists can revel in the variety of their natural surroundings; paddle alongside playful dolphins; view some 300 species of birds including egrets, bald eagles, pelicans, herons, ospreys, ibis, roseate spoonbills and wood storks; disappear into the rivulets of countless inland waterways and gnarled mangroves. They will undoubtedly paddle next to dolphins or manatees. It’s inevitable.

Back on dry land, attendees are invited to preview the latest and greatest outdoor gear, boats and equipment from Bass Pro Shops®. Representatives will be on hand answering questions and conducting clinics and workshops. Music and promotions are compliments of Cat Country 107.1 who will be broadcasting throughout the day. In support of the waterway clean-up efforts of Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc., The Resort at MarinaVillage has been designated as an official Monofilament Madness drop-off location. Monofilament Madness is an annual event during which volunteers go out in boats, kayaks, canoes and jet skis to remove monofilament fishing line and other harmful debris from the mangrove areas of Lee County. And topping off the variety of things- to-do, The Resort at MarinaVillage will be holding an open house “sneak peak” with scheduled guided tours of the newest luxury resort in Southwest Florida.

The Resort at MarinaVillage is a luxurious full-service condominium resort located at Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral, Florida. With 19 stories of sweeping views of the Caloosahatchee River, San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, The Resort at MarinaVillage offers all the amenities of Tarpon Point Marina plus hotel-style luxuries such as room service, housekeeping and professional concierge services. Studio, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom residences range up to 2,225 sq. ft., with grand rooms, master suites, guest suites, dining terraces and access to amenity decks. The resort features 20,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space, the award-winning Esterra Spa & Salon, waterfront dining at Marker 92 Restaurant & Bistro, the Nauti Mermaid Dockside Bar & Grill, tennis, outdoor pool and whirlpool spa, fitness center and retail shopping.

The Resort at MarinaVillage, one of SunStream Hotels & Resorts’ distinctive properties in Southwest Florida, is located at 5951 Silver King Blvd., Cape Coral, Florida. For more information on SunStream Hotels & Resorts or to make a reservation, please call 888-372-9256 or 239-463-2559 or visit MarinaVillageResort.com.

Grosse Pointe Development is a diversified company that has earned a strong reputation in the field of planning, development, sales, and management of master-planned communities and commercial developments. Grosse Pointe Development is the developer of Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral, the location of The Resort at MarinaVillage; The Residences at Bell Tower Park and the Palmas del Sol community within Gulf Harbour in Fort Myers. More information on Grosse Pointe Development can be found at www.GPDevelopment.com.

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For information, contact:
Carolyn Masten
SunStream Hotels & Resorts
(239) 765-4111 (office)
@SunStreampr (Twitter)
CarolynM@SunStream.com
www.SunStream.com

GULLWING AND POINTE ESTERO BEACH RESORTS PROVIDE EXCLUSIVE
CHECK-IN SITES FOR 2009 INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP

Fort Myers Beach, FL – August 24, 2009 – Each year, volunteers from around the world spend a few hours removing trash and debris from beaches, lakes, rivers and other waterways keeping track of every piece of trash they find. The Ocean Conservancy (www.oceanconservancy.org) uses that information to produce the world’s only annual country-by-country, state-by-state index of the problem of marine debris. Last year, nearly 400,000 world-wide volunteers removed and tallied 6.8 million pounds of debris, from 6,485 sites in 100 countries and 42 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

On Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, local volunteers in conjunction with Keep Lee County Beautiful will be scouring the beaches and waterways of Lee County to collect debris and record the findings. There are seven official Check in Sites with an additional location being added at the GullWing and Pointe Estero Beach Resorts on Fort Myers Beach. This meeting site will be the exclusive location for Cub Scout Pack 11 and Girl Scout Troops 353, 373, 405 and 406 from Lehigh Acres. Together with group organizers and parents, girls and boys from Kindergarten through 10th grade will hit the beach armed with data cards and pencils, latex gloves, trash bags and cold beverages. “This is the groups first time participating in the Coastal Cleanup and they are very excited to be able to help keep a portion of Fort Myers Beach clean,” states Trish Fancher, Program Director of Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc.

The two goals of the cleanup are to remove unsightly and environmentally harmful debris from Florida’s coastlines and raise awareness about this preventable litter problem. Litter poses a threat to wildlife – plastic bags are mistaken for jellyfish and eaten by sea turtles. Lost and discarded fishing tackle is eaten by birds and becomes an entangling trap to many types of animal life. “The ocean is our life support system yet marine debris continues to threaten its health. We know that trash travels. Wherever we live, each of us has a responsibility to prevent litter from trashing our beaches and hurting coastal economies, injuring and killing marine wildlife, and choking an already threatened ocean ecosystem,” said Vikki Spruill President and CEO of Ocean Conservancy. “Trash in the ocean is one of the most widespread pollution problems threatening our ocean and waterways and it’s entirely preventable.”

The annual cleanup is organized by The Ocean Conservancy, and is coordinated locally by Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc. In 2008, more than 950 volunteers, including divers, turned out to clean up Lee County beaches and thanks to their efforts, approximately 4,500 pounds of trash and monofilament fishing line was collected from the area’s coastline and waterways. For further information on The International Coastal Cleanup as well as other special projects and programs, please visit the Keep Lee County Beautiful website at www.klcb.org.

SunStream Hotels & Resorts vision has made it the largest and most successful independent, locally-owned and operated resort company in Southwest Florida. Headquartered in Fort Myers Beach, SunStream Hotels & Resorts has specialized in property development and hospitality management since 1986. SunStream’s distinctive collection of properties in Southwest Florida now includes the Bellasera Hotel, Park Shore Resort, Port of the Islands Resort & Marina, DiamondHead Beach Resort, GullWing Beach Resort, Pointe Estero Beach Resort and opening in November 2009, the Resort at MarinaVillage – a luxurious full-service condominium resort located at Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral with 19 stories of sweeping views of the Caloosahatchee River, San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

For more information on SunStream Hotels & Resorts or to book a reservation, please call 800-625-4111 or visit www.sunstream.com.

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In 1919, pioneer botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling founded the botanical garden. Respected botanist David Fairchild reflected, “The wildlife is passing. Man is destroying it. Dr. Nehrling loved it and taught thousands to follow his lead.” After Nehrling died, his garden grew wild until Julius Fleischmann restored and expanded it in 1954. Explorers and educators Larry and Nancy Jane Tetzlaff, known as Jungle Larry and Safari Jane, introduced the rare animals in 1969. Larry performed stuntwork in the popular Tarzan films and collected venom during WWII for medicine. Millions gained a new appreciation of the planet’s wonders through their films, TV appearances, and live programs. Today, Naples Zoo continues its mission to delight guests with the natural world and inspire the conservation of our planet’s remaining wild areas and their wondrous inhabitants.

Today

In this tropical setting, guests can take delight at seeing many of their favorite animals like lions, kangaroos and bears. They will also find a botanical collection of exotic plants, mature trees and rare historic tropical gardens. Experience the Zoo’s feature exhibits such as The Fosa: Madagascar’s Legendary Carnivore, Tiger Forest, Leopard Rock, Petrof’s Primate Pavilion, Alligator Bay and African Oasis. And gaze on an array of more rarely seen creatures like African wild dogs or an Asian deer that barks and eats meat. Guests can climb aboard a guided cruise and leisurely observe islands of monkeys, lemurs and apes in their own habitat.

Lions, Tigers and Bears ’09!

2009 marks the 40^th anniversary since the Tetzlaff family introduced the wild animals to the historic tropical garden. Coinciding with the 70^th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz movie, Naples Zoo is celebrating with Lions, Tigers and Bears ’09! (Oh Nine! Oh My! Cute, huh? Not as cute as the lion cubs, baby porcupine and black bears). See them all during your next visit to Southwest Florida.

The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is conveniently located at 1590 Goodlette-Frank Road, Naples, FL 34102. ZooLine: 239-262-5409 or on the web at NaplesZoo.org.