That Florida Life

06/02/2026

Florida really is an incredible place to call home 🌴🐢☀️

On World Environment Day, we’ve been thinking about just how lucky we are to live somewhere with:
💙 Beautiful Gulf beaches
🌿 Nature preserves & mangroves
🦅 Wildlife everywhere
🌅 Stunning sunsets every night
🐬 Dolphins, manatees… and sea turtles nesting right on our shores

Some of our favorite local spots to soak it all in are:
🌴 Myakka River State Park
🌊 Venice Beach at sunset
🦅 Oscar Scherer State Park
🌿 Robinson Preserve
🐚 Boca Grande beaches
🚣 Kayaking the mangrove tunnels around Sarasota & Venice

But with all this beauty comes a little responsibility too ❤️

It’s officially sea turtle nesting season here in Southwest Florida, and one of the BIGGEST things beachgoers can do to help is surprisingly simple:

PLEASE fill in your holes before leaving the beach 🐢

Large holes dug for fun can become deadly traps for mama turtles coming ashore to nest, and for tiny hatchlings trying to make it safely to the water.

A few other quick turtle-friendly reminders:
✔️ Avoid setting up chairs or umbrellas near marked nests
✔️ Give nesting turtles plenty of space
✔️ Keep beaches clean
✔️ Turn off flashlights/flash photography at night

Small actions really do make a huge difference.

What’s YOUR favorite nature spot in Southwest Florida? Drop it below ⬇️ 🌴

06/01/2026

Can we talk about how Wellen Park is basically turning everyday life into a permanent vacation? ☀️🌴

Some communities here aren’t just “nice neighborhoods” anymore… they’re full-on RESORT experiences.

🏖️ Massive resort pools
🍹 Poolside tiki bars
🎾 Pickleball courts everywhere
🐕 Dog parks & walking trails
🔥 Firepit lounges & event lawns
💪 Fitness centers + yoga studios
🎉 Lifestyle directors planning social events all year long

For real, some of these communities feel more like you checked into a Florida resort than moved into a neighborhood.

A few that really stand out right now, and that we have had the great pleasure of spending a LOT of time in:
✨ Brightmore – HUGE clubhouse + wellness-focused 55+ lifestyle
⛳ Wellen Park Golf & Country Club – country club vibes with resort amenities
🌴 Grand Palm – established, nature-filled & family-friendly
🏡 Palmera – one of the newest luxury communities coming to life
✨ Esplanade – the newest resort-style community everyone’s talking about (and homesites are being snagged quickly!)

If you could pick ONE resort-style amenity to have in your neighborhood… what would it be? 👀

Drop your answer below ⬇️

And if you want to see which Wellen Park communities REALLY deliver that “live like you’re on vacation” lifestyle, we broke them all down in a great blog post.

To read the full blog post and explore our top Wellen Resort style communities, click the LINK in the comments!

05/29/2026

This could be your morning walk on the beach 🌅
I don't think this kind of start to the day will ever get old.
** Are you a morning walk or evening walk kinda person? **

05/28/2026

Quick replies, clear answers, and actually getting things sorted when something comes up.

That’s the stuff that makes the whole process feel a lot easier.

If you want someone who stays on top of things from start to finish:
📧 [email protected]
📞 +1 941-202-6505

05/26/2026

Ever walk into a place and just instantly gel with it?

That was us with the Costa Mesa model from ICI Homes

The layout just works. There's a really easy flow through the whole house and everything feels… right.

4 bed, 3 bath, 3 car garage. It's stunning.

We shared a full walkthrough here if you want to see it 👇

22 likes, 3 comments. "Full Tour of ICI Homes Costa Mesa - Oakbend Wellen Park Customizable Home"

05/25/2026

🚣‍♂️ Kayaking where the water is clear, the dolphins & manatees are out...and we saw Milton Pass before it closed up! If you are looking for great places to kayak, then you'll want to head to Stump Pass State Park. 🐬 Even if you don't own a kayak, in this video we'll show you the route we took AND where you can rent kayaks to explore for yourself. Honestly, one of the best kayak trips we've taken here in SWFL!

21 likes, 3 comments. "Kayak Adventure to Milton Pass: Hurricane Milton's Surprise Gift to Florida | Stump Pass State Park"

05/25/2026

Current situation. Our own little slice of paradise!

05/23/2026

Spent some time camping and hiking at O'Leno State Park this week 🌿
It’s one of Florida’s oldest state parks, set along the Santa Fe River with loads of shaded trails and that proper “in the woods” feel.

It was a nice change from the beach for a few days!

❤️ if you’ve been and tell us in the comments which is your favorite state park?

☀️

05/21/2026

Head and shoulders above the rest”… and not just because he’s tall 😄

We really appreciate this from John & Francine, especially as they were relocating and doing a lot of the process from a distance.

From virtual calls to in-person tours, right through to closing, having someone who knows the area inside out makes a big difference.

Get in touch today to start your home search with Josh.

—

Full review:

"When we started our research into Wellen Park communities, we came across a number of YouTube videos by several local realtors. What was quickly apparent was that Josh was head and shoulders above his peers. His experience in land development, knowledge of the local real estate market and his commitment to his clients made him an obvious choice.

Even though we lived “worlds away” in the Northeast, Josh immediately put us at ease. Prior to our trip to the Venice/Northport area we held several virtual meetings. Josh asked all the right questions and we were certain that he knew exactly what we were looking for. He provided us with a number of online resources and helped narrow down our search.

Once we met with Josh in person and began our tour of several communities and numerous home models, we realized that Josh, with his knowledge of all things Wellen Park was the right man for the job. Everywhere we went, we felt like VIPs walking in with the “Mayor of Wellen Park”. Every sales agent pulled us aside and told us that they valued Josh’s expertise and attention to his clients. The respect he has gained with business partners is evident.

Once we made our final decision, Josh walked us step by step through the process and was able to negotiate a fantastic deal with several incentives and add-ons requested and approved. From contract to closing, Josh remained in constant contact with us, providing photo and video updates. He even stopped by the day after a hurricane and set our minds at ease after confirming that our home did not sustain any damage.

Prior to and shortly after our closing, Josh worked with the builder to correct several punch-list items. His keen eye and blue tape made our final walkthrough a breeze. Josh truly “walks the walk” and treats others how he would like to be treated. Awesome experience, highly recommended.

05/19/2026

Pulling up to lunch by boat or kayak just feels very Florida, right?

The Boatyard in Englewood is a great spot where you can hop off the water, grab lunch or drinks, listen to some music, and just hang out for a bit.

Not a bad way to spend an afternoon on Manasota Key near Stump Pass.

For more local knowledge and fun things to do in the area, grab our Englewood Relocation Guide via the link below.

https://thatfloridalife.kit.com/c4400946a4