Englewood, Florida.

When I think of vacation hotspots my mind conjures up visions of New York, Las Vegas, Miami or Honolulu so it was a bit of a surprise to see that TripAdvisor, one of the largest travel sites on the Internet, named Englewood, Florida, as the #2 destination hotspot in the United States for 2009. They were also quick to add that the reader had to find the place on the map for him or herself. So where is this small Florida town and what makes it a vacation destination hotspot?

Englewood is located on the Gulf of Mexico, between Sarasota and Fort Myers. Interstate 75 bypasses the town, as does State Rd. 41, which leaves people having to find the place that is called the "Gem of the Suncoast". Englewood boasts four different beaches on Manasota Key that offer excellent swimming, shelling, sunbathing, or just catching up reading a good book. From May to the end of September sea turtles crawl ashore to lay their eggs at night. The hatchlings emerge after an incubating period and dash towards the ocean. Volunteers search the beaches each day to find nests and mark them to protect the eggs. Treasures can also be found on the beach in the form of shells and fossilized sharks teeth.

The area is also home to world-class fishing. Professional Tarpon Tournaments are held in May and June at nearby Boca Grande, and a large variety of fish such as Grouper, Redfish, Snapper, Kingfish, Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin can be caught in the Gulf while Snook, Spotted Sea Trout and others can be found in the grassy flats of Lemon Bay and the Myakka River. Charter a fishing boat with a knowledgeable Captain and show that you don’t have to be a professional to land a Tarpon.

Lemon Bay is a great place to enjoy a boat ride, rent a jet ski or paddle a kayak. While you are out there you might see a dolphin or manatee cruise by or you may spot a bald eagle, osprey (sea eagle), snowy egrets, blue herons and pelicans that inhabit this area.

Englewood has a number of parks that offer tennis courts, basketball courts, Olympic size swimming pool, a skateboard park, football fields, cricket field, and a fenced dog area (Oyster Creek State Park), soccer, softball fields gymnasium facilities and playgrounds (Englewood Sports Center), a gymnasium with 6 basketball courts, a weight room, 4 outdoor lighted tennis courts (Tringali Sports Center) and trails through nature preserves (Stump Pass, Lemon Bay Park, Oyster Creek State Park, Indian Mound Park and Cedar Point Environmental Park.) Guided tours are available.

Shopping for necessities such as groceries is always close by. There are a wide variety of businesses available to handle all your needs. The Englewood historic district encompasses the downtown area of Dearborn Street and vicinity. Here you will find charming gift shops, art galleries, beauty salons, jewelry, coffee shops and restaurants. On the first Saturday evening of each month, Dearborn Street features “Cruizin on Dearborn”, a display of antique, muscle cars and hot rods along with live music. On the second Saturday evening of each month it is “Saturday Night Live”, also with live music. Merchants and restaurateurs stay open late on those evenings. More stores are within a 20-minute drive, in Venice to the north and Port Charlotte to the south.

For avid golfers Englewood is a Mecca with 9 courses in the immediate area open to the general public. This means that you will have a choice of a different course or tee time every day of the week.

Accommodations run the gamut from luxury homes or condos on the beach to accommodations on a golf course. Rates vary depending on the length of stay, daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal.

Use Englewood as a jumping off point to visit other areas in Florida. Some are within an hour’s drive or you might decide on an overnight adventure.

So the bottom line is: What are you looking for in a vacation? If it’s relaxation from the hustle and bustle of your work, then Englewood could be your #1 destination hotspot for 2009.