Pelican Landing

Pros

• The community center at Pelican Landing is very well maintained.
• The staff at Pelican Landing are friendly and helpful.
• The gym offers a wide variety of equipment.
• Sanitary wipes and hand sanitizer are available in multiple locations.
• The center hosts bands on a regular basis and has rooms for events and dances.
• Pelican Landing is described as an excellent, luxurious, premier gated community.
• The amenities include championship tennis, state-of-the-art fitness, canoeing/kayaking, sailing, and many planned activities.
• Pelican Landing offers everything residents could want, including a private beach, boating, biking trails, and a market with services.
• Guests report that Rob and his wife went out of their way to ensure comfort.

Cons

• The community is criticized for allowing people to drive into the gates without a valid driver's license, allegedly endangering residents.
• The guard's policy is described as accepting foreign passports but not United States passports, implying inconsistent ID rules.
• The front desk staff are described as incompetent.
• A vendor calls the community a nightmare, citing rude treatment, no parking, and being barred from lobby access.
• Anne is said to provide terrible service, with snarky remarks and a terrible attitude.
• The butterfly garden is deemed disappointing, with few flowers and a dry pond, suggesting it should be removed from the map.
• The gym needs work, and the temperature is described as very cold.
• A resident describes the place as disrespectful, noting a neighbor rang their doorbell 20 times at 3 a.m. waking a child.

Review

Pelican Landing in Bonita Springs, a well-known gated community on Florida's Southwest Gulf Coast, earns high marks for its overall quality of life and its wealth of amenities. Visitors and residents alike describe a place where you don't have to leave the neighborhood to enjoy a rich array of activities and services. The community sits along a private barrier island with its own boat taxi, and it offers championship tennis, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, canoeing and kayaking, sailing, and a lively schedule of planned happenings during the season. A number of longtime residents emphasize that Pelican Landing is meticulously maintained, with a lifestyle that suits retirees and second-home owners who want convenience and sophistication in one package.

The center of social life is the Pelican Landing community center, which repeatedly earns praise for being well maintained and staffed by friendly, helpful people. Reviews highlight a gym that offers a wide variety of equipment, with sanitation wipes and hand sanitizer placed around for cleanliness. The center also includes multiple rooms for events and dances, and organizers note that bands appear on a regular basis, making it easy for residents to host gatherings, dances, and town-hall-style meetings. In addition to its formal programming, the community has created spaces for informal get-togethers and recreational activities, reinforcing a sense of community among people who live there or who visit for short stays.

Fitness and recreation figure prominently in the Pelican Landing experience. Several reviewers point to the gym as a major draw, praising the well-equipped facilities and the availability of pickleball courts that attract players of all levels. Some readers describe the gym as a "nice smaller gym," while others call the pickleball courts excellent and note ongoing improvement in the facilities. One visitor recounts a bingo night as a highlight, mentioning a large, well-appointed exercise room and the chance to win during games, with a playful nod to bringing one's own "door" to bingo - an odd but memorable detail that underscores the casual, social convenience found here.

Not everything is flawless, though. A recurring theme involves the garden and landscaping, with one reviewer voicing a stark disappointment about the Butterfly Garden. They describe sparse flowers, a disheveled pond area, and stones that look poorly maintained, ultimately suggesting that the garden might warrant removal from the map. That critique sits alongside broader praise for the grounds' overall upkeep, but it serves as a reminder that not all elements of the landscape meet the same high expectations set by the community's reputation.

There are also mixed notes about service experiences and security policy. One account contrasts the general positivity with a specific complaint about the gatehouse: a guest observed a driver presenting a passport for identification, and the guard's explanation that foreign passports are honored but not a United States passport, coupled with a policy requiring a valid driver's license. The writer viewed this as a community-wide policy rather than a guard's personal stance and felt it underscored potential safety concerns if residents and workers are allowed to operate without valid licenses. This anecdote touches on a broader sense that even in an otherwise polished environment, some operational rules and processes could be clearer or more consistently enforced.

Within the community's own staff, sentiments range from glowing praise to pointed criticism. Several reviews celebrate the front desk team as friendly and welcoming, while others single out individuals as lacking in competence or displaying poor attitudes. One reviewer labels a particular staff member, Anne, as having "terrible" service with snarky remarks and a dismissive demeanor, and another notes a guest-facing experience marked by rudeness toward service vendors, including long check-in times and parking challenges. These threads show that, even in a place known for its amenities and beauty, interpersonal interactions can color the overall experience for residents and outsiders alike.

Still, the overarching narrative remains one of a highly desirable lifestyle. People who live in Pelican Landing describe a full spectrum of benefits: everything you could want is in the community - gym, boating, a private beach, biking trails, a neighborhood market with a Publix and a gas station, and a community center that hosts concerts and public meetings. A number of longtime residents speak to a high quality of life and a slower pace that suits retirees or those seeking a resort-like environment with practical conveniences right at hand. They emphasize the sense of community, the beauty of the surroundings, and the pride residents take in maintaining a place that feels both exclusive and welcoming.

In conclusion, Pelican Landing stands out as a premier gated community that combines luxurious amenities, abundant recreational opportunities, and a robust social calendar with a distinctive Florida charm. It's widely praised for its landscape, the breadth of activities, and the friendliness of many staff and residents. Yet, like any large, active community, it faces legitimate concerns - security policy clarity, occasional staff missteps, and a few maintenance quirks in smaller attractions like the butterfly garden. Taken together, the reviews portray a place of substantial appeal and strong social fabric, where most people seem eager to stay, renew their commitment, and invite others to visit and experience what the Landing has to offer.

This part of Bonita Springs, Florida offers a convenient and diverse array of amenities for seniors looking to settle in the area. With several reputable physicians and pharmacies nearby, residents can easily access quality healthcare services. Additionally, there are various dining options ranging from upscale restaurants like Angelina's Ristorante to casual cafes like Starbucks, catering to different tastes and preferences. The presence of Lee Health outpatient rehabilitation centers and a nearby hospital ensures easy access to medical facilities when needed. For recreation, there are parks such as River Walk Park Bonita Bay for leisurely walks or outdoor activities. Overall, this neighborhood provides a comfortable and well-rounded environment for seniors seeking a vibrant community with essential services within close proximity.

Physicians

• Bonita Springs Acupuncture & Anti-Aging Clinic (0.3 miles)
• Orthopaedic Specialists (0.7 miles)
• Bonita Vision Center (0.7 miles)
• Riverchase Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery (1.4 miles)
• Radiation Therapy Regional Centers (2.2 miles)
• 21st Century Oncology (2.2 miles)
• Lane Pediatrics, PA (3.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Pelican Village Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• Walgreens (0.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.5 miles)
• John's Pharmacy (3.6 miles)
• Walgreens (3.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Angelina's Ristorante (0.5 miles)
• Sushi Thai Too (0.8 miles)
• South Fork Grille (1.3 miles)
• Ruth's Chris Steak House (1.3 miles)
• Tony Sacco's Coal Oven Pizza (1.7 miles)
• DeRomo's Gourmet Market & Restaurant (2.3 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Lee Health Outpatient Rehabilitation - Coconut Point (0.9 miles)
• Lee Health Outpatient Rehabilitation - Bonita Bay Lifestyle Center (2.2 miles)
• NCH North Naples Hospital (7.7 miles)
• Physicians Day Surgery Center (7.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.7 miles)
• Survey Cafe (3.5 miles)
• Downtown Coffee And Wi (3.7 miles)
• Trackside Donuts & Cafe (4.1 miles)
• Starbucks (5.1 miles)

Parks

• River Walk Park Bonita Bay (3.1 miles)
• Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park (7.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Iglesia Cristiana Jesus Amor Eterno En Peniel In (4.5 miles)