A $15-a-Day Weekend in Boca Grande
The Tampa Bay Times gives its weekend trip to Gasparilla Island a high rating. “The trip which should be made a weekend affair, is filled with interesting sights and experiences. For the most part, it is a rich man’s journey, although there are also accommodations for the budget traveler.”
The Boca Grande Hotel “offers the very best of service at prices ranging from $12 to $25 a day. This is the American plan. All hotels are American plan on the island.” They note that the Palmetto Inn where the rates average $6 a day is a popular place to stay. A higher priced hotel is the Gasparilla Inn where “one theoretically must submit a drop of blood before registering. Strictly blue blood.”
They note that their budget for two persons for a weekend included:
| Gasoline | $1.75 |
| Ferry Toll | 8.00 |
| Train Fare | .80 |
| Breakfast | 1.20 |
| Hotel | 24.00 |
| TOTAL | $30.75 |
— It was January 1949!
“Visit Boca Grande” Tourism History
