Sanibel Island and Captiva Island are called sister islands, but there are some obvious differences between them. I will say, depending on the types of places youre used to staying in Florida (or on vacation in general)I find that 95% of whats offered on Sanibel leaves a lot to be desired (especially for the $$). Essentially, Sanibel and Captiva islands are sister islands. These two barrier islands are nestled just of the Southwest Florida coast, within a short drive from Fort Myers. The Bubble Room is family friendly and a very fun place for kids - and adults. On Sanibel, youll want a bike, possibly even a car, for your visit. 8 Great Places to Go Kayaking in Fort Myers, 50 Things to Do in Southwest Florida: The Ultimate Bucket List, 10 Fun and Easy Day Trips from Naples Florida, 15 Fun Things To Do on Sanibel Island, Florida, 6 Best Waterfront Places to Stay on Sanibel Island and Captiva Island, Castaway to 7 Southwest Florida Gulf Coast Islands Reachable Only By Boat, The 7 Best Beaches in Fort Myers Florida (Plus 5 More Nearby), 9 Sanibel Restaurants for Tropical Island Dining at Its Best. Paddling the islands back waters is a great way to spend a day. Both are a far cry from the bitter cold winter months further north. Haven't been to either. If at South Seas add extensive resort amenitiesand an upscale atmosphere. Also, Captiva and North Captiva had medium counts and Cayo Costa's was low, a trend that continued north to Manasota Beach and south to 32 miles offshore of Wiggins Pass in Collier County. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hNosNWLPbQ, This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Sanibels beaches are generally firm and compact, from higher foot traffic. Not really. Captiva, on the other hand, is much, much smaller: five miles long and 1.64 square miles in size. Both the Sanibel inn and Seaside inn offer 15% off deals for residents in Florida currently. Then it takes about 20 minutes (without traffic) to travel the length of Sanibel to the small bridge at Blind Pass that brings you to Captiva. The whole island is practically all beach on the West, and this is where the Gulf of Mexico laps at the shore just what you want to dip your toes into! Compared to Sanibel Island, beaches on Captiva Island do not have a lot of crowds and have a few shells to hunt. Honestly I cant imagine living on the island if I had to go to work off-island everyday, or just do a quick run to Target. If youre visiting during season, a bike will allow you to get around traffic when it slows to a crawl. Along Andy Rosse Lane is Captiva Island Pizza, casual RC Otters, and the very delicious Key Lime Bistro. For a beach that is central and safe, you want Tarpon Bay Beach. Eight Sanibel and Captiva beaches you have to visit include: For many people, the massive amount and variety of shells that can be found is what brings them Sanibel and Captiva Island beaches. Condos are also available on both the Gulf and the bay. Lets see what sets the islands apart and explore some of the best beaches on both islands. TravelMagmais a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. The beaches of Sanibel and Captiva were still closed due to Hurricane Ian w hen we visited, but we marveled at the huge, powerful, beautiful waves we saw from the road. While we initially stayed on and fell in love with Captiva Island, both islands are perfect for rest and relaxation. It had the same color/clarity as the ocean here in NC. Without a doubt, Sanibel has better shelling than Captiva. You can walk for miles on the beach here, and you can find soft white sand with plenty of intricate shells to enjoy. Marco has a 7.1 mile continuous, wide crescent beach with a long "Tigertail" beach. There are so many different species of fish here, and with the bay on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, you can imagine how popular its been as a destination here as you can access the beach right from the water, too. The sand quality is good. Sanibel and Captiva are sister islands. Sep 26, 2020 Onceyou're is on the beach, it is public property from mean the high tide line to the water, so you can stroll to your heart's content. Marco is totally surrounded by federal, state parks and preserves, the gateway to the Everglades so IMO it has more options for active adults. Sports and Activities Insider Pagefor more information. Several restaurants are within walking distance on Sanibel Island, including The Lazy Flamingo, Sunset Cafe and The Mad Hatter. Re: Siesta Key vs Captiva Island. When we were at Marco last month, the beaches were pretty. The J.N. The depth of beach space changes too. The majority of Captivas accommodations are at South Seas Island Resort, and its a lovely stay perfect also for destination weddings and other family gathering as they have a variety of accommodation types from studios to 3 and 4 bedroom homes. As waves travel across shallow water they pick up speed and tend to stir up sand and sediment from the ocean floor. How to Rent a Beachfront House on Isla Mujeres, Ultimate Guide to Florida Keys Vacation Rentals. In Captiva Island, you can access the several beaches on the island and enjoy the Gulf and Pine Island sound. "DING" DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. The water at Sand Key is exactly the same as the water on Clearwater Beach. Sanibel Island has more shells, Captiva Island Beaches have better sand. It does. Preferences, preferences. Located on a little barrier island just 7 miles long, Fort Myers Beach features wide beaches and beautiful views. All great points. For Sale: Single Family home, $1,795,000, 3 Bd, 5 Ba, 3,516 Sqft, $511/Sqft, at 5721 Sanibel Captiva Rd, Sanibel, FL 33957 On Captiva, you have much more space to spread out. Best Luxury Vacation Rental in Sanibel Island - Captiva Breeze - 4 bedrooms each with own bath. Both families and groups alike will love this beach, as you can swim, sunbathe, enjoy a picnic, build epic sandcastles, and play beach games. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The water moves fast, and the resorts and rentals are well-placed for a day of fun at the beach. Other than day trips to Sanibel, we dont usually use our rental car on Captiva. Turner Beach. It was here my friends found love and built up their romance. Fort Myers is blue collar means that Ft Myers is more lower . Whats the difference between Sanibel and Captiva? Sanibel is a better choice if you are beachcombing and want to enjoy biking on the bike paths, birdwatching, a d being out in nature in general. But eachisland has its own distinctive personality: Sanibelis a eclectic mix of nature, wildlife conservation land, tourist destination,island home, andshopping/ restaurant districts. Spotting aquatic wildlife including dolphins and manatees. Check the Refuge for hours of opening since recent budget cutbacks have reduced staff and forced occasional closings. Captiva island or Sanibel , best places to stay for 2-3 people , what is reopened , any suggestions? There are no stoplights (only a couple of four way stops and traffic directors who help move things along in congested areas at peak times) and a phenomenal network of bike trails. Mostly boutique shopping. All of the area's beaches from Lighthouse Beach to North Captiva Island are great shelling locations. Port Sanibel Marina | But if you are looking for the more traditional sugar sand beach with clear blue water the Captiva Island Beaches are the way to go. Youll find restrooms here quickly, and while the beach wont allow your dog or any open fires, you can still have a great time here. At the iconic Sanibel Lighthouse your stay on Sanibel Island truly is picture perfect. Many are gulf front and the rates vary greatly. It's a beauty inside and out, fashioned after a historic, Victorian-style island mansion. Captiva Island beaches on the other hand have a steeper slope in the water directly off the beach, which tends to cut down on the amount of shells that wash up on the beach. The currents flush fish out into the gulf and help build waves. Gulfside City Beach is also known as Algiers Beach, and the park itself has beach access and a nature trail to enjoy. Fishermen also enjoy the beach. These islands are perfect, providing visitors with dining, shopping, entertainment, and local hotels. You will find miles of pristine beaches to enjoy, and you can island hop to the north of the beaches, and then go fishing when youre on your way! You can reach Blind Pass by heading to Sanibel's western tip where the gorgeous white sand flanks the channel between Sanibel and Captiva islands. If you travel down Sanibel Captiva Road and make the trek over the Blind Pass bridge, youll find yourself on Captiva Island. Here are better explanations: You are paying or the name Naples means Naples is at least twice as expensive as Ft. Myers Beach. Walking and biking can get you around most of the island. A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. BOAT RIDE AROUND J.N. A lot of the island itself is privately owned. As far as recommendations on where to stay on each island: On Captiva: South Seas Island Resort or Tween Waters Island Resort, On Sanibel: Casa Ybel Resort, Tortuga Beach Club Resort, the Inns of Sanibel, Sanibel Restaurant Recommendations: What I Liked & What I Didnt, Shopping on Sanibel: A Must Visit Bookstore & Cute Boutiques, A Visit to the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, Cayo Costa Shelling Tours with Captiva Cruises, Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, Luminary Hotel & Co in Downtown Fort Myers Review, Matlacha Isles & Pine Island: A Great Fort Myers Day Trips. This post was written before Sanibel, Captiva, and parts of the surrounding area were absolutely blasted by Hurricane Ian in September 2022. 2. Silver Key Beach. Elsewhere the beautiful green canopy that was destroyed by Hurricane Charley is getting replaced by trees planted in 2006 and extensive landscaping is once again beautifying Periwinkle Way. Sanibels beaches are actually made up more of ground up shells than sand, which can be somewhat uncomfortable for bare feet. So if you score a parking space, you can walk along the beach as far as youd like. Alternatively, you may use, Hilton Grand Vacations Hotels in Sanibel Island, Hotels near J.N. At stake in Sanibel's nonpartisan Tuesday city council election: the seats now filled by the island's mayor and vice-mayor, Holly Smith and Richard Johnson. It also has a small parking lot and portable toilets. I agree completely with the response from Hawkowl (#3 above). As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We did some . But one thing that's very important is CLEAR water and pretty beaches. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Shelling and fishing is very popular at this beach. The city-island has several banks and shopping centers, even a single-screen movie theatre. Sanibel is the by far the larger of the two and is the first island off the mainland. There are 23 general parking spaces. . Were often asked and emailed questions from readers wanting to know what the difference is between Sanibel and Captiva islands. (read about the brown water discharges from Lake O). In the village area there are a number of marinas that offer charter captains and water taxi service to the out islands of North Captiva, Cabbage Key and Useppa. No matter what brings people to the beaches, its undeniable that theyre simply magnificent. Some resorts offer bikes for rent. Be sure to use the head. Also Ding Darling Bird Sanctuary is best visited early in the day. Its not a party town, but there are plenty of places to eat, drink and listen to live music. Turner Beach is a beautiful day out for the whole family, and with enough amenities to do it all, youll enjoy your time there immensely! You get a very comfortable and relaxed oceanfront resort, which includes: Another amazing inn on this island is the Seaside inn. The South Seas island resort is a large oceanfront resort which has. The strong currents that make Blind Pass a . Sanibel-Captiva islands have been an idyllic destination for tourists from Florida and the world over. Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grill 2500 Island Inn Rd, Sanibel Island OR 5400 S Seas Plantation Rd, Captiva Island That's right - Doc Ford's has two locations within the islands! The deep channel of water of what is now Blind Pass was formed, forever separating the two (though barely) by a narrow two-lane bridge thats small enough to walk across in under a minute. You can even rent golf carts. Very different experiences. There are many homes and historic cottages that rent privately as well. As you ride your bike to cruise the 4-mile Wildlife Drive, get ready to discover different trails. Which is never a bad thing. There are no restrooms on the Sanibel side, but there are restrooms on the Captiva side of the beach. The irony of this is, one of the best beaches on Sanibel is located closest to the Causeway. 2023TravelMagma All rights reserved.

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