anyone been to Captiva or Sanibel island?

[mtquinn]

I am thinking of planning a family vacation to one of these spots in June 2011. Have you been there? If so, can you recommend a great family hotel with good supervised kids clubs (my girls are ages 9 and 6) and lots of on site, or close by, activities for the family? Is it very pricey or tolerable? I would love to hear. Thanks!!

 

[swilshire]

We have been there a few times and love it. We always stay in timeshares, so I can't help much with lodging. Summer is the off-season there, so that should help with rates. We went once in July and I swore never again. It's HOT in the summer.

Be sure and eat at the Island Cow. It's our family's favorite restaurant. We always go twice. The portions are huge and the prices reasonable.

The Ding Darling nature center is interesting, but the beaches and great shelling are the best.

Sheila

 

[mamalle]

we loved the south seas resort in Captiva.. we rented a condo I think for like $135 a night. That was the end of June. I got a AAA discount if I recall.. The kids loved the Island Cow also. Im a huge fan of the Mucky Duck. Its very nice over there.

 

[meliss8599]

Pointe Santo is condo rentals but they have REALLY cute kids activities every day. For example, they make crafty creatures out of shells, make ice cream sundaes, do hair wraps and braiding--there's like three activities/day.

In the "courtyard" is a huge pond/lagoon where there are tons of fish, birds, and the occasional gator (small). In the building over the lagoon is a room with a "glass" floor that you can look down into the lagoon to where the gator (if there is one at the time) usually hangs out. You walk over a bridge to get to the pool and then to the beach.

My inlaws own a condo in another complex and they and my husband have been going there for decades. I've joined them for the past 11 so feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions.

Here's a link to a thread on food on the islands:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2461878

 

[Ciao Mickey]

I am thinking of planning a family vacation to one of these spots in June 2011. Have you been there? If so, can you recommend a great family hotel with good supervised kids clubs (my girls are ages 9 and 6) and lots of on site, or close by, activities for the family? Is it very pricey or tolerable? I would love to hear. Thanks!!

We always stayed at South Seas Plantation on Captiva.

They have a variety of accommodations and lots to do.

http://www.southseas.com/resort_experience/family_activities.cfm

 

[mtquinn]

Hmmmm, sounds lovely. I def want a place that has lots of kids activities. So, which is better...a hotel room or condo? Can I have the pluses and minuses of each? We are a family of four. Don't need too much space if it's a big price difference. Just nice, clean rooms. Are there tv's in the rooms?

 

[mtquinn]

we loved the south seas resort in Captiva.. we rented a condo I think for like $135 a night. That was the end of June. I got a AAA discount if I recall.. The kids loved the Island Cow also. Im a huge fan of the Mucky Duck. Its very nice over there.

Hmmm, when I checked their site for the end of June 2011 the rates were much higher. Did you go recently? Maybe book on another travel website? I want that rate!

 

[meliss8599]

Hmmmm, sounds lovely. I def want a place that has lots of kids activities. So, which is better...a hotel room or condo? Can I have the pluses and minuses of each? We are a family of four. Don't need too much space if it's a big price difference. Just nice, clean rooms. Are there tv's in the rooms?

I would assume you're better off at a hotel b/c most condo complexes are rented out by individual owners and will not offer kids activities. Sanibel/Captiva may not be the place for you if you're looking to stay at your hotel for most of your entertainment (unless shelling and building sandcastles is your thing). While there are many things to do on the island, they are more "family" activities where parents need to be involved rather than "kids" activities--visiting the nature center at Ding Darling, bike riding around the island, dolphin cruise (Stars & Stripes is the best), kayaking, visiting the lighthouse, eating ice cream at Pinnochio's (famous for their Sanibel Crunch).

The plusses of being in a condo is that you can save money by not having to eat out every meal, there's more space, the owner will most likely have beach towels, chairs, and toys for you to use free of charge. You can also do your laundry in a condo. You said you're going in June which is the island's down season so prices will be at their most reasonable. A hotel would be nice b/c your room is cleaned every day but, other than that, I can't tell you the plusses of a hotel on the island b/c we've never stayed in one.