Sanibel Island Area...anyone been?

[gwtw428]

Hi, I am trying to plan a vacation to Fort Myers or Sanibel but there are so many hotels and cottages and condo rentals! I have no idea where to stay or what to do.
Has anyone been there and what hotels were kid friendly with a great beach?
Thanks
Jamie

 

[lovinpoohbear]

oops sorry double post

 

[lovinpoohbear]

We stayed in Naples last summer for two weeks. We absolutely LOVED Marco Island, there is a beautiful Marriot resort there right on the beach. We went to Sanibel Island for a day trip and another day went to Fort Myers.
It is about a thirty minute ride to Sanibel, not sure if that helps or not. I would check tripadvisor.com and see what recent reviews report.

 

[mom~of~2]

I was just going to suggest trip advisor. I have also been researching Sanibel for a possible future trip and I found the trip advisor reviews very helpful (they also provide "family friendly" rankings).

 

[HeatherN]

I go to Sanibel/Captiva every year for a mom's get a way.I am afraid I don't have any house or motel recommendations (we rent a house with 10 women)I do want to say how amazing Sanibel is and I think you will love it there.It is very family friendly and laid back. Definitely check out trip adisor-they hae a great forum that will answer a lot of questions.

 

[Sorceress_Minnie]

We stay at Tortuga Beach Club on Sanibel every other year. It is a Hilton Timeshare property, but it does offer rentals. They have a great kids program. Everyday there is a craft of some type and usually lunch is grilled by the activities staff. Also, for school aged kids, there is an evening without parents (2 or 3 hours) that parents can shop or walk on the beach or enjoy adult only time.

If you go to Sanibel, be sure to visit Matzaluna and the Mucky Duck (on Captiva)

 

[JimR24]

We just went down there before the 4th of July. We stayed at the Sanibel Inn. Nice place, good pool and short walk to the beach. Lounge chairs and the floats for the gulf were free. Beach Umbrellas were $10 for the day, I think.

We noticed the water was a little rough in the morning and when the tide went out it was crystal clear in the afternoon and shelling was easier.

We had a great time and will be going back next year for another stay. There seemed to be a bunch of good restuarants on the island and none of them were chain type of restuarant. If you like coffe, try the Sanibel Bean. Great place.

You can check this link for the restaurants on the island:

http://www.cuisine-scene.com/pages/restaurantsancap.html

 

[nessz79]

We live in Naples. I would recommend looking into staying by Ft Myers Beach. I think it would be cheaper than Sanibel and a little more central to other areas. You could still go to Sanibel Beach from there easily. You could also do the Ft Myers Beach stuff, go to Naples Beach (usually quieter than Ft Myers Beach), go to the water park in Cape Coral (Sun Splash Park), go to the Imaginarium (a children's museum), go to the Naples Zoo (a small zoo- don't expect too much there), etc, etc. Lots to do if you do your research.

Sorry, I don't have specific hotel recommendations. I second the idea of going to tripadvisor.com

 

[Kira G.]

We rented a house for a week in Captiva Feb. 2007 and I've recently booked us for another trip next Spring. We LOVED it! Captiva was like a paradise - beautiful, and compact. The beach was great as well. Both Sanibel and Captiva avoid the "overbuilt" look of a lot of Florida beach areas. You can't build any structure over 3 stories, so the sea, wildlife and tropical flora are the focus.

For me the best thing about Captiva was how compact it was. Shopping, food and beach were all within walking distance. For a few days of our vacation I didn't even get into my car. For a mom of 4 kids ages 7-16, that is the ultimate vacation!

Wherever you go, enjoy! It is a wonderful part of the world.

 

[MNdisneymom]

We absolutely LOVED Marco Island, there is a beautiful Marriot resort there right on the beach.

I second Marco Island!! My parents spend a month at a timeshare on the beach every November (not too far from the Marriott, as a matter of fact!) and it is great--beautiful weather, not too crowded. My DS 5 was in heaven for the week we spent there--lots of beach (and pool) time. We took a manatee cruise on the last day--we saw lots of different wildlife, not just manatees. Marco is part of a chain called the Thousand Islands (or something like that) and we cruised around lots of little bays and inlets. Oh, we also took a catamaran ride out into the gulf, which was speedy and fun, but a wee bit scary for the little guy.

I've been to Sanibel before...and it just seems a lot more crowded and busy, so that's why I would prefer Marco. But if that's what you like (there are probably more active things to go and do, not just sitting on the beach all day), then go for it.

 

[lillygator]

we are heading there this weekend!

 

[disneymomjcs]

We stayed at the Sundial Beach and Golf Club last June for two days and returned for a week last August 07.

We had a one bedroom with a kitchen and eating area and L/R newly redone.

We had a blast right on the beach a great pool with an activity center.

They put a huge log in the pool so kids and adults can try to walk and stay on. They have Bingo and you can win prizes. Pool has a shell slide. There are many pools at this resort.

Arts and crafts, hermit crab races, ice cream/sodas for a small fee.

They have an eco center with all kinds of creatures in it to touch.

The shells were great tons of them just sitting on the beach.

Lots of unique restaurants. Mataluna, Island Cow etc.

It is a beautiful place and very laid back. Miles of bike trails on the island.

Note: no see ums are bugs that bite on sanibel bring bug spray for night time.

 

[lpberg]

Oh what a place! Very relaxing..... I lived in Cape Coral with my parents when I was in my final years of college - I was on the 7 year plan I've been back to Sanibel several times since with my own family and we always enjoy it.

Couple of things to keep in mind....if you want to rent a house/condo from the locals, if you elect to use something like vrbo.com, they can only rent for, in most cases, a month at a time, which can get expensive. We typically use Resort Quest (resortquest.com) and they tend to be somewhat more flexible. There are several nice condos you can rent that have a short walk to the beach. I would recommend NOT staying in the area near to the lighthouse (nearer to San Carlos Bay) - the beach isn't nearly as nice, and it's kind of run down. Additionally, the Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa is BEFORE the causeway, so if you want to get to the beach *on* the island, I would avoid staying there - you'd be crossing the causeway several times a day and driving to get to the beach. Last few times we stayed at Loggerhead Cay condos and had a pleasant experience.

As far as things to do, it's a very laid back scene, so if your family is into water parks, or adventure rides, and not spending the morning on the beach, swimming in the water, it might not be the best place to stay. Naples or Ft Myers Beach may be a better option. My family enjoys hanging out on the beach, having lunch there and then going out for a relaxing dinner or riding bikes around the area.

If you do go, be sure to find Bowman's Beach (on the way to Captiva) - it's a bit of a hike through a wooded area (with walk bridges) to get to the beach, but it's BEAUTIFUL - lots of shells to scoop up. There is also "Ding Darling" - the nature preserve and a lot of people bike through there as well.

Captiva is beautiful as well, albeit a little more expensive than Sanibel. South Seas Plantation has had an extensive remodel due to hurricane damage, and is lovely. A really cool restaurant on Captiva is the Bubble Room - lots of memorabilia, good food, fun atmosphere, but again, expensive!

There's also an outlet strip mall just before you get to the causeway if you're into shopping!

Good luck with your research!

Lynne

 

[mamaminnie]

We love the 'Tween Waters Inn. It's between Sanibel and Captiva. They have rooms, cabins, suites, a real variety. The rates are usually quite reasonable.

 

[Colinsmom]

I've been to Sanibel once on a day trip, but that was pre-kids.

We are headed there in October - splitting our vacation between Sanibel and Disney. We are staying at the Seaside Inn.

My in-laws live on Marco Island and we don't enjoy taking the kids there. The Marriott's beach was so hard and uncomfortable to walk or sit and play on, and we struggle to entertain the kids on Marco without leaving the island. Sanibel has the nature aspects (soft beach, gentle waters, shelling and Ding Darling) that will appeal to my 5yo, plus we'll be right on the beach (vs. driving to the beach from in-law's condo).

We want to take a trip up to Venice Beach (probably on our way to/from Orlando) to look for prehistoric sharks' teeth - I found a handful of them on a 1hr visit about a decade ago!

 

[MACfamily4]

We spend two weeks in Sanibel every July. It's a very family-friendly, laid-back place that we have found to be the 2nd happiest place on earth (preceded only by Disney, of course). We stay at Pointe Santo de Sanibel (C-27), beautiful condos - clubhouse with daily crafts/activities for kids and families to enjoy together or separately, pool, lagoon, and steps from the beach. You might google "VIP vacation rentals" for info. You can look at pictures of individual units as well as the complex as a whole.

I could go on for days about the virtues of Sanibel/Captiva as a family vacation spot. PM me if you want more details.