Sanibel Island tips

[shefor24]

We are going on a Disney Cruise in Oct and we were thinking about going to Sanibel for 3 days before we board the ship. We have heard alot about this place but never been to it. Anyone have tips on where to (or where not to) stay?? Anyone ever try priceline for a hotel here? Any advice would be great!

 

[yoopermom]

We went last Xmas, drove down there in the a.m., stayed for the day, then drove as far back to WDW as we felt like, and caught a hotel for overnight. I did a search for "Sanibel" on these boards before that, and found lots of great info. MUCH cheaper to stay in the Ft. Myers area rather than Sanibel proper. Beaches were great for shelling (don't forget ziploc baggies to keep them in), and it was fun to gawk at all the expensive summer home/rentals on the island itself! DS7 really enjoyed it, so we'll be going back in August...
Terri the Yoopermom

 

[SHELL]

My parents used to own a condo on Sanibel and we used to go 2 times a year. We loved it. Actually we were in FLA in March and went there for the day. The shops on Periwinkle are great to browse at. I would suggest you look the AAA book. There are a few hotels right on the beach that do not cost to much. Staying on Sanibel is definately better than saying off and driving to the island. For breakfast the Lighthouse cafe is great and for dinner you could try Matzalona on Periwinkle. Great Italian food. Have fun and don't forget to wear shoes on the beach!!

 

[BuzzLightYear3]

My Grandparents own a condo on Sanibel where they stay for the Winter months. We've visited too many times to count. There are LOTS of condos all over the island, and many of the owners rent them out when they aren't there. If you're traveling with a family, you may want to check into that instead of a hotel......it's great to have the extra space, separate bedrooms, and a kitchen even if you only use if for breakfast, snacks, etc. They used to rent theirs through Priscilla Murphy which is a Real Estate agency on the island. They go through another agency.....I don't know the name....but you might want to try Priscilla Murphy as I think they manage many of the Island rentals.