Sanibel has a wide variety of accommodations from resorts, condos, inns, cottages and B&B's. $5 per hour for parking. Along Andy Rosse Lane is Captiva Island Pizza, casual RC Otters, and the very delicious Key Lime Bistro. It does get busy understandably so as its so popular! Once you check into this inn, you get a complimentary breakfast. Compared to Sanibel Island, beaches in Captiva Island do not have a lot of crowds and have fewer shells to hunt. Captiva & Sanibel Island Beaches. For Sale. There are several vendors on Sanibel for you to rent a kayak or a canoe if you prefer. The Souvenir shopping experience in both islands is quite similar, and you can get beautiful handmade items to take home with you. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Hotels near The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, Hotels near Sanibel and Captiva Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, Hotels near Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), Hotels near Sanibel Historical Museum and Village, Hotels near Sanibel Moorings Botanical Garden Tours. The best shelling on the two islands is around the Blind Pass Bridge and theres parking on both the Sanibel and Captiva sides. 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 If youre looking for the best tropical getaway on Floridas Gulf Coast, Sanibel and Captiva are always going to be in the conversation. The immensity of the sky and the sea together offer vast and breathtaking views in all directions that work together to draw you in. Spotting aquatic wildlife including dolphins and manatees. Theres also Billys Rentals or Finnimores Beach and Bike Rentals. With its soft beaches and Florida charm, Captiva Island is a great relaxation spot with superb dining. There isnt a full-on grocery store (The Island Store is the closest it gets), but the shops on the island can get you most, if not all, of your basic needs. Realizing the differences in the two islands is important, Ive heard from people who stayed on Sanibel expecting the clear water and soft sand and were disappointed. Sanibel Beaches are among the most dog-friendly beaches in Florida, if not the entire country. Sanibel Island is home to relaxing beaches, great dining, fishing . You can download an app with tons of info on it. Sanibel is a bike island. 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. Honestly, I think of Captiva as an extension of Sanibel. The irony of this is, one of the best beaches on Sanibel is located closest to the Causeway. 2. Hopefully this post helps you make a decision that puts you on the beach that will give you the most enjoyment from your island vacation. This inn provides very colorful and extremely comfortable cottages for you. Captiva, on the other hand, isn't close to anything. 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. If Sanibel is rough and murky you can often drive a few miles to Captiva and find calm and clear water. The kids will love the park, and you can take a moment to explore the shoreline and find as many shells as you like (not live ones!) The Seaside Inn is another laid-back beachfront inn. Captiva has more super high end vacation homes that sit on the beach whereas Sanibel is where youll find more of the condo units. A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. Can anyone give us advice. Turner Beach. Captiva Island and Sanibel Island were formerly single islands located along North Captiva Island. But eachisland has its own distinctive personality: Sanibelis a eclectic mix of nature, wildlife conservation land, tourist destination,island home, andshopping/ restaurant districts. Sanibel-Captiva islands have been an idyllic destination for tourists from Florida and the world over. Many outdoor activities are also prepared to ensure you are never bored during your stay here. When we were at Marco last month, the beaches were pretty. Shelling and fishing is very popular at this beach. Captiva Beach - Andy Rosse Lane. Sanibel Island is known for being a natural wonderland. At this point, the combined preserved/ protected conservation land owned by the National Refuge, private foundations and the City of Sanibel extends to about 70% of the island. On the end of Captiva near Blind Pass Captiva is typically pretty busy but the reast of the 5 miles of beach is some of the quietest you will find. Asides the Sanibel Lighthouse, you can join a dolphin cruise or visit other amazing spots like: If you dont plan on staying in the Island, feel free to head inland for a day trip in Cape Coral. Lighthouse Beach is one of the best places to watch sunset on Sanibel or Captiva because of the lighthouse it makes any sunset pic of Sanibel Instaworthy! The Keys would probably be your best bet for clear water, without traveling out of the country. Marco is highly developed and channelized with high rises and wide groomed beaches. Compared to Sanibel Island, beaches on Captiva Island do not have a lot of crowds and have a few shells to hunt. The combination of strong currents and fish travelling between the two islands mean that fish will often be biting. The waters off the beaches of Sanibel have a gradual slope that allows shells to be washed up onto the beach extremely easily. That is a personal decision. The pristine beaches of Sanibel are best in the off-season (May to September) where the beaches are empty save for the locals. Brokered by US Schwarz Immobilien Real Est. Holiday Inn Club Vacations Sunset Cove Resort, an IHG Hotel. Not really. Right at the southern tip of Captiva Island is Turner Beach. P.S. 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. Cruise to Key West from Marco or Naples?? Here is our best explanation about Sanibel vs. Captiva in a nutshell. Sanibel's beaches are actually made up more of ground up shells than sand, which can be somewhat uncomfortable for bare feet. Port Sanibel Marina |
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. These islands are more alike than they are different. Because of its larger size, Sanibel has more beaches to choose from than Captiva. Thank you for your responses. Very shelly though, youll need to wear flips flops to take a walk. Almost 7,400 residents live there in just over 16 square miles. https://www.marriott.com/hotels/local-things-to-do/mrkfl-jw-marriott-marco-island-beach-resort/. In fact, Sanibel and Captiva have some of the most fun and unique bars in Southwest Florida. Bird watching where you can spot pelicans, ibis. Bring a hammock and hang it on the palm trees for the ultimate vacation photo! Water on Marco is not constantly clear as mentioned above. Nearly 70% of the island is devoted to conservation and wildlife refuges. There are other differences between the islands, too. There are no high-rise accommodations on Sanibel, only two story hotels, one-story retro motels, and lovely quaint cottages. Sanibel Island offers very quaint inns, like the Sanibel inn. The grills and picnic tables can be claimed early, but you do need to start early. Its a beautiful resort and one we highly recommend staying at for its resort facilities including a 9-hole golf course, and the variety of accommodations that will suit everyone. Sanibel City leaders said their beaches fared better than Captiva's in the erosion department following Eta, although isolated erosion was spotted on some public beaches. more. Sanibel Island and Captiva Island are called sister islands, but there are some obvious differences between them. If youre not a paddler you can still see a lot of the refuge by taking the guided tram tour or hiking on established trails. Since then, Sanibel has followed a path of creating a balance for residents and visitors to enjoy the beauty of the island while at the same time proactively and aggressively controlling development and sprawl. In fact, some folks think of the islands as being interchangeable. Does anyone have recommendations if sunset views would be better from Lovers Key or Sanibel/Captiva (in July)? In addition, if you enjoy hunting for shells, you should definitely pick Sanibel Island, as it is the top shelling destination in North America. You can park for free here, and you can head to the park during the day for the kids to play before heading to the sand. Sundial Beach Resort & Spa has secured its spot as one of the best Sanibel hotels on the beach, thanks to its many amazing amenities and waterfront location. Be sure to carry a flashlight when walking at night. The paths are well marked and almost flat. 7/9/2016. Even some private homes that are rented to guests on the resort have limitations on the useof facilities. Updated 1/2/2021 Captiva Island is one of my favorite islands in the United States. There are no big box stores you have to go off-island to Fort Myers for that or streetlights and traffic lights. The best part about Sanibel Island is the quaintness of the inns, such as the Sanibel Inn. Sign in to get trip updates and message other travelers.. Sanibel Island ; Hotels . I agree completely with the response from Hawkowl (#3 above). Having taken morning runs on both island beaches, Sanibel's sand provides a much better surface for runners. You wont be able to take them home, but you may get to see some awesome new creatures. Relative to Sanibel, only 583 residents live on over 1.6 square miles of island, and not nearly as many visitors venture over to Captiva, other than those staying at South Seas Island Resort. 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 $$). You can stay, explore, dine and swim on both with a guarantee to enjoy yourself. There are no main roads, so it doesnt get as crowded as you think it would. Captiva and Sanibel Islands have also earned a reputation for some of the best shelling in the world. Captiva doesnt have the network of dedicated bike paths that Sanibel has, so if you were looking forward to extensive bike-riding on your vacation, Sanibel may be the better choice. No matter what brings people to the beaches, its undeniable that theyre simply magnificent. Home News 8 Sanibel and Captiva Island Beaches You Have to Visit. The city-island has several banks and shopping centers, even a single-screen movie theatre. The other three councilmen are Scott. Turner Beach, between Sanibel and Captiva islands, is the hottest of hot spots for both fishing and surfing. Dogs are welcome at Turner Beach- they must be kept on a leash no longer than 8 ft. We please ask that you remember to clean up after your dog. not find chains or franchises (except a few grandfathered ones). While Captiva Island features a North-South orientation like most of Floridas Gulf barrier islands, youll find that Sanibel Island has a unique East-West orientation. If you are not stayingat the resort you cannot go onto the grounds or use the facilities. Our guide below gives you an in-depth look at what you can expect at each of Sanibel Island's popular shelling beaches. The following Sanibel beaches are now OPEN! The access you get to the state park beach is at the West side of Panama Shell Drive at the end of Captiva Drive, and there are just miles of empty sands and fallen trees to explore and climb. There are several reasons for this, partly because Captiva lacks the number of activities and attractions that Sanibel has, and partly because it is almost entirely private property with very high-end homes. If youre visiting during season, a bike will allow you to get around traffic when it slows to a crawl. Captiva has only a limited number of properties with nightly rentals and they are very popular. There are only 2 lane roads with no stoplights. Dogs on leashes no longer than 8 feet are welcome on all Sanibel Island beaches. 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. Email agent. Thats the right question! If you want to get on a personal level with nature, you can visit any of these beaches. Read about each one below to decide which ones will complete your dream beach getaway. The kids will marvel at the sandbar and youll be able to use the restrooms and outdoor showers as you please. The South Seas island resort is a large oceanfront resort which has. Are there still restaurant's and shops that are closed due to Hurricane Irma? Condos are also available on both the Gulf and the bay. From the bay to the Gulf of Mexico, the islands are surrounded by water and beauty. Sanibel and Captiva Islands are but two small vacation spots on the Gulf Coast. Add in a few art galleries and jewelry shops and you can take a break from the beach by browsing them all. The only vegetation around is the natural one that grows, which opens up the scenery. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Aside from Bowman and Blind Pass beach areas, Sanibels beaches are far more narrow than Captivas. For people who are enthusiastic about shell hunting, there are better shells on Sanibel beaches. Not at all. The best comparison is to a mattress. But one thing that's very important is CLEAR water and pretty beaches. Sanibel Island Shelling - World's Best Shelling Beaches Sanibel Island shelling is considered the best shelling spot in the world according to Travel and Leisure Magazine. Fishermen also enjoy the beach. LUNCH AT THE ISLAND COW. You can take Instagram-worthy pictures and view the local wildlife from the perfect vantage point: the sand!