Sanibel and Captiva
Sanibel and Captiva are two islands are separated from the Gulf Coast of Florida by a causeway just north of Fort Myers. They boast fabulous beaches, famous for the quantity of shells that get washed up, and a good range of amenity. You can find casual restaurants, a grocery store, some shops, boat trips and the wonderful Ding Darling nature reserve.
American White Pelican at the Ding Darling Nature Reserve, Sanibel Island
This is a fabulous place to visit to look at wildlife and the mangrove eco systems that are so important to this part of Florida. It has a good visitor centre, a 4 mile wildlife drive around which you can drive, cycle or walk, a number of trails and the opportunity to take a naturalist led tour of the reserve. Also part of the reserve is the centre at Tarpon Bay where we have taken boat trips out into the bay and have hired a kayak several times to paddle the trail. You can fish from here too and hire pontoon boats. We have seen manatee several times in Tarpon bay. On one very memorable occasion we managed to startle a manatee (in error, it was submerged and we could not see it) and nearly had the kayak overturn in the kerfuffle. I don’t know whether the manatee was any more startled than us but I hope not!
Apart from the Ding Darling reserve and the beaches, one of my favourite things about Sanibel and Captiva is the cycle lane. This is a tarmac path, completely segregated from the road that runs the length of Sanibel. It does run out in Captiva, but the roads are quiet and drivers used to cyclists so we have never felt unsafe when cycling. Many places on both islands rent bicycles. If you are really lucky some accommodation has bikes thrown in.
Both Sanibel and Captiva are quite quiet. Captiva is the further of the two islands and is really quiet. We have stayed at the South Seas Island Resort several times and really enjoyed it. If you are looking for nightlife or lots of activity these islands will probably not be for you but if you feel like a slower pace of life for a while they are a great bet. They are also great for families.
Go independent…
Virgin Atlantic fly direct to Miami from the UK. We love them for their great on board entertainment systems and family friendly approach.
British Airways also fly directly to Miami from the UK. We particularly like B.A if we want to fly from a regional airport as they tend to offer a great range of connecting flights.
If neither of these options appeal we like Skyscanner for a good listing of all the operators running flights.
Book a package…
Sometimes you just don’t have the time or inclination to plan and book a trip independently, that’s when booking through a tour operator makes sense.
Kuoni will happily create a fly drive itinerary for you that includes a trip to Sanibel and Captiva. They also feature the South Seas Island Resort and have alternate hotel options on Sanibel.