SANIBEL & CAPTIVA
In our barrier islands’ beautiful environment, opportunities to unwind are abundant, and nature will do its part to help. If you like wildlife, prepare to be dazzled. On Sanibel and Captiva, you’ll also be able to choose between an active staycation or doing relatively little in a drop-dead gorgeous setting. You do you.
Nightly sunset on Captiva (and the west end of Sanibel) is not just a moment in time, it’s a full-blown celebration. Don’t leave too early—the best colors come afterward. Stargazing is also magnificent, particularly on Captiva, a blissful end-of-the-road destination.
On this sandbar that’s only a few hundred feet wide, life revolves around fellas named Captain, a tiny island store, and water, water everywhere. A day on the water is practically required and easily obtained, giving you a much better perspective. Capt. Brian Holaway (known on social media as Capt. Brian on the Water) is a certified Florida Master Naturalist who deftly treats his boat’s lucky passengers to wildlife sightings, historical tales and fun ecological facts.
“I love showing people things they may not have ever seen,” says Holaway. “I showed a Fort Myers native a live horse conch. You’d be surprised how many locals have never been to Cayo Costa. It’s beautiful—13 different eco-systems.”
Sanibel has brilliantly set aside nearly half its land mass as wildlife preserve, where exotic birds, gopher tortoises and even bobcats roam freely. It’s a place for deep breaths, slow bike rides, sandy toes and quiet nights. Give yourself a real island gift and turn off your devices for a few days. You might find yourself getting in bed with a book at 9 p.m., which locals jokingly refer to as “Sanibel midnight.”
Go on an island treasure hunt: Seek out pink-hued roseate spoonbills or the coveted junonia seashell. Dive into an ice-cold plate of shrimp. Look for manatees while you paddle the back bay. Visit The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum before or after you explore J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. And Sanibel’s shared use path extends for 26 miles. Get your ride on!
Lodging
• Island Inn; islandinnsanibel.com; 239-472-1561
• Casa Ybel; casaybelresort.com; 239-472-3145
• Jensen’s Twin Palms Cottages & Marina Resort; gocaptiva.com; 239-472-5800
• ’Tween Waters; tween-waters.com; 239-472-5161
Dining
• Sweet Melissa’s Café, sweetmelissascafe.com, 239-472-1956
• Sanibel Grill; thesanibelgrill.com; 239-472-4453;
• Lighthouse Cafe; lighthousecafe.com; 239-472-0303
• Island Cow; sanibelislandcow.com; 239-472-0606
• Cielo Restaurant; cielo-sanibel.com; 239-472-5555
• Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille; docfords.com; Sanibel
239-472-8311; Captiva 239-312-4275
Entertainment
• Trader’s; traderssanibel.com; 239-472-7242
• George & Wendy’s Seafood Grille; sanibelseafoodgrille.com; 239-395-1263
• Tipsy Turtle Restaurant & Bar; tipsyturtlerestaurant.com; 239-472-1771
• Key Lime Bistro; captivaislandinn.com; 239-395-4000
• Captiva Cruises; captivacruises.com; 239-472-5300