Staying in Sanibel, Be Sure to Get a Tropical Resort Pool with Poolside Bar

Captiva Island is just the coolest area for a uniquely special Florida Beach Vacation Getaway. The town combines coastal elegance with a natural flair, creating a playful waterfront experience. Everything is so beautiful!

The beach and the water are the island's focal points, as illustrated by these playful kids. We like to walk the coastline. Also, shelling is so much fun due to the number of and variety of shells to find. You can collect them, and then craft them into gifts, such as picture frames, mirrors, and small lamps.

Here you see part of the South Seas Island Resort (239-472-5111), located on the Island's northern tip. This is the best place to stay in Captiva if you are active and love boating. They have a big marina, health club, sailing school, huge pools, and a fabulous beachfront golf course. The resort offers neat things for kids like Sea School, where children chase fiddler crabs and learn about sea life.

This is an island where one gets to relax in a sub-tropical climate and play outdoors in the sunshine, all year long. Each day during breakfast, you can plan the day's activities. Perhaps this day involves enjoying the water while boating, kayaking, or fishing. Biking and golfing are hugely popular. Great waterfront restaurants and shopping are plentiful. We love the nature, seeing the many species of birds, the coconut palm trees, and the waves. When the winds blow strong from the north, the surfers hit the water.

Captiva Beach is naturally beautiful and not crowded at all. This is a top-rated beach zone, voted as being one of the most gorgeous in all of Florida. Relax on the shore, play in the water, or walk miles and miles down the coastline. Whatever your pleasure, expect a grand time at Captiva Beach.

Easily the best way to tour both Captiva and Sanibel Island is on bikes! City planners did an excellent job by providing tons of bicycle lanes and paths for your use. When you arrive, you will find plenty of places to rent bikes. One rental suggestion is Yolo Bike Rentals (239-472-9656), located at 11534 Andy Rosse Lane, in the city center.

Here we found a family strolling along in the calm Captiva Bay Waters in a canoe. This is a very affordable way to see the island's nature from sea level. You get to choose your experience. Take the kayak out in the bay, or paddle by the beach areas. You can go out for an exploration at sunrise, midday, or sunset. These water-based adventures are one of my family's absolute favorite Captiva Island things to do.

One of the things that fascinated us about Captiva is unexpected surprises you will come across as you tour the island. On this day, thousands of mullet were moving though Redfish Pass and were easily seen in the water. The local commercial fish captains were hot on their trail. The boats were just off shore, so we watched as they moved over the fish and used giant cast nets to catch them, 20 to 30 at time.

During your stay, one of the places you may just visit the most often is The Island Store (239-472-2374). They offer a great selection of gourmet groceries, sandwiches, wine, beer, and more. You cannot miss it, as the Island Store is located right at the four-way stop sign, on the corner of Andy Rosse Lane and Captiva Drive.

You are in an area that has some of the best fishing in the world. Here it is easy and many of the resorts have fishing rods you can use for free. Not only do you have an excellent chance of catching something tasty, the variety of fish you can reel in is incredible. The heavy fishing favorites are grouper, snook, redfish, and sea trout.