This is all from my personal experience on the islands, nothing I have read on any blog or website trying to sell you on an expensive vacation package at one of the resorts. If you aren't into shelling this is definitely something worth considering. Within the developed sections are things common to towns anywhere- schools, neighborhoods, supermarkets, and stores. Sanibel Island might be better for you if youre looking for active family vacations, great shelling beaches, more shopping and dining amenities, being closer to nature preserves and off-island driving adventures to Fort Myers and beyond to the Everglades or Charlotte Harbor. With a shell bag in hand, they scour the beaches for hours looking for unbroken treasures. Theres a reason that Sanibel is consistently named as one of the best shelling beaches on the planet. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. It was here my friends found love and built up their romance. TIP: Toll is $6 into Sanibel Island. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is very large, about 6,300 acres and occupies of Sanibel Island. Whether you choose Sanibel Island or Captiva Island, these destinations are a 30 minutes car drive from each other so you can always change your mind if you want to. Both the Sanibel inn and Seaside inn offer 15% off deals for residents in Florida currently. There is a small parking lot adjacent to the beach with a limited number of spaces, and is $5.00 per hour paid at the lot kiosk. Silver Key Beach. It reported that the agencies responsible for declaring public safety for the beaches and waters in Lee County are Lee County Parks & Recreation and the Florida Department of Health's Healthy Beaches program. If you plan to stay in Captiva Island, the South seas island resort is an ideal place to stay. Sanibel Island has more shells, Captiva Island Beaches have better sand. Not really. The kids will marvel at the sandbar and youll be able to use the restrooms and outdoor showers as you please. Best Luxury Vacation Rental in Sanibel Island - Captiva Breeze - 4 bedrooms each with own bath. Overall, the options youll find on Captiva are a little more upscale than Sanibel, but both are very laid back islands without much major development. Hi , we are trying to book vacation end of March . The water is frequently greenish and less than clear due to fine sediments stirred up by currents / wave action and significant drainage from the land, particularly after a storm. The following Sanibel beaches are now OPEN! The residents, wishing to conserve the natural setting and protect the wildlife refuge atmosphere actually broke away from the county and formedSanibel's own municipal government. Tarpon Tale Inn is one of the smaller Sanibel Island inns, but that just makes the place to stay on Sanibel Island more homey. Captiva has more super high end vacation homes that sit on the beach whereas Sanibel is where youll find more of the condo units. But you may not find the amount youll find on Sanibel, which means more time may be needed to hunt for them. Sanibel Island and Captiva Island are called sister islands, but there are some obvious differences between them. Were happy to answer trip-planning questions! But one thing that's very important is CLEAR water and pretty beaches. Without a doubt, Sanibel is the larger of the two islands, and more touristed since its the first island off the Causeway. Does the lack of chain restaurants mean Sanibel has no casual restaurants for quick and cheap in-and-out service? The best comparison is to a mattress. Many are gulf front and the rates vary greatly. Thats the right question! Sanibel resident Rachel Pierce and her family were not going to miss the lighting ceremony. Last month, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation staff and volunteers participated in the 15th annual Florida Winter Shorebird Survey, documenting nearly 3,000 shorebirds and seabirds over two days. You wont get much shelling done here, but that doesnt mean that you cant find any at all! Eight Sanibel and Captiva beaches you have to visit include: For many people, the massive amount and variety of shells that can be found is what brings them Sanibel and Captiva Island beaches. There is access to the western sunset-facingpristine beaches of Captiva at Turner's Beach immediately after Blind Pass Bridge and also a small lot at the very end of Captiva Drive directly adjacent to South Seas Resort. So if you score a parking space, you can walk along the beach as far as youd like. The Keys are AMAZING in my opinion, but you do give up the nice, wide, sandy beaches when choosing to vacation in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Captiva, on the other hand, is much, much smaller: five miles long and 1.64 square miles in size. Taking a boat tour off the beach? Strollers, wagons, and the like are a lot harder to maneuver on Captivas beaches than on Sanibel. more. If the beaches ofSanibelare uncrowded by moststandards, Captiva's are even more so. There's a $6 toll to get onto the island. You should, however note that the beach access is limited, and you can only shop at one spot. Captiva & Sanibel Island Beaches. You wont be able to take them home, but you may get to see some awesome new creatures. Marcos beach is beautiful. The SanCap area is reminiscent of the differences between a smaller community versus the regional center; Sanibel is a smaller town that provides basic services to the broader area. Also, beach access is much more limited on Captiva with just two public parking lots. Paddling the islands back waters is a great way to spend a day. A lot of the island itself is privately owned. Bowmans Beach stretches for miles, and there are excellent amenities here. You can take Instagram-worthy pictures and view the local wildlife from the perfect vantage point: the sand! From the bay to the Gulf of Mexico, the islands are surrounded by water and beauty. Because its the only way on and off the island, as you can imagine, traffic can be insane given the popularity of the islands as a tourist destination especially at the height of season from December through March. Theres a $6 toll to get onto the island. The gentle slope of the beach means more spread-out shells. Captiva and Sanibel Islands have also earned a reputation for some of the best shelling in the world. 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. Youll also find a good selection of family-friendly beachfront resorts, condos, B&B's and Airbnbs. There are submerged structures in the water, and these must be avoided. Handicapped parking is free.Further up Captiva Drive, at the end of the main road on Captiva, there is another public beach adjacent to the entrance of South Seas Resort. Most places are a little worn and just not very updated. . The currents flush fish out into the gulf and help build waves. There are a number of places to rent bikes at reasonable daily or weekly rates. But Captiva is even quieter and less busy than Sanibel, though theres still plenty to do. What it lacks in amenities, it more than makes up for in beauty and other features. There are no restrooms on the Sanibel side, but there are restrooms on the Captiva side of the beach. Amelia Island. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is another fun place to visit on Sanibel with interesting exhibits, interactive stations for the kids, and shell collections from all over the world. All SW FL beach towns have the same water clarity issues. to bring home. The best news is that if youre a Florida resident who is exploring, youre going to be able to do that for free! Refer to our Privacy Policy for full affiliate terms. Be sure to carry a flashlight when walking at night. As they are a bit less shelly, the sands are a bit softer than on Sanibel and the water is usually clearer and less sandy. Sanibel vs Captiva? It is the first beach after you leave Sanibel Island. You can swim safely, walk and picnic here. Bowmans Beach is one of many beaches on Sanibel Island, and on the western portion of the island.Its a protected site, with no developments going on, which leaves a pure and natural landscape to enjoy for all. The first tip we will give you is Gulf-side beaches are the best places to find shells on vacation. There is so much you can do and see with your time, so why not go exploring now? Having taken morning runs on both island beaches, Sanibel's sand provides a much better surface for runners. One of the questions we get asked a lot is, what are the differences between Sanibel and Captiva Island?. There are bars and restaurants just back across the bridge. If clear water is your absolute priority Tina, I don't think either Sanibel or Marco are for you. In Captiva Island, you can access the several beaches on the island and enjoy the Gulf and Pine Island sound. Thank you for your responses. This resort is probablythe most upscaleon the two islands with extensive landscaped grounds and resort facilities and a 9 hole golf course. The causeway bridge to Sanibel is $6 roundtrip; there is no fee to gofrom Sanibelto Captiva. Theyre smaller here, so beautiful to collect! If you arent into shelling this is definitely something worth considering. This beach is a popular spot for fishing. Hurricane Ian in Naples and Southwest Florida: How Can You Help? Privacy Policy | A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. Theres also Billys Rentals or Finnimores Beach and Bike Rentals. The beach connecting Sanibel to Captive is probably the best known public beach and it is very well known for its shelling. For a romantic getaway with your partner, you can choose to stay in the Love shack. From Sanibel, this distillery is only about 40 minutes away. Before we delve into whats unique about each island, let us just say that both islands have these things in common: Gorgeous beaches and a laid back, islandy atmosphere, There are NO: high-rise hotels and condos, big box stores, chain restaurants or traffic signals. As far as "clear water" is concerned - no matter WHERE you are, the local conditions depend on the direction and strength of the winds, and the currents which vary from day to day, AND from one section of beach to the next. While Sanibel is filled with people scouring the beach for beautiful shells, the beaches of Captiva are generally very quiet and laid back. If you are not stayingat the resort you cannot go onto the grounds or use the facilities. On the other hand, if you intend to drive, the admission rate is $5 per car. 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. But youre going to have to dig around more than youd think and its probably not going to be a bargain. These two barrier islands are nestled just of the Southwest Florida coast, within a short drive from Fort Myers. Other than day trips to Sanibel, we dont usually use our rental car on Captiva. Our guide below gives you an in-depth look at what you can expect at each of Sanibel Island's popular shelling beaches. While Sanibel and Captiva arent radically different, Ill do my best to break the two down: Sanibel is a sizable island with direct access from mainland Fort Myers via the Sanibel Causeway. 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 causeway was built in 1963 (the island was previously only accessible via ferry) and the city of Sanibel was formed in 1974. 1725 Cape Coral Pkwy E, Cape Coral, FL 33904. Then it takes about 20 minutes (without traffic) to travel the length of Sanibel to the small bridge at Blind Pass that brings you to Captiva.
