About Tommye Fleming Expertise Gulf Coast of Florida, including Captiva, Sanibel, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples. Includes restaurants, sights. Not good on lodging since I live in the area.
Experience I live in the area 5 months of the year and have an extensive electronic file to share.
Organizations I am an AllExperts volunteer for Alberta, San Francisco/Monterrey, St. Louis.
Education/Credentials MBA, Southern Illinois University
Question We are wanting to travel down there at the end of March.
We have two children--ages 8 and 11.
Where do you recommend that we stay?
Do you know anything about Tween Waters Inn?
Please advise.
THank you.
Answer I live in the area, so I am not a good resource for lodging. Here's what I DO know about the area:
Sanibel/Captiva Lodging
Castaways at Blind Pass. Best of both worlds: Sanibel AND Captiva. Very modern cottage right on the beach. There is a little store across the street and the Lazy Flamingo is right there....love the oysters. The place doesn't look like much, but having been staying on Captiva yearly for 15 years, we are now hooked. It is a perfect vacation.
Casa Ybel is a lovely resort with a beautiful pool. The restaurant serves the finest food. Tennis court, rent bikes, sailing, lovely grounds! expensive? Yes, but worth it.
Colony Resort -- Rooms were very nice. Beach is beautiful. Water bikes and windsurfers for rent. Ask for a location close to the beach -- it's a pretty big place. Great kids program!
Loggerhead condos vary from nice to very nice. Beach is very nice as is pool
Pink Shell (Fort Myers) Sundial Resort on Sanibel (owned by same folks) is much nicer for the same money with plenty of kids' activities. You are on some of the best beach in the area at Sundial. Pink Shell, by the way, is dirty and expensive.
Pointe Santo is well located. Beachfront units with spectacular view. Some units shop worn.
Sanibel Harbor across bridge from Sanibel -- food is great. Beach is perfect calm, warm
Sanddollar very nice condos on Middle Gulf, right on the beach. Nice pool.
Sandpiper Beach really nice condos
Seashells of Sanibel condos -- very nice, location perfect, across street from beach, less than two miles from main drag
Shalimar beach cottage to ourselves hop skip and jump from beach and a swimming pool two steps away...it was wonderful!
Shell Island Beach Club
Song of the Sea is a very nice inn
South Seas Plantation...beautiful tropical grounds on 325 acres...variety of villas..great children's program...top notch
Sundial great beach.
Tween Waters Inn unimpressive rooms but property gets great reviews
Country Inn and Suites, located 3 miles from Sanibel Bridge .. .great, VERY clean with a pool, complimentary breakfast and fresh baked cookies 24 hours a day.
Captiva/Sanibel Restaurants
Barnacle Phil's, North Captiva by boat
Beachview Golf Club -- quite good and reasonable, though service was spotty
Bean... on Periwinkle. Sanibel's answer to Starbucks.
Bubble Room* on Captiva .. fun atmosphere, bad food, great dessert, big time wait, pricey
Chadwick's at South Seas Plantation, Captiva pricey but tasty -- an incredible seafood buffet and Sunday brunch
Cheeburger Cheeburger on Sanibel (chain)
Dairy Queen ritualistic post-dinner stop
Doc Fords....GREAT food, we loved the place.
Dolce Vita gorgeous, exquisite food, live entertainment, VERY pricey,noisy
Grandma Dots at Sanibel Marina. This place regularly wins local food awards but it's not air-conditioned
Green Flash -- absolutely beautiful view - lunch on a clear day is best, but food is unimpressive
East End Deli...great cubans and good sandwiches
Hungry Heron alternative to Bubble Room ... adequate food, long wait
Island Cow casual Key West place with outdoor eating area ... fun, tasty, huge menu ... large portions, good food, huge menu.
Island Pizza... located on Periwinkle. Very good pizza.
Jacaranda - 1223 Periwinkle Way great for seafood, beef, pasta
Johnny's Pizza...try the Mama Rosa's Pizza
Key Lime Bistro, Captiva
La Vigne (Italian)... new to Sanibel on Periwinkle drive next to Island Pizza... a great meal
Lazy Flamingo -- a favorite. Cozy atmosphere ... priced well ... excellent Mesquite Grouper and Caesar Salad.
Lighthouse... local favorite for breakfast... plan on a 30 minute wait ... typical breakfast fare.
Lighthouse Cafι .. now serving a lovely dinner
Mad Hatter great food, great sunsets, pricey wonderful service. Very romantic restaurant. European bistro type menu.
Matzaluna-- great atmosphere ... good, reasonable Italian food intracoastal waterway
McT's Shrimp House has best mudpie dessert. Skip dinner, just pick one up for later yuck
Mucky Duck on Captiva -- right on the beach, prices moderate -- go for the sunset
Pinocchio's -- good dessert
Pippins for a nice dinner, recently renovated
Portofinos at Sanibel Inn
R. C. Otters on Captiva -- mixed reviews, live music, reasonable prices, and great atmosphere
Sanibel Princess for a dinner cruise-luxurious
Sanibel Steak House is great -- really special
Schnapper's Hots (hotdogs)
Snug Harbor intracoastal waterway by bridge
Sun Dial's Windows on the Water -- very good
Sunset Grill, near Blind Pass - steak by the ounce is perfect
Sunshine Cafι on Captiva superb
Thistle Lodge at Casa Ybel. Service and food is very good but not 4 star. Great views of water
Timbers...great atmosphere...a bit pricey... mixed reviews on food
Trader's, good food, unusual retail ambience
Tween Waters Cafe -- best key lime pie
Twilight, fine upscale dining
Village Green
CHECK OUT www.cuisine-scene.com.
Bubble Room:
"Bubble" refers to the old bubbling Christmas lights that adorn the inside.
Atmosphere: Fun, kooky, campy; the place is covered with old Christmas decor, knickknacks,
Food: Quite a variety. Average at best. Not an outstanding meal; you pay for the atmosphere.
Service: Locals get preferential treatment for seating... plan on a long wait
Prices: above average ($20/person for lunch). For 4 people, 2 being kids, $75 for dinner!
Desserts are the BEST! Their cakes are wonderful, and HUGE (big enough to share). Try the Orange Cake and the Red Velvet Cake.
Another opinion held by many: Food is not only not good, it's horrid; service is AWFUL, parking is atrocious. Overpriced; overrated.
My suggestion: Stop at the Bubble Room before or after lunch or dinner hour. Tour the restaurant (folks do it all the time) and buy 1-2 desserts on your way out to take back to your own place and eat. It will take you several days anyway, they are so large.
Golf
Beachview Golf Club
Web site: http://www.beachviewgolfclub.com
Email: beachviewgolfclub.com
941-472-2626
1100 Par View Drive
Dunes Golf & Tennis Club
Web site: http://www.dunesgolfsanibel.com
Email: Cecilia.Drake@meristar.com
941-472-3355
949 Sandcastle Road
Decks to View Sunset?
Only deck near water on Sanibel or Captiva would be Grandma Docks on Sanibel . Tween Waters Inn from the Crow's Nest bar and the restaurant, the Old Captiva House and then out on South Seas Plantation. Casa Ybel, maybe?
Snorkeling on Sanibel?
Water is too cloudy. No reefs to break the surf, so the sand makes the water murky. Also, with no reefs for protection, there are no colorful fish to see anyway.
Another view: We just went on Adventure Tour's Snorkeling and Shelling Excursion. It was great! It was not like snorkeling in the islands, but we did see sting rays, and some other fish. The fun part of it was having the snorkle gear on to find great shells! We were at Caya Costa and then the to Barnacle Phil's on North Captiva for lunch. We saw tons of dolphins! $55 from 9-3pm. Lunch extra. The boat left from Port Sanibel Marina in Ft. Myers.
FAQs
Q: What is there to do on the Islands?
A: Shelling, bicycling, swimming, tennis, golf, fishing, racquetball, canoeing and kayaking, fitness club, movie theater, live theaters, art galleries, nature hiking, shopping and just plain relaxing.
Q: Where can we ride bicycles?
A: Sanibel has 26 miles of bike paths.
Q: What hours are the shops open?
A: Mostly 10:00 AM and to 8:00 PM.
Q: Where can we park for beach access?
A: Parking is available for $1 per hour at four different places on Sanibel: Lighthouse and Fishing Pier, Gulfside City Park, Tarpon Bay Road Parking Lot and Bowman's Beach. Turner's Beach on Captiva Island is free.
Sanibel Attractions
www.coconet.com/sanibel-captiva/
Boating aboard the Ms. Captiva with Captain Dennis, a real sea captain and naturalist and knew every dolphin, tarpon, egret, heron, shell, etc. in the area ... even given swim with manatees if the season is right.
C.R.O.W. -- Care and Rehabilitation of Wildlife - 3883 San-Cap Road. Veterinary hospital for rehabilitation of ill, injured and orphaned native wildlife. Tours 11 am Mon-Fri, 1 pm Sunday, no tours Saturday. $3.
Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve -- One Wildlife Drive (off San-Cap Road). Open daily 9am to sunset, closed Fridays. 5,000-acre sanctuary offers hiking, biking and canoe trails. 5-mile wildlife drive is $5 for cars, $1 for bikers and hikers. 200 species of birds, alligators, turtles, river otters, armadillos. Take a canoe trip right past the gators! We took the two-hour tram tour (Tarpon Bay) for $8; it was great and VERY informative.
Everglades ecotour of bird watching and wildlife photography of alligators, panthers, manatees, reptiles in southwest Florida's Big Cypress preserve and Everglades outback . Full day of nature by riverboat, hiking, airboats and van exploration with highly trained guides. Departs daily from Sanibel, Ft. Myers Beach and Naples/Marco
Karaoke at Bungalow - only Wednesday nights
Key West day trip cruise takes 4 hours each way and you only spend 4.5 hours in Key West. You risk bad weather and seasickness. Suggest you stay overnight in Key West -- much to see and do there.
Sanibel Lighthouse - East end of Periwinkle Way. First lit in August 1884. Since 1950, the U.S. Coast Guard property at the lighthouse has been a wildlife refuge.
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Center - Mile Marker 1, San-Cap Road. Hours: 8:30am-3pm Mon-Fri during the summer, 8:30am-4pm Mon-Sat during winter months. A not-for-profit organization dedicated to conserving the island's natural resources. Walking trails, exhibits, marine touch tank, native plant nursery, nature store. Nominal admission fee.
Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum - 3075 San-Cap Road. Only one of its kind in U.S. Exhibits devoted to shells in art and history, shell habitats, rare specimens, fossil shells.
Turner Beach between Sanibel and Captiva much better shells
Water taxi to Cabbage Key
Sanibel Kids' Stuff
Visit the lighthouse early in morning when water is clear for snorkeling
Take a boat ride and watch for dolphins
Rent bicycles ... island is covered with paths
Drive through Ding Darling at sunset. Wear mosquito repellent and take your camera.
Shop at Jerry's Grocery... the parrot will talk to you.
Wake up really early and walk the beach, you might see dolphins.
Collect shells but don't save the starfish ... they really stink when they die. Best shelling is Bowman Beach. Also great shelling on Cayo Costa, an island only reachable by boat.
Drive to Everglades City one day. Take an airboat ride. Eat lunch. A historic little city
Florida Beaches (itsconnie@aol & TDM516@aol)
Anna Maria ... didn't find any beaches there and although I was told it's really pretty there, doesn't compare to Sanibel/Captiva
Calidesi Island, off of Clearwater. You have to take a ferry there---absolutely gorgeous, starts with a boat ride across the bay.
Captiva is really pretty. Tropical, white sand beaches, and really nice water. Although Sanibel is a great place with a lot more to do, Captiva has a real charm about it. As soon as you make this one turn and you first see how pretty it is, you wouldn't believe you were in the U.S. but instead on a Caribbean Island.
Destin, in the Panhandle. Actually, Grayton Beach and Seaside might have the better beaches, because they are a bit wider for walking in those areas, but all are white and powdery and squeak when you walk. Also very clear water most of the time and good swimming. Destin has a bit more of a mix of great beaches with closer proximity to restaurants and things to do. Pick the beaches down toward Sandestin, around Miramar Beach for mix of quiet with convenience. USA Today poll recently ranked this beach #1 in USA.
Fort Lauderdale has nice beaches in the public areas but a bit busy. More for the younger crowd. Beaches are very nice but you better either have a thong or a drink in your hands at all times and be under 30.
Ft. Myers.....little more of a party town, but really nice beaches. Not a lot of palm trees as compared to Sanibel/Captiva...but all in all great beaches.
Holmes Beach: entrance to Anna Maria Island. Wasn't impressed. Packed with broken shells.
Keys.....not a lot of beaches. People can't believe that. Bahia Honda is gorgeous, St. Anne's is a great beach too. Ft. Zachery Taylor Park in Key West is a great beach for snorkeling..but it's very rocky.
Miami and Miami Beach ... Absolutely gorgeous beaches and water. Sand is white, water is crystal clear green/blue. Sorry...and no offense to anyone...but I do not like Miami at all. I'm not a big clubber, so the most important thing to me is the beach and nice places to stroll by. [South Beach shouldn't be missed, but not for beach reasons.)
Naples' Vanderbilt Beach is very nice.
Pompano Beach lots of trash.
Sand Key near Clearwater don't bother. Sand is not white and is rough.
Sanibel.....real long stretches of beaches to walk. Very shelly. Very luscious vegetation on that island. Just as close to the "real Florida" that people may think about when they think of Florida. Water isn't real clear most of the time. But warm, safe and full of fish for fishing.
Siesta Key. Fine white sand, almost blinding it is so white. Nice wide shallow shelf for swimming, with clear water. USA Today poll ranked this beach #3 in USA.
St. Pete Beach -- a fun area to go to, but the beach is a bit too shelly for comfort and for walking. However, the beach is beautiful, the water clear, and if you can snorkel, you can find nice shells by shallow dives in about five feet of water. Beaches lack palm trees and vegetation. Some of the beach was pretty wide and there's plenty of room for all activities.
