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Captiva

Captiva is the most gorgeous island in Florida, whether you're looking for romantic resorts or family beach vacations, you will love the fun, the sun, and the sand!

Lovely beaches and sparkling turquoise waters surround this tiny island that is packed with beauty, wildlife, and adventure.

It's about 5 miles long and not even half a mile wide at it's widest spot ... and is one of my most favorite places on the planet!

To get there, you need to drive over to the island of Sanibel first from Fort Myers, and head north over Blind Pass onto Captiva. Since I'm fortunate enough to live nearby in Cape Coral, I'm able to go out often to enjoy all that the island has to offer.

I hope you use this part of my website as a travel and information guide that will help you decide where to stay, which restaurant to pick, and what things to do ............ with lots of photos and even videos!

Check out this cool video my daughter made to give you a taste of the island:

If you're flying in, the closest airport is Southwest Florida International Airport(RSW), located in Fort Myers off of Exit 131 on I-75. The easiest way to get to Captiva from there is to take Treeline Ave to Daniels Pkwy, then to Summerlin Rd, which takes you to Sanibel.

Drive up through Sanibel to get to Captiva ...... You can get to the beach within an hour!

As for car rentals, since there are no car rental agencies on the island, you'll need to be organized ahead of time and know before you come whether you'll need a rental car for your whole vacation or not.

After claiming your baggage downstairs on the first floor, just go across the street where you will find several rental agencies ......... use these agencies if you want to save time.

There are also several car rental agencies near the airport that you can get to by shuttle, use them if you want to save money. Go to these pages for more information on:

I've heard that you can save money with a local company called Sensible Car Rental, located in Ft Myers Beach and serving the islands, and all of Southwest Florida. They rent pre-owned cars, mini-vans, convertibles, and SUV's ........ and have free pick-up and drop-off plus 24-hour roadside assistance.

If you don't want to rent a car, contact these taxi companies and limo services: Island Shuttle, Sanibel Taxi, Palm-Air Transportation, Sanibel Limo, or Limos.com.

Although Captiva is a small island and you can walk to most of the shops and restaurants if you stay near the middle of town, you may still want to get a car so you can explore Sanibel as well.

If you like to walk and bike, you may want to come by taxi or limo, depending on where you stay. There are 5 hotels and numerous vacation homes:

Tween Waters Inn is a fun family resort with historical and modern buildings, 2 restaurants, marina, and beach across the street. It's located at the beginning of the island and is within biking distance to the center of town.
South Seas Island Resort is a luxury resort with loads of amenities and is perfect for families or couples. South Seas is huge but offers a shuttle bus within the resort. You could be happy and kept busy all week with all they have to offer. The southern part of South Seas is within walking distance to town.
Jensens on the Gulf is right on the beach and has condos and cottages with full suites, and the best views. They are pretty close to the center of town.
Jensens Marina has fully equipped, cozy cottages, perfect for families and those who are fishing vacations. They are within walking distance to town.
Island Inn features charming rooms and suites in new and older buildings all in the center of town on Andy Rosse Lane.
Vacation Rentals come in all sizes, styles and price ranges.For vacation rental homes, inquire about their location on the island, the smaller more affordable ones are around the center of town. If your rental is one of the large mansions on CaptivaDrive, it may not be close enough to town.

Check prices of all options before you decide, it may not be worth the savings over convenience for your vacation.

Or, come by boat ...... the island has several marinas, the first 3 are at resorts so it's so convenient to boat over, dock, and stay:

For those who don't have a boat ...... no problem ........ you can rent a boat, go kayaking, cruise, charter a fishing tour, try parasailing, waverunners, sail, or ride a banana boat!

With YOLO you can also rent golf carts, motor scooters, scoot coupes, or skate boards, if you dare, for a fun tour of the island.

You might come here on vacation and fall in love with the island and decide to buy a home! In that case, go to my Real Estate page.

Then there is the fabulous dining, with casual and gourmet fare, spots for families or for a cozy date for 2 ....... seafood, Mexican, Italian, American, French, pizza, ice cream, and nouvelle cuisines in tropical or waterfront settings:

Restaurants

Bubble Room
Cantina
Pizza
Crows Nest
Groceries and Shops

Harbourside Bar & Grill
Key Lime Bistro
Latte Da
Mucky Duck
Doc Fords

Old CaptivaHouse
RC Otters
South Seas Dining
Sunshine Seafood Cafe
The Green Flash

Florida family vacations require plenty of fun things to do besides the beach and pool!

Here are some ideas:

Go to the Chapel by the Sea, where you'll discover a unique graveyard on the beach ........ and during the Christmas Holidays, you'll want to join in the caroling plus other festivities happening in town from during the Holiday Village that starts the weekend after Thanksgiving and goes through the first 2 weeks of December.

But, I think the best thing about the island are the beaches! No crowds, soft white sand, warm gulf waters, and great shelling.

Captiva is the perfect place to go for a wedding at the beach, honeymoon, or romantic vacations.

Let's not forget about the most amazing sunsets.

Are you getting more intrigued about this amazing island getaway? Find out more:

And, last but not least, go to my Map and Weather pages to help you plan your vacation to paradise.

So, come to Captiva Island Florida ........ to relax, soak up the sun, and have the time of your life!

Captiva

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Captiva Beaches

Captiva Holiday Village

Captiva Hotels