If you’re thinking about taking an island vacation, why not take one that’s a bit closer to home? Right off the cost of Florida, Sanibel Island is a great place for a family vacation or a romantic trip for two. The island is crowned with gorgeous white sand beaches, but lying out by the surf isn’t the only thing to do. If you’re wondering how you could take a more active role in your vacation, here are a few things you can do on this island.

For one thing, the island is definitely a haven for nature lovers of all sorts. You can always, of course, take walks on the beach. There are also some great bike trails through the island that can bring you within close proximity of some of the area’s wildlife. Plus, you can take specialized bird watching tours to check out many of the feathered friends of Sanibel Island.

Fantastic fun things to do await you on Sanibel Island!

It you really love the water, you don’t have to leave it for your entire vacation. Why not fish off one of the beaches or a charter boat? You could also go snorkeling or take some scuba diving classes. Those who really need to get their heart rates going can try water sports of all kinds on rented equipment that’s easily accessible on the island.

When you’re ready to get out of the sun for a bit and enjoy some evening activities, why not see a movie or visit one of the island’s museums? There are also art exhibits galore, and you can even visit one of the area’s antique shops to bring back a unique souvenir from your trip. You’ll find all this and more on Sanibel Island, so if you want a beach vacation where you don’t just lie by the water all day, it’s definitely a good option.

If you’re looking for a location that is beautiful, upscale, and romantic, Captiva Island is one of the best destinations you could choose. Though Captiva and Sanibel Islands are very close, they are very different places, and visitors to the area should take advantage of all that both barrier islands have to offer.

Captiva is home to some very affluent people. Some celebrities and other wealthy individuals own private vacation or permanent residences here. Some of these beautiful homes make up what is known as “Millionaire’s Row.” Of course there are more modest homes on the island, but there are restrictions that keep them in the traditional, charming style of the island. If you are considering buying a home in Captiva, you have many options from charming island homes to luxurious mansions.

Experience the beauty and charm of captiva island!

If you are visiting for a shorter period of time, there are plenty of options to choose from. The South Seas Island Resort is one of the oldest places on the island. It’s a luxurious resort where you can rent a villa or cottage and spend a romantic week. Tween Waters Inn Resort is another popular resort. It features the Old Captiva House, which is known for fine dining. While you are visiting Captiva, make sure you make trip to the Mucky Duck. This restaurant is known for its amazing view of the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

There are lots of historical places to visit in Captiva. If nature is your thing, there are plenty of opportunities for biking, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving. You can charter a boat to take you out for a few hours, for the day, or maybe for just a sunset cruise. There are many high end shops along with fun boutiques and art galleries to choose from if shopping is more your speed.

If you want to simply relax on a gorgeous beach for an entire week, Captiva is the perfect place for it. The Gulf keeps the weather nice enough to not be too awfully hot in the summers, and pretty mild in the winter. Although the weather might not necessarily be suitable for swimming during the winter months, you can still enjoy shelling and sightseeing anytime.

While Florida is known world-wide for its beaches, this has the unintended result of making them very crowded places during certain times of the year. The beaches on Sanibel Island and Captiva Island offer something different. Sanibel Island beaches range from very popular and hopping locations to secluded strips of sand where there isn’t even a hotel in site. Many Sanibel Island beaches and Captiva Island beaches are notable for the opportunity they provide to investigate the ocean environment. While most beaches are associated with water sports, many of the beaches on these islands are associated with genuine exploration and adventure.

Experience the beautiful beaches of sanibel and Captiva!

Captiva Island has a reputation for being the playground of the affluent but this community is very welcoming to visitors. Captiva Island beaches are also the sites of some very fun and educational events and festivals each year. Shelling, fishing and water sports are provide the many visitors to the beaches with an endless amount of excitement, exploration and fun. Captiva’s beaches are unique in that many are very secluded and private locations.

Sanibel Island beaches are the site of some of the most laid-back activities one could imagine. Bowman’s Beach is one of the island’s most secluded. The activities on this beach really amount to relaxing on a Florida beach with not a bit of development in sight! Lighthouse Beach is the site of one of the island’s most popular fishing piers. If one wants to get out and mingle with a crowd of locals and visitors alike, this is one of the best places to be. Sanibel beaches constitute 15 miles in total and most of the shoreline is sandy and pleasant.

There are many options for exploring the environs around these islands via watercraft. The Tarpon Bay Explorers offer tours that traverse the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and which are representative of the variety of activities in which visitors can engage. The tours pass through this mangrove ecosystem via various means. One may choose to take a kayak tour, a canoe tour or a tour on a pontoon boat. These methods all have one thing in common: They allow a very quiet means of exploring. The Tarpon Bay Explorers offer guests the opportunity to see the environment at its finest and most serene.

Of course, there are those who will wish to do some Sanibel and Captiva fishing rather than touring the reserves. There are few better places for which one could wish. Some of the common fish caught in this area include redfish, snook and sea trout. The waters around Sanibel Island and Captiva Island have more than just game fish beneath their surfaces, however. The Sanibel and Captiva waters around these islands boast the largest population of bottlenose dolphins anywhere. They are also home to Florida’s famously gentle and curious Manatees.

Fantastic fishing, boating and tours await you on Sanibel and Captiva!

Finding a boat rental on Sanibel Island is not difficult, but one should consider a guided tour such as those offered by Tarpon Bay Explorers if they have no experience with the sea. Making use of a guided tour service ensures that one sees all that the island has to offer. For instance, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is famous for being the seasonal home of many migratory birds. If one doesn’t know where to look, one may well miss out on the egrets, ibis, pelicans and roseate spoonbills that live in this reserve. Sanibel fishing is very popular, but boats have many more uses in this environment.

Finding a boat rental on Captiva Island is also quite easy. There are several different businesses that offer the service. The options range from skiffs to pontoon boats and beyond. These boats are suitable for Sanibel and Captiva fishing or in any other area surrounding either of the islands, depending upon the type. Remember that some areas are restricted speed zones. The reason for this is usually that manatees forage in those specific areas.

Many of the adventures in the paradise of Sanibel involve exploring the extensive wildlife refuges. A full half of this island is set aside as a national wildlife refuge. The most famous of these protected areas is the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Kayaking Sanibel and Captiva oftentimes means starting out in this area. There are several advantages to taking a quiet mode of transportation, such as a canoe or a kayak, though this and other areas. There is a huge population of birds in this area and numerous water-dwelling creatures. A quiet passage ensures the closest possible contact with them.

Kayaking Sanibel and Captiva Islands is best done with the assistance of a guide. Guides may be contracted privately or one may make use of the various organizations that offer educational excursions through the island’s various natural areas. Either way, one is ensured a much more substantial experience than would be had if one were to simply venture out on their own. Many individuals dedicate their lives to studying the various wildlife and plants that inhabit the island environs and are more than happy to share that knowledge with those who choose to vacation on the islands of Sanibel and Captiva.

Fantastic ECO Adventures await you on Sanibel and Captiva!

Tarpon Bay Explorers on Sanibel offers several different Sanibel kayaking packages for getting out and exploring the natural environs and kayaking Sanibel. The company offers several different styles of watercraft for hire and, provided with proper safety training, adventurers can set out to explore some of the most wild and exciting environments to be found anywhere. The company has enough watercraft to ensure that just about everyone will be able to find something suitable for their needs. These quiet and easy to use crafts ensure that one can get into sensitive environments without disturbing the wildlife that calls it home. Of course, they also offer great guided tours of mangrove trails and Tarpon Bay. They even have a guided sunset Sanibel kayaking trip perfect for observing all the birds as they come to roost for the night.

The Adventure Sea Kayak & SUP takes adventurers out into both the interior waterways and the coastal waters to explore some of the fascinating life forms to be found in both. The population of bottlenose dolphins around Sanibel and Captiva is the largest anywhere and travelers will delight in getting up close and personal with these curious and astoundingly-intelligent mammals. Manatees also ply these waters and their peaceful and friendly nature makes them a favorite with tourists. Kayaking and stand up paddle boarding Captiva Island ensures that tourists leave the island with something far more precious than pictures: an appreciation for the environment.

The islands of Sanibel and Captiva offer myriad opportunities for sailing. These islands sit off of Fort Myers in the Gulf of Mexico. Sanibel sailing adventures can take visitors on short journeys around the islands or on long excursions out into the Gulf of Mexico. Tarpon Bay, one of the most striking areas on the island, is famous for being a place where ocean life is found in abundance. Plying these waters in a sailboat is one of the best ways to explore the sea and to get an appreciation for these magnificent islands.

Before engaging in any Sanibel sailing or Captiva sailing, one needs the proper instruction. There are schools on Sanibel that will provide visitors with the requisite training that will enable them to venture out onto the high seas. Some of these Sanibel sailing schools are recognized as among the best in the nation. The Gulf of Mexico waters offer a calm place to learn one’s basic skills and, when one is truly ready to take on the seas, they can head toward the much larger waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Learning to sail on Sanibel is very popular among the various activities.

Maginificent sailing adventures await you around sanibel and Captiva!

Captiva Island sail enthusiasts have much to explore. Captiva is separated from Sanibel by a narrow strait of water called Blind Pass. The two islands are practically within a stone’s throw of one another but they still offer their distinct sailing opportunities. The site of Millionaire’s Row from offshore is quite striking. Both of the islands are essentially ringed by beaches which make them equally attractive from the sea or from the shore. The amount of ocean wildlife that one can encounter on their maritime adventures makes attending offshore sailing schools on Captiva Island or Sanibel Island an even more attractive proposition.

These offshore sailing schools have graduated literally hundreds of thousands of budding sailors. Sanibel sailing and Captiva sailing both provide a challenge that can hone one’s skills without pushing one too hard from the start. Exploring natural wonders such as Tarpon Bay allows those just learning the craft of sailing to immediately enjoy one of the principal benefits: getting to see some of the most exotic creatures on the planet. Whether one intends to become a captain or simply intends to charter a boat with a captain, a Captiva Island sail excursion or a Sanibel Island sailing adventure can provide a lifetime of memories.

Sanibel Island water sports start with getting the right equipment. For those who enjoy yachting and sailing, the Sanibel Marina and Port Sanibel Marina will both provide facilities for pleasure craft. For those who like a more personal relationship between themselves and the water, there are businesses on the islands that will rent equipment such as jet skis, waverunners and other small motor craft. Exploring the islands and Sanibel water sports from the ocean is one of the most popular and gratifying activities in the area. The island’s pristine waterways ensure that the experience is always the most exciting and beautiful possible.

Sanibel Marina is more welcoming than the average slip facility. While many such marinas are very exclusive affairs, the Sanibel Marina welcomes all, whether they arrive on a 50 foot yacht or a wave runner. Port Sanibel Marina is off-island but is a great starting point to make their way to the islands or to engage in water sports. The marinas monitor radio traffic on specific frequencies during certain hours so be sure to check ahead before making one’s way to any of the island’s docking facilities.

Water Sports Fun for the entire family on Sanibel and Captiva!

Captiva Island is famous for the environmental-consciousness of its residents. To that end, Yolo Watersports offers visitors modes of transportation that are both fun and friendly to the island environs. One can rent wave runners, paddle boards, sailboats, surfboards, skimboards, bodyboards to the excitement of parasailing adventures. The company devotes a lot of its time to keeping the island clean, volunteering for the various trash pick-ups and beautification projects that bring many of the islanders together. The company also rents land transportation including scooters and scooter coupes. The former require motorcycle experience on the part of the customer.

Anyone visiting the various Sanibel and Captiva marina facilities or renting water sports equipment on the island should be aware of local concerns and regulations. Harassing dolphins or manatees is specifically prohibited by the law and carries heavy penalties. There are areas of water where speed is limited by law. This is to protect the manatee population. These ocean herbivores graze in shallow waters, close to the surface. The local businesses and marinas will have information on how to enjoy Sanibel and Captiva water sports and the environment while helping to keep the wildlife safe and healthy.