Whether it's winter or summer, getting out in a boat is one of the best ways to enjoy your day! We have so many interesting places to visit and lots of ways to get there.
Sanibel Marina offers private fishing/shelling guides who can take you out for the day, as well boat rental that you can take yourself.
Captiva Island has four marinas: South Seas, McCarthy's, Jensen's & 'Tween Waters. You can try a sailboat charter, professional guide, private boat rental, or a narrated air conditioned tour boat. Schedules vary, but you can easily go on a sunset cruise, or fishing, shelling or just out to one of the nearby island restaurants.
Just to the north of Sanibel and Captiva Island we have un-bridged Upper Captiva Island. Also called North Captiva, the island is about three and a half miles long, with the southern two mile being mostly preserve property. The northern end has electricity, over a hundred homes, and three great restaurants (my favorite is Barnacles). The roads aren't paved and the main transportation is by golf cart. The island also has a 2100 ft private airstrip for some residents. A day spent on Upper Captiva will be remembered for years.
Cayo Costa Island is the next island north of Upper Captiva. Cayo Costa is a state park and has a small area to camp. There are no amenities except for a rest room. Most people head out there for a day trip and just swim and walk the beach. The island is never crowded and you are sure to find some interesting shells to start your collection.
Cabbage Key is probably the most famous island because of its restaurant of the same name. Cabbage Key is a back-bay island so it has no beach, but the true draw to the island is the food and drink. The restaurant sits on top of a Calusa shell mound about 37 feet high, which is pretty high for Florida. The restaurant serves great food and is a popular stop for tour boats and private boats. There is a full bar, and a small menu where the burgers are definitely the best seller. Locals say Jimmy Buffett wrote his hit "Cheeseburger in Paradise" at the Cabbage Key bar. Who knows if this is true, but his signed photo sits behind the bar. An interesting quirk of the restaurant is that guests are allowed to sign a dollar bill and tape it to the walls or ceiling. The place has over ten thousand dollars on the wall and as they fall off, they are donated to local charities. Pretty cool!
Useppa Island is a back-bay island just across the intra-coastal waterway from Cabbage Key. Useppa has a ton of history behind it. The Collier Inn Restaurant has a large menu and is set in a more formal setting. The island was a favorite fishing lodge for President Teddy Roosevelt. The island's history can be found at the Barbara L. Sumwalt Museum, located on the island. The island has picturesque walkways that weave throughout giant banyan trees. Definitely a great place to relax and enjoy!
Even if you just take a tour boat for a sunset cruise, you are sure to have a great time. A day on the water is a day well spent!
Of course if you are interested in island real estate, I can be at work finding you the perfect property as you are enjoying your day on the water! Our inventory of available properties is substantial and I'm sure I can find you exactly the property that fits your criteria. Call me Today! 239-691-4915
You might think Sanibel summers are slow, with not much to do. That's not the case! For island events you can check out the calendar of events posted through our Chamber of Commerce - Here. With fewer people on-island you can enjoy our beaches and historical sites without the crowds from the winter months.
Just to name a few fun things locals enjoy, we can start with the Historic Sanibel Lighthouse at the east end of the island. This lighthouse has quite a cool history! Did you know this was the first lighthouse on the west coast of Florida? It was completed in 1884. You can learn more about ou lighthouse Here.
Of course our J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is world famous and absolutely worth the visit. The Refuge has a welcome center that tells the history of Ding Darling and the Refuge. Eight miles of walking/biking trails can fill your day, and bird watching in the Refuge is fantastic! You can watch Roseate Spoonbills feeding in the ponds, as wall as a gator or two sunning along the road. They also offer tram rides as well as daily events for adults and children to participate. You can read more about it Here, and watch my short video (left).
I know it's warm out there, but a nice bike ride is always fun. Especially on Sanibel Island! We have over 20 miles of bike/walking trails throughout the island. You can also detour through the numerous preserve property trails. You can get to just about all of our restaurants as well as biking to our local shops. You can go Here to see a map of Sanibel's bike trails.
We can't leave out Captiva Island! You can check out Captiva's unique "Downtown" for some fun shopping, as well as grabbing something to eat at the Mucky Duck restaurant overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Captiva Island also offers four private marinas that have boat rentals, fishing and shelling guides, and sailboat charters. There is no better way to cool off than to get out on the water! You can go to my "Downtown" Captiva page Here, and check out my Captiva video (left).
Our Sanibel Historic Village is another fun thing to do with the kids. They are closed for a few months in the summers so give them a call before visiting. You can read about the Village Here.
Just off our islands you can visit the historic homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The attached Edison workshop shows many of his amazing inventions! And the landscaping is world renown! Read more about the Edison and Ford homes Here.
While you're on the island you might as well check out properties available! You can easily look at what's available through my real estate search page. You can search by price, size, location or map! Easy! Check it out Here.
Call me today with any questions and I promise to do everything I can help you.
Call Today!
239-691-4915
Sarah Ashton, Broker Associate
ReMax of the Islands
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