Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Captiva Island, Florida
No false advertising or bait-and-switches here, Captiva Island beaches are truly captivating. Located in southwest Florida on quaint Captiva Island, clear blue skies meet sparkling azure waters meet sugar-white alabaster beaches. Stand anywhere on Captiva Island and you are a five minute walk from swimming the tranquil waters along the Captiva Island coastline. Once on the shore, stick your feet in the soft, Captiva sand and bury your head in a new novel, but don't forget to stop and smell that sweet, sea breeze. Stroll the shores after high tide to pack your pockets full of colorful seashells and sun-bleached sand dollars—shelling on Captiva Island is among the nation's best! Kayak or boat through nearby channels for a glimpse of jumping dolphins and manatee surfacing for a gulp of air. And because all of Captiva Island beaches face west, vibrant colors splash across dusk skies and watching the spectacular nightly sunsets becomes an island-wide event. It is no wonder that Dr. Beach (a.k.a. Dr. Stephen Leatherman) named Captiva Island the most romantic beach destination two years in a row.
But beyond the fact that the enchanting, tropical beauty of Captiva Island claims the attention of the most well-traveled vacationers, the name "Captiva" probably refers to a time when the island was used to holding pirate Jose Gaspar's victims for ransom. Pirate past aside, a vacation on Captiva Island puts you right up there with some of the nation's more beloved historical characters. With his wife Anne beside him in the cockpit, Charles Lindbergh landed his plane on Captiva Island's undeveloped shores and Teddy Roosevelt occasionally dipped his toes in the Captiva waters.
Today Captiva Island suits both the rugged and pampered vacationer. Captiva's gourmet bistros and luxury resorts somehow don't disrupt the island's enchanting simplicity. With a laid-back yet refined collection of inns, hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, and resorts, Captiva Island is somehow both upscale and down-to-earth, attracting world-famous tourists and your average Joe vacationer. No matter where you fall in the spectrum (from well-off vacationer to flat-broke beach bum), easing into the low-key Captiva Island groove is the name of the game.
So, besides wishing you could somehow hold yourself ransom on Captiva's shores, how will you spend your Captiva Island days? Get up with the sun and use the early mornings, just after the morning tide, for shelling. While all of Captiva Island's beaches are well-stocked, Turner Beach waves usually bring in the best booty. Next, sail, kayak, or boat along the mangrove-lined coast, cruise around Captiva's out-islands, and tour the nearby waterways; several marinas and liveries are available on the island for rentals and docking. If you'd rather sit back and be driven, sunset and dolphin watching cruises are popular local Captiva options. Bring your binoculars along for birdwatching—blue herons, roseate spoonbills, egrets, pelicans, eagle, and osprey abound. With 6,400 acres of marshes, seagrass, and mangrove forest, Captiva Island's Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places to have a birdwatching eco-adventure. If you want to brave the Captiva Island breaks, surfers generally recommend the area around Redfish Pass for the most consistent swells.
For the local angle on fishing, head to Turner Beach near Redfish Pass to try your hand at reeling in a big one. To snag mackerel, mullet, pompano, flounder, cobia or drum you can also try three other popular Captiva fishing holes: The Causeway, Blind Pass Bridge and the bayside pier at the Sanibel Lighthouse. Of course, Captiva Island also offers plenty of deep-sea charters to take you out into the blue beyond. Just an hour from Ft. Myers' Southwest Florida International Airport, to get to Captiva Island you will need to travel the Sanibel Causeway and Sanibel-Captiva. Gaze out on Captiva Island's crystal-clear waters and you will find yourself whispering a silent wish to return.