Upscale Captiva Island (11 mi/18 km long and 1 mi/1.6 km wide) is located across a short causeway from Sanibel Island, at the far end of the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The dominant property there, located on the very tip of the island, is South Seas Plantation Resort, with literally miles/kilometers of beachfront on the Gulf of Mexico. Even those staying elsewhere will probably find their way there—the resort has upscale restaurants, and sightseeing cruises leave from its marina in search of dolphins.
The farther you go out onto the island, the more expensive and in demand the accommodations tend to be (the best resorts require minimum stays ranging from two nights to a week). Even if you're not overnighting, we recommend an excursion to Captiva for a look around. You won't be barred from the beach—state law requires all beaches to be public—but you'll find that the lack of public parking creates something of an obstacle to visiting the shore. Or sign up for the introduction-to-shelling walks that are offered Saturday mornings by biologists affiliated with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
To the north of Captiva are Boca Grande and Cape Haze (though you'll have to make a lengthy trip around Charlotte Harbor if you don't have a boat). Boca Grande is a popular winter retreat for wealthy visitors, while quiet Cape Haze prohibits cars and is rarely crowded. Both are known as fishing destinations.
For more information on Captiva Island, visit http://www.sanibel-captiva.org.
Must See or Do
Memorable Meals—British specialties, seafood and a sense of humor at Mucky Duck.
Additional Reading
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (Pantheon). This collection of inspirational essays inspired by seashells was written by the wife of Charles Lindbergh, the renowned aviator, on Captiva Island in 1955.
