Sanibel Island Reccommendations

[clc053103]

DH and I are taking a little vaca without DS. We have booked a beachfront suite at Sanibel Inn. Any recc's on restaurants, activities?

TIA!
Courtney

[oneplustwo]

That's such a beautiful place! You're going to have a wonderful vacation there. Bowman's Beach is one of my favorites -- the beach goes on and on and you can walk forever. Few can resist the signature pastime there, shelling.

The J. N. Ding Darling Refuge is terrific. It's a lovely, leisurely drive through a refuge where you have a chance to see alligators and all types of birds, with many places to stop and get out of the car for overlooks and one or two towers to climb for the view.

I haven't been to many restaurants there recently, but you can check out the Bubble Room (actually in Captiva). It's kitchy, vividly colored and with little trains running around near the top of the walls; a fun place with good food -- at least, when I used to go there, which was quite a few years ago. The cakes for dessert are to die for! I've heard that Red Fish Blue Fish is supposed to be good but haven't been there yet. My favorite deli/cafe is no longer open, and I don't know anything else to recommend for a quick, casual lunch.

Hope you get lots of other good ideas.

[JenML]

I agree w/everything the pp said.

We love taking our bikes up there - definitely rent them if they're not available at your condo. It's SUCH a bike-friendly place. IMO, Ding Darling is much better seen by bike than car.

We like eating at the Lazy Flamingo (2 locations, 1 just after you get onto Sanibel and the other just before you get to Captiva), and Doc Ford's (mainly because we enjoy Randy Wayne Wright's books), and enjoy having a sunset drink on the patio at the Mucky Duck on Captiva.

[hollybloom24]

Any of the restaurants at the Sanibel Harbour Resort right across the bridge are excellent, and they have a sunset dinner cruise that was fun too.

The Jacaranda is good as is the Lazy Flamingo and McT's Shrimp House.

Have fun! It is a beautiful place - one of my favorites!