We found North Captiva Island totally by accident several years ago. We were planning our first family vacay to Disney World and we knew that we would need a vacation from that vacation. Flying into Orlando to visit the kingdom meant driveable beach options were pretty limited to those with crowds like what we had at Disney - no thanks.
Enter our adventurous spirit (aka amazing ability to overplan and overcommit) and we decide really, what's a 4 hour drive in the grand scheme of things? Totally worth it to check out Sanibel Island. Only...we are late in the game booking this little addition and there are no vacancies anywhere decent on Sanibel. (Hmmm...notice a pattern here? Maine anyone?) I absolutely give my husband credit for this - he finds a house to rent in the area, just off the beach, actually affordable, they can do 3 days...but how do we get to North Captiva? For some reason, I can't find driving directions.
Well, that's because it is an honest-to-goodness island, not an island in the usual Florida sense. No bridges to get there, just boats, so that means - no cars on the island! If you look up the opposite of Disney I think you will find North Captiva. Sounding better and better!
Of course, sticking with our usual MO, we book first and then figure out how we are going to make it happen. We are so glad we did.
The do's of getting there:
1. Do take the North Captiva Island Club Ferry. There is another option, but we can personally attest to the fact that the service you will receive here is top notch. From the moment you step into their lobby, you feel like you are on your way to an exclusive destination - and you are. Put your feet up and let them take you to paradise.
2. Do grocery shop online before you go. There are a few restaurants on the island, but they have limited hours, and no grocery stores. You will want to cook. There are a few options - Sandie & Debbie's Grocery Service will shop for you and deliver your groceries packed in dry ice to your ferry OR even put them away in the fridge at your rental! How awesome is that? About an extra 40% awesome - it's the surcharge to do so. It might be worth it, but we found the best option for our budget was to order ahead of time from Publix and pick up our packed groceries on the way (only a 10% charge).
3. Do rent a car if you are staying there for 4 nights or less but take a shuttle/Uber if you are staying longer. There is a fee to leave your vehicle while you are on the island and 4 nights was about the break even point of doing so vs shuttle/Uber. Do remember your grocery plan when making this choice.
If all of this sounds too complicated, I understand. I wondered A LOT what we had gotten ourselves into the first time we went. Yep, I said first time - we have been back. That probably answers the question of whether I thought it was worth it.
The beach. This tiny island has 5 miles of white sand beaches with amazing shelling and beautiful driftwood. Two thirds of that 5 miles is part of a nature preserve and state park so there are no houses. There is a good chance that you can set up camp for the day and not see another person - we didn't. We took our kids once when they were preschoolers and once in elementary and they loved it both times.
The experience. We hiked the state park trails (bring sunscreen and an umbrella if you want to spend time at the beach at the end of the trail - there is no shade on this part of the island), fished (from shore and on a charter), swam (in the ocean and the North Captiva Island Club pool, complete with bar), explored by golf cart (imagine your only road is a sand path between palm trees) and most of all, we relaxed. There is no cell service on the island so the time unplugged yet connected with our kids was perfection.
The feel. The homes are gorgeous but mostly unpretentious. It will feel like you are visiting an island in the Carribean or Central America, but without a passport and the hordes of other tourists. We talked with people on the ferry heading over for a wedding, saw 50-something sorority sisters toasting the sunset on the beach, chatted with another family hiking in the park and the one thing they had in common - not one bit of stress. If it sounds like too much to plan to get there, call me, I'll do it for you!
On our first trip there, the airline lost our luggage and delivered it to our hotel room with only 2 hours until we left for the ferry. On the second, our rental car reservation got lost and it took multiple hours to secure another one. Fate is trying to keep this little island paradise a secret, but we persevered, and now I'm sharing it with you.
Make the journey - I promise you won't regret it.
Get outside. Experience nature. Make memories. Most importantly, take those trips with your kids while you can.
Explore | Dream | Discover | The Road
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