A Ship-Shape Trip

By Ann Marie O'Phelan
Published: August 5, 2008
Last Updated On: March 11, 2011

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Beaches

Family

Resorts

Sanibel Island

Captiva Island

Whether scouting wildlife at J.N.

When a couple of my friends and their kids (collectively four) came to visit my family for a few days, I couldn't wait to show them why we chose to anchor down permanently in Southwest Florida.

With a crew this big to please, I knew I had to pick just the right spot for us to dock for the weekend: Sanibel Moorings, a condominium resort complex located on Sanibel Island, would allow us to enjoy our seaside stay without sacrificing the comforts of home.

As we lounged on the sand, the kids busied themselves with sandcastle building, swimming and searching for shells.

Pulling into Port

Shortly after we crossed over the new, high-span bridge onto Sanibel Island, and made a left onto East Gulf Drive, the kids pointed out the resort's sign. "We're here!" they cheered.

We marched our way to a comfy beachfront suite that was roomy enough for our whole crew – and our piles of beach gear. With a view of the resort's swimming pool out one window and the Gulf of Mexico out another, there was nothing but beautiful water from every angle.

After unpacking, we all headed to the beach along the resort's meandering pathways, lined with lush tropical plants and flowering trees. Out of the blue, Monica, the youngest of our crowd, cried out, "Zebras!" She pointed to an array of Zebra Longwings dancing on the breeze. The black-and-white striped wings of Florida's state butterfly stood out against the backdrop of lush greenery.

The kids sprinted to the white-sand beach ready for fun and sun. As we lounged on the sand, the kids busied themselves with sandcastle building, swimming and searching for shells. We spotted dolphins offshore, egrets and herons flying and fishing and even saw a sea turtle nest right on the property. It turned out to be nest No. 28, which Sanibel Moorings had adopted. After several hours, we took our sufficiently stuffed buckets of seashells and went back to our suite to unwind.

After our day in the sun, the younger kids hunkered down with a few good movies from the resort's impressive video library, while the older ones surfed the web, thanks to Wi-Fi. My friends and I made ourselves at home in the kitchen while we made dinner, played catch-up and plotted the next day's adventures.


Disembark for a Road Trip

The next morning, while the air was a bit cooler, we launched the canoe and one of the kayaks that Sanibel Moorings provided (at no charge) into the on-site canal. We paddled leisurely along the quiet backwaters and spotted pelicans swooping and diving to scoop up their breakfast.

After our water adventure, we headed over to historic Lighthouse Beach Park on the southern tip of Sanibel Island. It was the perfect place for a stroll and for a photo of the entire crew with a Sanibel landmark. Jimmy, one of the older boys, eyed an ice cream shop just off the beach. With flavors like World Famous Sanibel Krunch and Dirty Sand Dollar, the treats from Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream were deliciously lapped up by all.

From there, we took off for J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on the north side of Sanibel. The 6,400-acre refuge is home to more than 220 species of birds. We were lucky enough to spot a few roseate spoonbills in the crowd. And the kids really enjoyed the interactive exhibits in the Education Center.

Captiva Island is just up the road from Sanibel, so we steered that way next. Our first port of call was Turner Beach, famous for its great shelling and its prime location, as it sits just over the bridge that connects the two islands. Turner Beach is not far from the heart of downtown Captiva, where we had lunch at the award-winning Keylime Bistro, and showed off our best seashell finds.

But our day wasn't over yet. My friends wanted to find the perfect beach cover-ups, sandals and bags, so we set out for Periwinkle Place's great boutiques and shops. We left with our arms full of shopping bags, especially the kids, who had used their allowances to stock up on Sanibel souvenirs.

Once we got back to Sanibel Moorings, we sat in our suite's screened porch (a true Florida convenience) and relished the soothing sound of waves lapping on the beach as we told pirate stories and tales of sunken ships.


Pass this Way Again

We all hated to see our ship-shape trip end. When it was time to say good-bye, Monica looked up at me just as I was closing the door to our cozy suite one last time.  "Can we please come again?" she pleaded. Without missing a beat, I said to her, and the rest of the crew, "Ahoy, mates! Be glad to have you all on board another time!"

To plan your own family getaway to Sanibel and Captiva Islands, call Sanibel Moorings Condominium Resort at 800-237-5144 or visit www.sanibelmoorings.com.