Captiva Island, FL, anyone?

[blackdogdeek]

we're thinking of going in mid-july. 4 kids, 3 adults.

i searched and there were a couple of threads from around 2005. has anyone been there recently that can comment on what it's like?

thanks!

 

[stratking]

we're thinking of going in mid-july. 4 kids, 3 adults.

i searched and there were a couple of threads from around 2005. has anyone been there recently that can comment on what it's like?

thanks!

It's been years since I've been there but I remember loving it as a kid. My grandparents took me a few times. Had a blast. Not sure if it's still there but there was a restaurant called "The Bubble Room" that was excellent to a 9 year old. It had a tree growing through the wall and train tracks ran throughout the restaurant on the wall. Can't remember how the food was though.

 

[bobdole369]

I've actually been to a bit further north to Gasparilla state park. Other than a beach and a really old lighthouse, there wasn't much. We planned a day trip and ended up just turning around - the gulf just wasn't very good that day.

Do you like it friggin unbelieveably hot? As in 95+ high humidity? 10++ on the UV scale? As in can't step on asphalt, eggs frying hot?

Do you and your folks burn in the sun easily? I'm rather olive (think less than john redcorn but more than hank hill) - and in mid-july - I'm not swimming for more than an hour with waterproof sunscreen.

The gulf in that time of year is calming down - winter is usually quite rough, towards spring and the beginning of summer it calms down and becomes fairly mellow until autumn. I can't say theres much snorkeling out there, but its open season on the reefs in the keys for that.

Also in the area is cayo costa state park - available via ferry or your private yacht. I recall we wanted to go there but ended up not doing so for some reason.

Looks like a typical FL resort town, so expect a couple local bars, some places to eat, lots of beach and rich mo-fo's everywhere.




Also this is during the start of hurricane season. It's entirely possible your vacation is ruined by a storm.

Also note that this area is within the lightning belt. Every single day from mid-may on through sept, it rains for about 15 minutes in sofla. Its usually a quick thing, it drenches everything with crazy blowing rain and ridiculous lightning about 4pm, then everything is all hot and even MORE humid until sunset.

 

[blackdogdeek]

It's been years since I've been there but I remember loving it as a kid. My grandparents took me a few times. Had a blast. Not sure if it's still there but there was a restaurant called "The Bubble Room" that was excellent to a 9 year old. It had a tree growing through the wall and train tracks ran throughout the restaurant on the wall. Can't remember how the food was though.

did you go primarily during the summer months? do you recall any issues with bugs or jellyfish?

 

[blackdogdeek]

I've actually been to a bit further north to Gasparilla state park. Other than a beach and a really old lighthouse, there wasn't much. We planned a day trip and ended up just turning around - the gulf just wasn't very good that day.

Do you like it friggin unbelieveably hot? As in 95+ high humidity? 10++ on the UV scale? As in can't step on asphalt, eggs frying hot?

we've been to FL and the Caribbean during this time of year so we're familiar with the conditions and while far from ideal, the proximity to the beach and central air should hopefully alleviate these conditions. hopefully.

Do you and your folks burn in the sun easily? I'm rather olive (think less than john redcorn but more than hank hill) - and in mid-july - I'm not swimming for more than an hour with waterproof sunscreen.

i'm filipino and my girls are half so we should be somewhat protected and we will definitely be wearing sunscreen regardless. i suspect we will adhere to some kind of schedule to avoid being outdoors between 11 am and 3 pm. the place we'll be staying has wifi and cable.

The gulf in that time of year is calming down - winter is usually quite rough, towards spring and the beginning of summer it calms down and becomes fairly mellow until autumn. I can't say theres much snorkeling out there, but its open season on the reefs in the keys for that.

we won't be snorkeling as the kids range in age from 4 to 14 and they are not into that. mostly we will probably just wade in to the shallow, build sand castles and go seashell hunting.

Also this is during the start of hurricane season. It's entirely possible your vacation is ruined by a storm.

Also note that this area is within the lightning belt. Every single day from mid-may on through sept, it rains for about 15 minutes in sofla. Its usually a quick thing, it drenches everything with crazy blowing rain and ridiculous lightning about 4pm, then everything is all hot and even MORE humid until sunset.

thanks for the lightning info, i've never heard of that before and i doubt we would have heard about it from the real estate agent ;-) unfortunately, it's my mother-in-law's 75th birthday so we can't really pick a different time of year.

 

[Jeeebus]

did you go primarily during the summer months? do you recall any issues with bugs or jellyfish?

I went to Captiva/Sanibel more times than I can count growing up, and I don't remember ever having any issues with bugs (unless you head off into the mangroves to go crabbing like we would, then beware). Not sure there's any rhyme or reason with jellyfish - very rarely ever see em - you pretty much know if they're around though.

Bear in mind this is based upon when Sanibel was basically nothing but a fishing pier - it's changed quite a bit, but I don't think the Captiva beach has changed any.

 

[coxmaster]

We stayed 2 or 3 islands north of Captiva a lot when i was younger (had a condo) and I absolutely loved it. I think that area is one of the nicest places in Florida

 

[ussfletcher]

I used to go there fairly regularly 8+ years ago, I haven't been there since the Hurricane basically destroyed the island, now I hear its completely different.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I went to Captiva/Sanibel more times than I can count growing up, and I don't remember ever having any issues with bugs (unless you head off into the mangroves to go crabbing like we would, then beware). Not sure there's any rhyme or reason with jellyfish - very rarely ever see em - you pretty much know if they're around though.

Bear in mind this is based upon when Sanibel was basically nothing but a fishing pier - it's changed quite a bit, but I don't think the Captiva beach has changed any.

thanks! i had read another thread where someone said to bring DEET to defend against the no-see-ums. and i saw a couple of articles about people getting stung around the september time frame but this was considered abnormal.