Location

Tropical Breeze is the perfect Captiva Island Vacation Home. Located in the Gulf of Mexico, three miles off Florida's southwest coast, Captiva Island is connected to the mainland via Sanibel Island and the Sanibel Causeway. There is a small toll to cross the causeway (bridge).

Captiva is a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Orlando, while just three and a half hours take you to Miami. Both routes are on high-quality, easy-to-drive freeways.

Captiva is approximately 35 miles from the Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, serviced by all major American domestic carriers and some international airlines.

All of the major car rental companies are based at these airports.

Captiva Island is unlike any other holiday destination in Florida. This tropical island is only 5 miles long and up to ½ mile wide. Over 80% of the Islands' (Sanibel & Captiva) are nature reserves, including the world-renowned J.N Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

There are no traffic lights, billboards, or street lights. No building is allowed to be higher than the tallest trees. The speed limit on the island ranges from 15 to 35mph; a single-lane road runs the island's length. Captiva has a tropical year-round warm climate and lush tropical vegetation. Wildlife is abundant, with ospreys, eagles, pelicans, numerous seabirds, dolphins, and manatees. Tropical Breeze is just two houses from the beach on Wightman Lane in Captiva Village. Captiva's beaches have been voted in the top 5 in the USA.

One factor that ensures that Captiva is exclusive and its beaches are never busy is that you cannot park cars on the roads. Parking is only permitted at the very few public car parks. A short walk from the house is Captiva Village, a lovely restaurant and shop mix. At Tropical Breeze, you can park the car and not use it for days. Captiva's unique west-facing position off the coast of Florida means that you have all the benefits of the glorious beach, the fun of the sea, and incredible sunset views. A short walk away on the east coast is the Roosevelt Channel, with its inland fishing and boating.

Beaches

Captiva beaches were voted one of the top five best beaches in America. It is one of the main attractions of Captiva. The white sandy beaches are lovely. You won’t be fighting for space on the beach as it is not crowded, and you can easily find your room with few people around you.

The water is warm, and there are many wild birds to sit and admire. You will see the dolphins frolicking in the water. The island is also known for its abundance of shells, which you can collect as a souvenir of your holiday in paradise. The beach is a fantastic place to see breathtaking sunsets.

Where to Eat

Plenty of restaurants within walking distance of the house offer a broad spectrum of cuisine.

From the Bubble Room, renowned for its fabulous large desserts, to the Green Flash Bayside Bar and Grill, where you can enjoy the beautiful views over the bay while eating, there are great places everyone can enjoy.

For a complete list of all our recommended local restaurants, click the link below.

Fishing

The opportunities are endless for fishing. Captiva is particularly famous for Snook and Tarpon fishing. You can hire a boat for deep-sea fishing, or you may prefer light-tackle angling. Go for a half-day or full-day charter with an experienced captain, or you can hire your own boat.

Boating

You can go on an organized trip from South Sea Plantation Resort for the day or hire your boat. You may see Manatees as you board your boat since they swim around the boats in the Bay. As for fishing, you can hire a boat with a captain for full or half days.

An experienced captain can take you to other islands, where you can stop for lunch, go swimming or shelling, or find a deserted beach for sunbathing and relaxation. You will almost certainly see dolphins swimming nearby or following in the boat's wake. If you stop for lunch on one of the many islands, you may be lucky to see wild otters swimming in the dock.

Shelling

Considered among the finest shelling beaches in the world, the island offers more than 250 kinds of shells. The abundance and variety have made Captiva known as “Shell Island.” If you stroll along the long sandy beaches, you will be surprised how many varieties you will collect.

Biking

The best place for biking is the adjoining island of Sanibel. There are over 25 miles of paved bike trails. They take you to shops, restaurants, wildlife centers, beaches (although bikes are not allowed on the beach), and many other places of interest.

Water Sports

Canoe tours are available, or you can rent a kayak or electric boat to explore the mangrove swamps.

You can paraglide or hire jet skis. If you want to go snorkeling or scuba diving, you may visit one of the artificial reefs. More than a dozen artificial reefs lie within a 15-mile radius of Captiva and Sanibel.

One of the largest is the Edison Reef, created from the rubble of a former mainland bridge. It was built less than 15 nautical miles from the Sanibel Lighthouse in 42 feet of water.

Closer to home, the Belton Johnson Reef, about five nautical miles off Bowman's Beach, was named after a well-known local fishing guide. A yellow and white marker shows the reef's location, constructed of concrete culverts.

Peagus/ Charlie's Reef is the newest reef, installed in July 1999, located 28 miles due west of Red Fish Pass. A large tug boat was added to several railroad hoppers with many residences, including barracuda, cobia, nurse shark, grouper, amberjack, and a moray eel.

Bird Watching & Nature Trials

The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, on Sanibel, is named one of America's top ten birding spots. You can see great egrets, snowy egrets, herons, pelicans, dowitchers, yellow legs, roseate spoonbills, cormorants, blue-winged teal, osprey, bald eagles, and more. Wildlife Drive winds through mangrove forests and tidal flats, where you can see alligators and maybe even crocodiles. Guided tram tours are also available and well worth doing. They last for about 90 minutes.

Golf

Golf Digest ranked the Fort Meyers-Cape Coral area in the top twenty best metropolitan areas for golf in the USA.

Two 18-hole courses nearby on Sanibel Island are the Sanibel Island Golf Club and the Dunes Golf Club.