Husband and I are flying into Fort Myers in October. Really thinking want to stay on Sanibel as it is our main destination. Would love to be on the beach, see the water every chance from our room. Is Sanibel a place with a great place to stay? We are wanting to shell, maybe bike ride, sit on the beach (is there a part of the beach that is not covered with shells and somewhat secluded?) maybe snorkel also. Is this something that someone that has been to Sanibel would do.

Oh also looking for some incredible sunrises and sunsets.

7 days? I am so jealous!! I spent 2 and never wanted to leave!!!!I stayed in Fort Meyers on the beach and drove in-but traffic onto the island can get messy so stay on sanibel or captiva if you can afford it. What is the budget? I saw the Tween Waters and South Seas, and I thought they looked like heaven to me!Absolutely gorgeous!Beaches are lovely and shelling is fun! I loved the trees-like a jungle!Also the Ding Darling preserve is nice for walking and the shell museum. Other than that, you must eat at the Bubble Room for a fun dinner or lunch. After that just sit on a beach and enjoy!Lots of areas to walk on beach. I did not find it crowded at all in March.Maybe saw 18 people all day on beach!Enjoy!!

I've spent two vacations at Sanibel, and the beaches I've seen there, and at Captiva, were loaded with shells. The water is not clear enough there for great snorkeling, IMHO.

We love the West Wind Inn, about mid-island on Sanibel, right on a great shelling beach, with a big pool with food service, screened balconies, great staff. See westwindinn.com ...

I would definitely stay on Sanibel/Captiva rather than off-island.

Thanks so much for information. We can't wait. We are hoping to stay in the 200 to 225 a nite range for a room. But what good is being at the beach if you aren't staying on it and seeing it every minute? Is there a farmers market or fish market of some sort, pick your food and they cook it for you?

I would recommend Forty Fifteen. Very reasonable prices for being right on the beach, with a full kitchen. It's in a more secluded area so the beach is not overrun. We stayed there once and would love to go back.

Sounds like you want a really laid back vacation and you will love it there. That is an extremely quiet time...bike riding will be lots of fun without the Spring Break or holiday traffic. You should be able to get a very good rate as well. If you do cross the bridge to Ft Myers, I highly recommend the Prawn Broker for amazing seafood.

Ahhhhh Sanibel One of our favorite destinations on the planet. We will be in Captive for a week at the end of this month...

We go often (3-4 times a year) I might be able to give you some info. We stay at the Tween Waters Inn on Captiva. We prefer the laid back Floribbean atmosphere of Captiva. When we stay at the Tween we stay in the Sea Grape building in Gulf View Efficiency. The rooms are newly renovated and beautiful. There is a screened in porch over looking the Gulf, huge bathroom with soaking tub and shower, a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave and 2 burner stove, coffee maker, toaster, plates etc...The rooms has a king bed and big flat screen TV. What we do is on our way to the resort, we stop at the store and stock up on beer, water soda nad snacks. The Beach is beautiful calm clear warm with tons of shells. Many times while floating in the Gulf we see Dolphins jumping out of the water - just beautiful. They also have beach cabannas to rent (you can also rent for 1/2 day) inexpensive and towels are provided. The beach is just right across the very small narrow street, but is right there. You can walk for a long way and not see another person, as the beach is not very crowded and quiet. The heated/cooled pool is tons of fun with a lively pool bar and outdoor grill serving the best burgers and grilled fish and everything in between. The rate is 247.00 per night and a full breakfast is included if you desire something hot from the kitchen, there is a daily menu of eggs, pancakes, etc for 5 dollars. The breakfast buffet is wonderful though, tons of fresh fruit, muffins, cereals, yogurts, teas, coffee...you get the idea. There are also lots of wonderful small restaurants in the area, most with a sunset view. There is a huge marina and they offer all kinds of fishing/shelling trips. I am not sure but I think the chef at the Old captiva House/Crows Nest will prepare your catch for you. If not I know the Pink Flamingo does, which is right down the street. The Tween also has historic cottages, which are also newly renovated and have full kitchens, bedrooms, gulf front..I see people grilling on the bar-b-ques all the time (each cottage has their own). There is also a washer and dryer on the ground floor of the Sea Grape building, so packing is easy...and since it is very casual, you can really pack light. If you are renting a car, we use Dollar, it is the least expensive of all the rental car companies, get a convertible - it is soooo much fun. The rental car companies are just downstairs from the airport, no shuttle bus, just take the elevator down and there you are!
We prefer Captiva to Sanibel or Ft. Myers. A world away. Hope this helps, have a great trip