we have narrowed down our stay to these two places, but i would like some opinions on the differences in the two locations. i understand that captiva is the quieter of the two but further away. if stay on captiva but want to shop or have a variety of restaurants to choose from, will we be driving to sanibel everyday?

We just got back from Sanibel last week, and it was our first time there. I agree that Captiva is the quieter of the two islands, but I think no matter which of the two you stay on, there will be times when you'll want to travel to the other for one reason or another.

Sanibel does have more shops, including a grocery store, and attractions like the Ding Darling wildlife refuge, the shell museum, etc. Both islands have their fair share of restaurants. The thing is, Sanibel is only 14 miles long and I think Captiva is about 9 miles long, so it doesn't really take that long to drive from one to the other. Both are beautiful and have lovely beaches. So I think the main thing is that you choose a resort or condo you think you'll be happy with. Good luck, no matter which island you choose!

Not only are they small islands, but the water separating them is so narrow you could just about blow a feather from one side to the other. They are, for all intent and purpose, one long island. Whenever we are there, we drive from one to the other for various activities without giving it a second thought.

We will be staying on Sanibel next month. We are renting a condo at the Casa Ybel Resort. Any comments on this place, good or bad. Would love to hear.

We've stayed at Casa Ybel twice and love it. It's centrally located on a nice beach. Condos are well maintained and nicely furnished--but nothing so nice that you worry coming in with salty/sandy beach clothes. You'll have a huge screened porch where you can enjoy the Gulf in the evening, or if the sun gets to be too much during the day. Grounds are well maintained and nicely landscaped. No complaints from us. We weren't wild about their restaurant, but there are plenty of other places on the island to choose from, and half the fun is getting out and trying as many as you can--not staying on property. There's a grocery store not too far off where you can stock up on breakfast and lunch necessities, leaving evening for a splurge.