Janny

I'm helping a friend who is looking into going to Florida for vacation. She asked my opinion about which area in Florida has the prettiest beaches like the Carribean. She's been to Aruba & Cancun and was looking for something in Florida similiar. I've only been to the Ft. Lauderdale area so that is all I can give my opinion on, not sure about the rest of Florida. They would also like an area with good restaurants and entertainment. Any suggestions?

Tandoori_Girl

hmmmmm. they are all really nice. the keys have that caribbean feel but their beaches are rocky. i'd head for the beaches from marco island to tarpon springs. captiva and sanibel are beachy laid back cities. shells, fish, flowers, take your shoes off kind of place.

Heartburn3

I've been to Sanibel and while it has a great caribbean atmosphere, I much prefer the beaches on the Atlantic. I'm partial to Ft. Lauderdale. However, if they want a more laid back area near Ft Laud, they can try Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.

sunvalley

We spent a week in Destin and loved the beaches. You can walk a long way on the beach. Very white & clear blue water. We went there because it does remind us of the Carrebean. Seaside is also a quiet town.

SoBeTraveller

area near St. Petersburg Beach, it's beautiful and like the Caribbean.

GoTravel

Just about anyplace south of Melbourne has nicer beaches than Aruba or Cancun.

For nightlife, excitement, and beaches, Miami Beach. For quaint little towns with good beach, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. For quaint little town, little man made beach, Key West.

Candy210

Sanibel & Captiva. We keep returning to the paradise every year!

Janny

Thanks for all the info! Any good hotel recommendations for Sanibel and Captiva? Also what are some restaurants in that area?

LilMsFoodie

A search here will bring up a lot of discussion on Sanibel and Captiva places to stay. There are no big full service hotels or resorts on either, again, part of the allure of these islands but some are disappointed.

Funky resort on Captiva: Tween Waters. Really kind of broke down looking but a lot of fun and the restaurants on site are fine.
http://www.tween-waters.com/images/c...ollections.htm

On Andy Rosse Lane, try looking at the Captiva Island Inn. Very fantasy world looking street and the Key Lime Bistro (same owner) is a great place for lunch or dinner. A guitarist is on hand most of the time. Nice wines.
http://www.captivaislandinn.com/index.html

Closest to a resort on Sanibel is Sundial. I think that Casa Ybel is more tropical and more fun. The Thistle Lodge is currently undergoing a renaissance (new chef) so check that place out as well:
http://www.casaybelresort.com/

One thing that is not mentioned on this thread, while the beaches are wonderful, they are not the white sugar sand beaches of the Caribbean. Sanibel beaches face south for the most part and get different wave action and movement from the rivers that reach the gulf here so the beaches are very shell filled and slippers are a must. I love the natural aspect to it but some do not.

LMF

karens

I love Sanibel and Captiva, too, but I agree you're not going to get a Carribean type beach. But what's neat here is the amazing variety of shells and the lack of commercialization compared to most other parts of Florida.

My favorite beach in Florida is on Siesta Key near Sarasota. It's been consistently voted the beach with the best quality sand - it's pretty and great for building sand castles, it's very fine. The water is not as clear as the Carribean, but it is pretty.

I think the beaches in Cancun far surpass any in Florida. I was surprised I actually liked Cancun. I accompanied my husband on his company's 100% club trip. The water was an incredible blue, really clear. The surf was rough, though, but I found that fun. Would be nervous with young kids in that rough of surf. Down the road, the beaches at Tulum are gorgeous. In my opinion, if your friend is expecting a Cancun beach, she will be disappointed in Florida

Diana

I pretty much agree with everything karens just posted - especially:

"I think the beaches in Cancun far surpass any in Florida. The water was an incredible blue, really clear. Down the road, the beaches at Tulum are gorgeous. In my opinion, if your friend is expecting a Cancun beach, she will be disappointed in Florida."

Candy210

Premier properties/Pointe Santo is very nice.
Favorite restaurants for dinner:
Hungry Heron-Sanibel,Mucky Duck-Captiva-dine outside or ask for a table by the window for a beautiful sunset dinner,Lazy Flamingo-Sanibel
Other good lunch spots-Bubble Room.We often travel over the bridge to Fort Myers or Cape Coral for a diverse array of restaurants, bars, shops, etc.

Lilley

I heard that Sa