We have just booked our stay at the Tween Waters Inn in March. We're vacationing with our 1 1/2 and 4 yr old boys. Can you recommend good places to eat with kids and also things to do? We love the beach, shelling, etc., so I know we'll do that, wondering if there is anything else we should try while there. Would love some good ideas for lunch & dinners. Thanks for your help!

You could try a little restaurant called The Bubble Room. It is a quirky little restaurant and was recommended to us on our first trip to Sanibel Island a couple of years ago. We went back last December and enjoyed it again. I think your kids would get a kick out of it since there is an electric train that runs around the entire restaurant on a track up near the ceiling. There is a lot to look at in the restaurant, on the main floor and upstairs also. They allow you to venture around and take a look. The food is pretty good and reasonably priced.

It is just BEAUTIFUL on both Sanibel and Captiva. I hope you enjoy your trip there. And, there are LOTS of shells, especially at the public access between Sanibel and Captiva. Check it out. Enjoy your trip!

Tween Waters is beautiful!

RC Otters--food is just ok but it is very kid friendly, and it has a great beachy feel, also very reasonably priced.

Key Lime Bistro is my favorite place for food (any meal) and the kids will enjoy it also, though it is more expensive and nicer than RC Otters. (They are across the street from each other.)

Go to Ding Darling, of course.

Blind Pass, the beach area between Sanibel and Captiva, is great for shelling. The beach area by Tween Waters is not usually as shelly. But Blind Pass usually has tons of shells. There are usually more shels on the Sanibel side of the jetty but larger sized ones can be found on the Captiva side. The parking is better on the Sanibel side but is a farther walk to the beach, so if you can score a place on the Captiva side, get it!

Oh yes, and do the Bubble Room--and do get dessert!

We have been going to Sanibel for the last 4-5 years for spring break with our son who is now 16 but Sanibel has many kid friendly places, some of our favorites:

Schnapper Hots - very casual - hot dogs, shakes, pizza - carry out mostly with a few picnic tables/benches outside.

Cheeburger Cheeburger

Matzaluna

Doc Fords - closest to Tween Waters probably

Sanibel Bean - good coffee, breakfast and lunch - very casual.

There is also a Dairy Queen on Sanibel and I think there used to be a Subway - not sure if its still there.

We have been to the Bubble Room on Captiva for lunch which is a fun place as well.

We have been to Tween Waters twice, last time was 4 years ago. We loved it!!! We stayed in a cabin for a week, it was wonderful.
Captiva is much more remote than Sanibel. We thought we'd be into driving to Saniel, Ft Meyers or anything nearby often .... but once we got to Captiva, it was like being in Paradise. We did not want to leave. However, we did go to Sanibel to see a movie one night and get some groceries.
The Bubble Room - it's certainly fun, lots to see. The kids will enjoy it. We found the food to be just OK.
Not sure if it's still there because no one has mentioned it in the above postings but the Mucky Duck has good burgers & fries, live music and a beautiful sunset view.
Loved the Keylime Bistro. Nice atmosphere.
On the Tween Waters site we often ate poolside, they have good burgers, chicken sandwiches, etc. I hope they still do the crab races in the onsite pub/restaurant. If so, those are a lot of fun!
We also did a dolphin cruise out of Captiva. It was great! We saw several dolphins, jumping right beside us, for the whole cruise! My daughter loved that.
There really is not much to do on Captiva but that's what's so nice about it. I don't know if I have ever relaxed more on a vacation. We bought our daughter a shell guide and bag and we all loved finding different shells each day on the beach. She was 4 yrs old at the time. (They sell the guide in Tween Water's gift shop.)
Enjoy your trip! Captiva is truly captivating!

I'm sure they did enjoy their trip, original post was from 2009.

That said, if anyone else is considering Captiva, I'll say we really enjoyed our meal this past December at Green Flash.

We would go to Mucky Duck for the sunset, the way they run the place makes me nuts, too many rules, so we don't eat there.

Liked Key Lime Bistro for drinks and music.

It was nice being able to walk places, we stayed at Jensen's Twin Palms. Not fancy, but a really nice one bedroom unit.

Interesting that this two year old post was topped.

JeanH, I haven't been to the Mucky Duck for about a year, but I'm really curious. What "rules" are you talking about? The only one I know of is that people can't bring their own food and sit at one of the outside tables. And of course, you know you nearly always have to wait for a table . . .and wait. . . and wait.

We really enjoyed our week at Tween Waters. We have the opportunity for a last minute trip for the first week in April and unfortunately their guest rooms were completely booked. Its no wonder. Its a great place. The kids will enjoy the Bubble Room. Definitely funky. We also liked our dinner at the Green Flash. Renting bikes and riding to the Ding Darling Bird Refuge. We also liked the Historical Village on Sanibel. A real snapshot of old Florida. Wish we were going. Fortunately I was able to find a room at Shades of Green at Disney World, so we will relax there.

KeyLime Bistro very expensive...go to the Mexican Restaurant around the corner from the general store geat price and much more friendlier...Bubble Room all show but no go...OC otters love there fish sandwich

Stinkerbell, I agree with you about the Bubbleroom, but they are going with little kids. The kids will love it.

Kids will love it! yes yes

Island Cow has great food also...that is in Sanibrel