Sanibel Island info wanted

[navy2kcoupe]

Anyone have any experience with Sanibel Island, good or bad?
I've got a friend that lives in Cape Coral, and I'm planning to visit him while
we're down later this month. Thinking about heading to Sanibel as we've
never been there, and would like to hear about places to go, places to STAY
AWAY FROM, and good places to stay a nite or two. Any info on your
experiences would be really appreciated and helpful.
Andy

[Kap142]

Andy, this is not going to be of much help but......

Years ago I was there and although I do not remember the name of where I stayed I do very much remember that the beaches were not loaded with folks and the walks and beaches were equal to the best I have ever walked on.

So tranquil and worthy of memory years later.

Ken

[navy2kcoupe]

Nice! That fits in with what I've been hearing, and is one of the
reasons that we would like to head down there and have
a look around. We'll be in Cape Coral anyway, so it's not too far from there...
Andy

[85vette]

I was there in 2005 just after hurricane Charley hit with 143 mph winds. Not much to see but destruction. Average home price back then was $700,000.00 on the island. The homes with shingle roofs were hit pretty hard, complete roofs missing. The metal roofs stayed on but were bent at the eves. The old Spanish tile roofs fared well other than losing the ridge caps on some. Worst destruction I ever saw from a storm. Chain link fences were literally blown over. I saw a two story brick office building with a wall missing, yet all the office furniture was still there. All the Australian Pines on the island were blown down. The first vehicle on the island after the storm was a front end loader that had to push all the trees out of the road so emergency vehicles could enter. We stayed at a round Holiday Inn about 14 miles from Sanibel. All the A/C window units on one side of the hotel were blown into the rooms and they were flooded from the rain blowing in.

The beaches were beautiful even then. I don't think there is much beach traffic and I don't recall if they had any "public" beach access and Captiva(on the north end) is even more exclusive. Definitely the "high rent" district.

[LEJ ZO6]

Expensive but nice.

Really crowded near holiday weekends.

[THOR]

You should see it at least once. Very pristine. Because the island has a more west to east orientation compared to other barrier islands, it traps more shells. Great place to go shelling and chill out.
Hope this helps.
Definitely more expensive than other barrier islands. Captiva is pricey too.