For families looking for a laid-back Florida trip for Spring Break, Sanibel Island is a nice choice–once you get past the surreal drive from Ft. Myers airport, with nothing but strip mall after strip mall and swaths of cleared land advertising development that resemble a barren forest after a fire. From the airplane these massive empty plots made it seem like a wasteland, not a tropical paradise. On the ground it’s even more so. We saw signs for Panther crossings and I shook my head at the utter ridiculousness of it: Where in the world were these panthers supposed to live? If they manage to cross the busy freeway in one piece, there’s no forest on either side. It’s beyond sickening.
Shelling in the seaweed
Saner Sanibel
Once you reach Sanibel, you enter a much saner world. Everything here is lush and the residents really care about maintaining a balance between the natural environment and development, preserving the land not only for the wildlife, but for themselves. When we were there we saw congratulatory signs–the residents had helped to pay for a land trust to stop development of some property.
We went there two years ago with our then 18 mos old. We stayed in an all-suite room (two large rooms and a full kitchen and dining area) at the Sundial Beach & Golf Resort. They usually run spring deals. With a toddler having a kitchen is key: Can we say Mac N Cheese please?
Shell starfish on Sanibel
It was difficult to find a resort on Sanibel with a kiddie pool. I believe all those are further up on Captiva (additional 15 minute drive). The Sundial told me they had a kiddie pool when I called, but in actuality they just have several medium-sized pools where lots of kids congregate (since they don’t have any kiddie pools, where else are they going to go?). The one closest to our section of the hotel had a shell slide, which my son loved to go down with his dad on the first evening there. The rest of the week, he became overwhelmed by the crowds and refused to get into the pool. For kids ages 4 to 11 they have an Explorers Kids Eco Camp.
Our Digs: A Room with a View, No Kiddie Pool
The Sundial was decent ( they are all pricey this time of year and this one offered the best deal and we couldn’t afford to rent a cute cottage on our own for the same price). It had its own tiny aquarium of sorts, just three small tanks with turtles, fish (though they call it something much grander). The room is right next to the pool area. But the kids loved to go in there. They also have a big chest of beach toys, so you dont’ have to bring any from home. My son loved that.
Our room with a view of the beach and around the corner from the pool, furnished in Golden Girls decor, also had a screened in porch (screened ins are a must because at dusk the no see umms (actual bugs, though unsure if that’s their actual name) come out and eat you alive–I’m not kidding. They hurt, which is why you don’t want to be on the beach after dusk either. My cousin made that mistake once by taking a pre-dawn walk along the beach and she came back itching everywhere with tiny welts all over her).
This time of year, though, don’t expect clear water with all the spring storms. It was very murky when we went. And because Sanibel is considered a shelter island for wildlife, they don’t rake their beaches of seaweed (and the debris that can accumulate-such as torn up, sharp soda cans, can be dangerous for little feet, so be careful where you walk or, better yet, wear water shoes).
What to Do, Good Eats
I don’t want to give the wrong impression: It is a very pretty area. If you have older kids, you can go kayaking/canoeing through the mangrove swamp. There are guided tours, too, through the “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. And lots of folks rent bikes to tour the island, though because wildlife thrives here, you do have to beware of alligators (there are signs).
Sanibel has lots of funky, family friendly (and quite good) restaurants. At this time of year, plan for at least a 45 minute wait, more like 1.5 hours on busy nights. One of our favorites, when we did eat out, was The Island Cow. It has a small outdoor dining porch, though we chose to eat inside. We all enjoyed the live music. To keep children busy during the long table wait (this is a popular restaurant), they have small Magnadoodles. Children also climb the tree and throw darts in the backyard waiting area, where we sat with our drinks. The Island Cow is also open for breakfast and lunch, though we ate those in our room or at the resort’s outdoor grille, by the pool.
Another good choice for kid-friendly fare is The Hungry Heron. Again, Golden Girls decor, but it has an overwhelming kids menu.
Swing Fix at Bailey's
If you have little ones who must get in a swing break daily, there’s one outdoor shopping center, Bailey’s on Periwinkle Way, which also has a grocery store by the same name, that features a sandy playground with a small tree house, slide and two baby swings. We went there daily, as did other parents because at the time it was the only place that had a playground (in the off season Sanibel caters more to retirees). Bailey’s also has several large parrots and cockatoos near the entrance to the grocery that are a crowd pleaser. I can’t recall the name, but there’s also a decent place for lunch. (more…)
MTT: Any insider tips on how to get the best hotel deals?
