Whether you want to visit Captiva, Florida as a writer or tourist, you will find your place here.
The beach has always been our best escape when we want to come for a vacation in Florida.
For instance, my wife is a writer and needs destinations with thin crowds.
Captiva offers her that opportunity to work and still have fun at the beach with me.
Sanibel and Captiva islands have different types of beaches.
Each of the breaches has its unique features that attract its kind of visitors to them.
What is Captiva known for?
The outdoors are off the coast of Cape Coral, Sanibel, and Captiva Island.
The magical current of the island’s vibe can be felt in the air.
This magical atmosphere permeates nature, the beaches, and all things that attract visitors to these beaches.
The Best Florida Beaches
Florida’s best beaches are found on Captiva Island and Sanibel Island.
They have the best blue waters which are good for swimming, scuba diving, and parasailing.
It is on those Islands you will get the best family-friendly beaches.
The secluded beaches of Sanibel Island look like upscale resorts.
The sand on the beaches glitters so much that they hurt the eyes.
Kids love to go shelling on these beaches.
The beaches will give you the feeling of a tropical escape.
You will forget you are in one of the Florida breaches.
There are world-rated pristine sands and abundant shells on Captiva’s beaches.
You will get more than 250 types of shells on these beaches.
This is because of their east-west orientation.
The view of sunset on the beaches is beautiful.
If you go on boating tours, you will see the finest fishes in the world, playful dolphins, and the island’s beautiful waters.
You can go biking, paddleboarding, or kayaking to appreciate the plant, wildlife, and fishes of the Island.
Many marine life have their homes in the many artificial reefs and wrecks of the beach.
You can dive into these offshore installations to have an enchanting and enriching experience.
Captiva vs. Shelling
A lot of the visitors to both beaches like to engage in picking shells.
There are about 250 kinds of seashells you will see between the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean regions.
The location of Turner Beach is on both the Sanibel side and the Captiva side of the Blind Pass Bridge.
It is the best beach for shelling in that location.
A lot of lands in Captiva and Sanibel islands are marked by the local authorities as nature reserves.
The most popular of them is J.N Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, which is situated at Sanibel Island.
This Wildlife reserve is one of the biggest undeveloped mangrove ecosystems in America.
It is home to many birds and other wildlife, such as manatees.
The one-way road that runs through the Wildlife Refuge is 4-miles long.
This is the road you can drive, bike, or take a tram tour of the refuge.
You will have the opportunity to explore the many trails of the refuge and have a clear view of the surrounding areas from the observation tower.
You can easily get to Captiva by air.
It is 35 miles away from Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers.
What to Know When Visiting Captiva Island
You can experience romantic sunsets along the Captiva beach in the evening.
People who visited this beach recently said it is quieter than the ones on Sanibel Island.
The limited parking spaces may make coming with your car difficult.
The beach has limited facilities as well.
If you are going to Captiva Island, go through Sanibel Island by driving through Sanibel Captiva Road.
You will drive across the Blind Pass Bridge, which connects both Islands.
The cost of parking on any of the beaches on the Island is $5 per hour.
However, you are allowed free entry to the beaches.
There are variations in the hour’s restaurants and shops that operate here.
What I Think about Captiva Island
Sanibel Island and Captiva Island are all beautiful beach Islands, but each has something peculiar to them.
Sanibel Island is a better shelling center; the softest sand is found on Captiva Island.
Do not misunderstand this, although Captiva Island is not known for shelling like Sanibel Island, it is still a better place for shelling than most other beaches worldwide.
Sanibel Island is the best shelling island in the world.
The shells on Sanibel Island beaches are easily washed up to the shoreline through the gradual slope of the waters.
You will see a steeper slope on the shoreline of Captiva Island beaches.
This is the reason fewer shells are washed up on the beach.
The shells you will see on Sanibel Island beaches are ground-up shells.
If you have sensitive feet, you have to wear water shoes.
The sand on Captiva Island beaches is as soft as sugar, just like in most tropical islands.
There are a lot of shell hunters on Sanibel beaches, so they make the beaches overcrowded.
The beaches on Captiva Island are always laid back, and very quiet.
You will have the feeling of being alone on the beaches most times of the year.
If you are interested in shelling, go to Sanibel beach, but if you want quite a sugar soft beach sand, go to Captiva.
FAQs
What is Captiva known for?
Breaches on Captiva Island are known globally for having pristine sands and lots of shells.
Captiva Island has an east-west orientation.
It is a good sift for the Gulf tides, and you will see more than 250 types of shells there.
Can you see dolphins on Captiva Island?
Seeing dolphins on any of the Island’s beaches is a common experience.
Although we do not give you a 100% guarantee, there are high chances of seeing Dolphins swim on the coast of the islands.
Is Captiva Island worth visiting?
Captiva Island is a family-friendly vacation destination.
Only a few places in America can be compared to these beautiful sandy beaches.
The Island has near-perfect weather conditions that can not be found in many places in America.
Does Captiva have a public beach?
Sanibel Island and Captiva Island are both public breaches.
They are free to use for everyone.
Start planning your vacation to these Islands today by reading our articles on Sanibel Island public beaches.
