I’m trapped in a glass cage of emotion. Ok, it’s actually steel and shaped like a minivan but you get my point.

We rolled out of town today with a plan to set cruise control and drive west until we run into the Rockies. The map feature on my phone ran out of room when trying to list just how many miles we have left in our drive.

I am trapped.

To say I have ample free time (outside of breaking up backseat fights, negotiating requested truck stop purchases for four kids and doling out snacks six times an hour) is an understatement. Enter my friend JD who just texted to request tips on one of my favorite vacation spots!

Boredom solved.

I spent late spring begging you, dear readers, for ALL the suggestions for our ‘impromptu, might go west, might go east’ family trip. Travel guides and blogs provide some helpful insight but there is nothing better than real life feedback from a friend. Selecting a destination is just too much for a self diagnosed Stage 4 Indecisiver like me so your input was incredibly helpful as we settled on an itinerary.

If you’re in the same boat, let me ease your indecision and share one of our favorite, most fabulous, wish-we-could-go-twice-a-year, super fun, super cool, awesome vacation spots.

Sanibel/Captiva Island

We began visiting Sanibel Island when my baby sis was five months old. I hate to publicly divulge her age but let’s just say we’re well beyond three decades of Sanibel visits and we keep going back for more. Sanibel and Captiva Islands are located on the gulf side of Florida’s coast, near Fort Myers. If you’re located in the midwest, it’s not a short drive. Before I list the array of things I adore about this vacation spot, let me lead off with the one negative for our family. Length of drive.

1000 miles.

More than 14 hours without stops which is roughly forty hundred billion hours with stops for our family. Because apparently we are ALL about the stops. Stops for treats and snacks and stops for one child to potty while the others refuse. Then another stop four miles later where the other bladders are now in action, with exception of one child. Then another stop in twelve miles where everyone is forced to find a stall regardless of who has already ‘gone’ and orders to squeeze out whatever liquid their body might be retaining, be it one solitary drop.

Just go already.

Back in car but not before threats to leave kids on the side of the road if they dare take one more sip from their travel cups.

If your budget allows for flights, DO IT. If your budget doesn’t, start a Go Fund Me page and I’ll help you campaign for money. Punta Gorda and Ft. Myers both have nearby airports.

If driving is more your speed (pun intended), there are interesting places to stop along the way to break up the trip. Chatanooga and Atlanta both have acquariums and there are an abundance of neat towns to explore on your way south.

Now onward to the reasons I recommend this area, which are numerous. We have visited these beautiful islands dozens of times and we love to vacation on Sanibel because:

• The beaches. While not white powder, they are wide, beautiful, relatively smooth and provide ample area for beach football games, huge tents and plenty of space for a large family.

Shelling. Sanibel and Captiva are known for the exceptional shells available on the beaches each morning and after a good storm. Shark eyes, sand dollars, whelks, fans, conchs and cones galore will wash up on the beach. If you are brave, star fish and other ocean treasures await just a few feet into the water! Just remember no shell containing a live creature should leave the ocean. Leave them in their home!

• Island charm. We typically vacation in late June/early July and enjoyed the adorable Sanibel Fourth of July parade on numerous occassions. With the exception of a Dairy Queen, there are no chain restaurants but dozens of gastronomic delights. Lots of mom and pop restaurants to explore. Bike lanes are prevelant and the pace is island slow. Sanibel is island living at its best.

• Peace and quiet. If you’re looking for the attributes that endeared me to a beach town in 1997 (strips to cruise, thumping clubs, people walking the streets day and night, the melding of night into day) this is NOT your destination. The beaches are peaceful and 99% family. When the sun sets, things go quiet and you’re left to enjoy an evening walk on the beach or drinks on your patio.

• Sunsets. I previously thought writers and movie directors highly dramatized sunsets. I felt anyone who had been ‘moved’ by a sunset was a little wonky upstairs. (Because I can be cynical and short sighted, for realz.) After experiencing the most utterly breathtaking, captivating, surreal, magical, God-is-near sunset in my lifetime on the tip of Captiva Island, I now know what every film maker is hoping to translate in their dramatic scene. Too bad they can’t fully catch a Captiva sunset on film. If you want to experience beauty, get to the public beach on Captiva 30 minutes before sunset. You won’t regret it.

Not To Miss

• Jerry’s Foods. Listing a grocery store as a ‘must not miss’ may seem odd but this is not your average grocery. The two level property houses adorable boutiques, a beach shop that carries everything you’d expect on an island, a gloriously delicious ice cream shop (Love Boat), beautiful foliage and cages of Macaws that will speak to you as you move from shop to shop. If you’re visiting the actual grocery, you can check out with your cartloads of groceries and send them down to the lower level parking garage where you can pull up your car and have them loaded into your trunk. So you can focus on finishing your delicious ice cream before it melts.
• Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. This natural history museum is the only one in the United States dedicated solely to shells and the mollusks that make them. They have fantastic displays of incredibly rare shells and numerous experts on staff who share their information with visitors. (Are currently closed for renovations but due to open in mid July. And it’s wearing him is coming in 2020! Details here.)
• John Ding Darling. You can drive or bike through this nature preserve where you might see an abundance of wildlife. Or if you’re the Lene family of 1987, you will watch your dad precariously balance a 300 pound video camera on his shoulder, frequently commenting about the animals that await us. So we waited. And waited. I’m not sure we saw so much as a bird that year. Future years proved more fruitful and your kiddos will enjoy this quick drive.
• Center for Rehabilitation Of Wildlife. (CROW) Take a wildlife walk, get up close with southwest Florida wildlife and learn more about the wildlife hospital. This was a family favorite when our kiddos were younger!

Where to Eat

• Sand Bar. We have visited Sanibel numerous times but our favorite meal by far was enjoyed last summer at Sand Bar. Do not be discouraged by the outward appearance of this establishment because the fare is outstanding! I recommend triple tail if in season.

• Lighthouse Cafe. The trip to the lighthouse is always fun and a stop at this café for a giant BLT is a must. Be sure to visit the cute beach store next door.

• Doc Ford’s. This restaurant is a crowdpleaser with entrées spanning seafood to pasta to salads. Multiple locations. Great food.
• Matzaluna. We passed this restaurant for years before deciding to try it two summers ago. Great brick oven pizza, good pasta and amazing portion sizes. Kid friendly and good food, two things which aren’t usually synonymous.
• Bubble Room. Everybody and their brother stops at this Captiva location to grab a piece of cake. The desserts are good but pricey. The atmosphere is more of a draw as this restaurant boasts wacky decor. Lines are usually long and I’m not convinced the food is worth the wait. BUT it’s a Captiva experience so get your picture in the metal bars out front and grab a piece of cake to go!

Where to Stay

• We have our best luck finding accommodations using VRBO and prefer to stay on Sanibel versus Captiva to stretch our budget. Tortuga Beach Club and Loggerhead Cay are two personal favorites. You’ll find units from $100 to $1000 a night depending on what strikes your fancy.

South Seas Captiva. This resort exceeds our budget but may be feasible for your family. If so, I highly recommend this family friendly property. South Seas features numerous pools, slides, restaurants and fun, while also boasting an area where you can sit at the pool while watching the ocean waves mere inches away. All while ordering food and wondering whether you really have to return to your home.

• Some people prefer to stay in Fort Myers and simply drive over to see the islands during a day trip!

We keep seeking out destinations closer to home but Sanibel has captured our vacation loving hearts. There aren’t too many things I love more than a quiet evening on a Sanibel patio. Five things to be exact. And they’re currently watching a Ken Burns video about the Wild West in the back of my steel cage of emotion.

And once again I’m reminded I’m trapped!