Hints to a Great Sanibel Island Family Vacation
A Guide to Florida's Sanibel Luxury Vacations for Families
Sep 8, 2008
Florida’s Sanibel Island offers something for visitors of all ages and there's a few tricks that will help parents plan that unforgettable luxury island getaway for the family.
Keys to a Great Family Vacation on Sanibel Island
There are several keys to a perfect family vacation on Sanibel Island. One key is to find the perfect family-friendly resort. Many hotels and resorts, such as the Sundial Beach and Golf Resort, offer large guest suites, and there are also seaside cottages and condominium rentals, which provide a bit more space. These alternatives to traditional hotel rooms help to keep the family all under one roof, while avoiding crowding and the cost of booking two separate hotel rooms.
Some of a larger more exclusive luxury resorts on Sanibel Island also offer Kids Clubs, which host fun activities and outings for youngsters and teens throughout the day. The Sundial Beach and Golf Resort and Casa Ybel Resort are two family-friendly luxury hotels on Sanibel that host Kids Clubs on a seasonal basis.
A Kids Club is a valuable amenity, even if most of the itinerary is family-friendly. There’s usually at least one activity on Sanibel Island or on nearby Captiva Island or on the mainland in Fort Myers that interests the parents, but the not the children who may find a particular outing less-than entertaining - a recipe for whining and tantrums.
So to avoid dragging the children along for a day that’s sure to be filled with whining and complaining, parents have the option of bringing the children to the Kids Club for a day of activities that are sure to appeal to the youngsters. Many of Sanibel’s luxury resorts and hotels also offer babysitting services – perfect if the parents are looking for a night of romance without the children.
Activities for the Family on Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island offers a wide array of activities for the family. Consider one of the following outings:
- Go shelling. Sanibel Island is known for its seashells and the island is among the region’s premier shelling spots. Shell collectors should make their way down to the beach with a net shelling bag and some water socks. Morning is a prime shelling time, since shellers can collect the shells that have washed up overnight. Also head out to the beach for shelling after a storm – the large waves tend to wash in lots of intact, beautiful shells.
- Play on the beach.Sanibel’s beaches are known for their soft, white sand, which is perfect to making a sand castle or other sand creations – the sky is the limit! And when it’s time to rinse off, Sanibel’s warm blue surf is the perfect place for an afternoon swim.
- Go bicycling. Sanibel Island has mile after mile of well-groomed bike paths, which wind past some truly tropical locations. Bicycle to Periwinkle Place shopping center for an afternoon shopping excursion. Or bike to one of the island’s many public beach accesses for a shelling trip. And set off on bicycle for a day trip to view island wildlife and tropical greenery – Sanibel is wild at heart, so be prepared to see tropical birds, and even a few alligators, commonly be found relaxing in the water-filled culverts alongside many sections of the bike trail.
Sanibel Island really does has something to offer every member of the family and a Sanibel vacation is sure to be one that won’t ever be forgotten.
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