# Tips for Sanibel?



## Polly Metallic (May 4, 2017)

We're headed to Sanibel Island on Saturday, with a second week in Lehigh Acres afterward. Any tips for restaurants or activities? Thanks!


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## rapmarks (May 4, 2017)

Ding darling, beach, bubble room, doc fords , boat trip to useppa island, I could go on and on


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## theo (May 4, 2017)

Polly Metallic said:


> We're headed to Sanibel Island on Saturday, with a second week in Lehigh Acres afterward. Any tips for restaurants or activities? Thanks!



If you enjoy nature, native wildlife and the outdoors, don't miss the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Interesting history too --- I *think* it was actually one of the very first properties to become federally protected and preserved when President Theodore Roosevelt boldly implemented that brand new concept around 1900.

The narrated tram tours are informative, but you may not want to take a "motorized" approach to visiting / touring a wildlife refuge. Worth a visit in any event, to be sure.


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## SherryS (May 4, 2017)

Polly Metallic said:


> We're headed to Sanibel Island on Saturday, with a second week in Lehigh Acres afterward. Any tips for restaurants or activities? Thanks!



Take bikes everywhere because parking price is expensive! We usually park car at resort the entire week and bike everywhere


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## Jan M. (May 5, 2017)

There is a nice farmers market on Sundays, morning-mid afternoon. We enjoyed eating at Matzaluna on our last stay on Sanibel. We haven't eaten at the Mucky Duck but friends have and recommend it. Many people say to visit the Bubble Room to look around but eat at the Mucky Duck.

Which resort are you staying at on Sanibel? We've stayed at Casa Ybel, the Caribe Beach Resort, and the Sanibel Beach Club. We've also stayed at two different places at the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva.


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## Polly Metallic (May 5, 2017)

Jan M. said:


> There is a nice farmers market on Sundays, morning-mid afternoon. We enjoyed eating at Matzaluna on our last stay on Sanibel. We haven't eaten at the Mucky Duck but friends have and recommend it. Many people say to visit the Bubble Room to look around but eat at the Mucky Duck.
> 
> Which resort are you staying at on Sanibel? We've stayed at Casa Ybel, the Caribe Beach Resort, and the Sanibel Beach Club. We've also stayed at two different places at the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva.



I would love to catch the farmer's market! 

We're staying at the Lighthouse Resort & Club.


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## Jan M. (May 5, 2017)

Polly Metallic said:


> I would love to catch the farmer's market!
> 
> We're staying at the Lighthouse Resort & Club.



The shelling is usually very good at that end of the island around the lighthouse. The Yucatan Shrimp at Doc Ford's is excellent.

I would be interested to read what you think of Lehigh Acres. I see a lot of availability at that resort and my sister asked me about it.

These are pictures from our December 2017 stay at the Caribe Beach Resort on Sanibel with our 5 year old granddaughter. She was afraid the kite was too high and the gulls would eat it. My husband couldn't figure out what she was talking about. She knows that gulls eat fish and she was worried that they wouldn't know that Nemo on her kite wasn't a real fish. She loved that kite and had a great time playing with it.





At Matzaluna Restaurant on Sanibel.


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## Panina (May 5, 2017)

I agree that the Yucatan Shrimp Tacos at Doc Fords are a must if you like shrimp.  Overall the rest of the menu is good too.

When I was there, on Friday nights Sanibel Grill had their great Lobster special.

If you cook and like seafood, next door to the Sanibal Grill, is the Timber Restaurant and Seafood Market.  Every seafood item we purchased and cooked on our own was great tasting.  We did try the restaurant and didn't like it. 

I toured the lighthouse resort when I was on Sanibel.  I really liked it, I hope you do too.


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## Polly Metallic (May 5, 2017)

Panina said:


> I agree that the Yucatan Shrimp Tacos at Doc Fords are a must if you like shrimp.  Overall the rest of the menu is good too.
> 
> When I was there, on Friday nights Sanibel Grill had their great Lobster special.
> 
> ...



We love to cook. Usually we're grilling steaks outdoors, but I wouldn't mind cooking a seafood or fish dinner. Thanks for the tip about the lobster dinner. We haven't had any since our vacation two years ago in Maine.


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## Polly Metallic (May 5, 2017)

Jan M. said:


> The shelling is usually very good at that end of the island around the lighthouse. The Yucatan Shrimp at Doc Ford's is excellent.
> 
> I would be interested to read what you think of Lehigh Acres. I see a lot of availability at that resort and my sister asked me about it.
> 
> ...


 
Great pictures! It looks like you had a wonderful time. Too funny about Nemo!

TripAdvisor reviews for LeHigh are almost all quite favorable. Unfortunately, they'll be redoing the pool while we're there, and we had planned to lounge by the pool when we weren't doing a few inland day trips. 

The biggest complaint about this resort is that it isn't close to anything, particularly beaches, but after spending a week on Sanibel, that isn't an issue for us. We just wanted a second week somewhere in the general area. 

Lehigh has a reputation for an older clientele (fine with us, we're 56 and 61) and they're known for having a full activity schedule. Many people come just to hang out at the resort. I think we'll like it. We're fairly easy to please.


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## rapmarks (May 5, 2017)

we spent six weeks there while buying our home in Estero.    we enjoyed the activity schedule, and if we were new to the area, would take some of the day trips they offered.


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## Sea Six (May 5, 2017)

Go to the Mucky Duck on Captiva for a sunset party.  Where you are staying you face more to the southeast, so you will not get a sunset over the water view.


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## PamMo (May 7, 2017)

Try the Jac Bar at Jacaranda (1223 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel) for the 5-7pm Happy Hour! (The Jac Bar is behind Jacaranda.) You can easily make a meal out of their seafood "Happy Appetizers" @ $5.95 each. We thought the seared tuna, calamari, and mussel appetizers were great deals.  http://www.jacarandaonsanibel.com/jacbar.html   The live music was pretty good, too.

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Ft Myers is definitely worth a visit, too.   http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/about/hours-tickets-directions/


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## rapmarks (May 7, 2017)

Jacaranda has excellent food.  Edison estate is a must,  we love Naples botanical garden, you might check schedule at Barbara Mann theatre or broadway palms dinner theatre, I think Jesus Christ superstar will still be playing .  If you decide to go to everglades' the boat trips out of the park are great, I think you can take hwy 29 straight down to hwy 41, and then to Everglades city


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## silentg (May 7, 2017)

Hopefully you are golfers? We stayed at Lehigh Acres New Years 2016 and we had a wonderful time. We played golf on the property they have a nine hole course. Too bad the pool is closed. We enjoyed sitting by the pool. Lots of families there when we stayed. I called it a hidden gem, because when you drive up you will be appalled at the appearance located behind a gas station in what looks like a place forgotten. But when you get past the bumpy road, it's really a nice place. By no means as fancy as Sanibel but a nice place to relax. I did a review on TUG.
Silentg


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## Polly Metallic (May 8, 2017)

PamMo said:


> Try the Jac Bar at Jacaranda (1223 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel) for the 5-7pm Happy Hour! (The Jac Bar is behind Jacaranda.) You can easily make a meal out of their seafood "Happy Appetizers" @ $5.95 each. We thought the seared tuna, calamari, and mussel appetizers were great deals.  http://www.jacarandaonsanibel.com/jacbar.html   The live music was pretty good, too.
> 
> The Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Ft Myers is definitely worth a visit, too.   http://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/about/hours-tickets-directions/



We'll give the Jac Bar a try today. Thanks for the tip. I wouldn't have thought of an appetizer dinner, but it sounds like fun.


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## Polly Metallic (May 8, 2017)

silentg said:


> Hopefully you are golfers? We stayed at Lehigh Acres New Years 2016 and we had a wonderful time. We played golf on the property they have a nine hole course. Too bad the pool is closed. We enjoyed sitting by the pool. Lots of families there when we stayed. I called it a hidden gem, because when you drive up you will be appalled at the appearance located behind a gas station in what looks like a place forgotten. But when you get past the bumpy road, it's really a nice place. By no means as fancy as Sanibel but a nice place to relax. I did a review on TUG.
> Silentg



We aren't golfers. We live next to a golf course and harvest lost balls every spring, though!


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## PamMo (May 8, 2017)

Polly Metallic said:


> We'll give the Jac Bar a try today. Thanks for the tip. I wouldn't have thought of an appetizer dinner, but it sounds like fun.



Please give us a review afterwards! It's really nice to keep tips up-to-date in a thread like this.


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## Sea Six (May 9, 2017)

We always liked The Timbers, and the Green Flash on Captiva


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## Weimaraner (May 9, 2017)

I got a match for Casa Ybel and it looks gorgeous but it's in late August so wondering if it will be unbearably hot. I have gone to Orlando in July and Aug and can handle it until the day the heat index was like 114.  I can't wait to get to Sanibel - the Sanibel Sea School looks fun for my 10yo


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## PamMo (May 9, 2017)

Yes, it will be hot and humid. You just plan for ways to cool off.  On the plus side, our kids (10 and 4) LOVED watching thunderstorms roll in over the Gulf in the late afternoons and evenings! Quite unlike anything they'd ever seen in Seattle!


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## Polly Metallic (May 9, 2017)

PamMo said:


> Please give us a review afterwards! It's really nice to keep tips up-to-date in a thread like this.


The appetizers were all $8.00 instead of $5.95, but the food was good and it was a pleasant place with good service.


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## rapmarks (May 10, 2017)

What is the name of the place with the great burgers is it mikes?  It is just a stand going toward ding darling on the right good burgers and fries.   


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## Sea Six (May 11, 2017)

rapmarks said:


> What is the name of the place with the great burgers is it mikes?  It is just a stand going toward ding darling on the right good burgers and fries.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



Remember Cheeburger Cheeburger?


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## rapmarks (May 11, 2017)

Sea Six said:


> Remember Cheeburger Cheeburger?



I do but that isn't the place, I think you had to stand outside at a small counter


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## sfwilshire (May 11, 2017)

We haven't been there in a few years, but we always enjoyed eating at the Island Cow. Very good food and large portions. We always had leftovers for another day.

Sheila


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## Polly Metallic (May 13, 2017)

sfwilshire said:


> We haven't been there in a few years, but we always enjoyed eating at the Island Cow. Very good food and large portions. We always had leftovers for another day.
> 
> Sheila


We ate there early in our stay and enjoyed it. Large portions and nice decor.


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## Polly Metallic (May 13, 2017)

silentg said:


> Hopefully you are golfers? We stayed at Lehigh Acres New Years 2016 and we had a wonderful time. We played golf on the property they have a nine hole course. Too bad the pool is closed. We enjoyed sitting by the pool. Lots of families there when we stayed. I called it a hidden gem, because when you drive up you will be appalled at the appearance located behind a gas station in what looks like a place forgotten. But when you get past the bumpy road, it's really a nice place. By no means as fancy as Sanibel but a nice place to relax. I did a review on TUG.
> Silentg



We arrived today and found the pool still open. The contractor is behind schedule so nothing has been done yet. Work could start any day now, but I'm sure they won't arrive on Sunday, so at least we have today and tomorrow, and if we're lucky, maybe longer.


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## silentg (May 14, 2017)

That's good to hear


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## rapmarks (May 14, 2017)

We left estero on Saturday and are in Wisconsin for four months. I sure miss Florida already.


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## Polly Metallic (May 17, 2017)

Still no sign of the pool contractors. We can't figure out why the resort feels the pool must be renovated. It seems fine to us, but there must be something we don't know about it. 

Yesterday we went to the Edison & Ford Winter Home/museum, and it was very worthwhile. Drive time was about thirty minutes, and traffic wasn't bad at all.


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## Polly Metallic (May 19, 2017)

We made it through the whole week without work being done on the pool. A few workmen were looking things over a couple days ago. Our week on Sanibel was more exciting, but we've enjoyed Lehigh's laid back vibe, the activities, and the other guests staying here.


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## Sea Six (May 19, 2017)

We stayed at Lehigh Acres 15 years ago while we were house hunting down here.  That resort had more activities than any other place I've ever been, maybe because they are so far from the beach and most of the action.  It was the first place I ever heard of pickleball and frisby tree golf.  

By the way, what were your favorite things about Sanibel?


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## rapmarks (May 19, 2017)

Sea Six said:


> We stayed at Lehigh Acres 15 years ago while we were house hunting down here.  That resort had more activities than any other place I've ever been, maybe because they are so far from the beach and most of the action.  It was the first place I ever heard of pickleball and frisby tree golf.
> 
> By the way, what were your favorite things about Sanibel?



We stayed there while house hunting also, six weeks, but not in a row in 2003. 


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## Polly Metallic (May 20, 2017)

Sea Six said:


> We stayed at Lehigh Acres 15 years ago while we were house hunting down here.  That resort had more activities than any other place I've ever been, maybe because they are so far from the beach and most of the action.  It was the first place I ever heard of pickleball and frisby tree golf.
> 
> By the way, what were your favorite things about Sanibel?



Our resort was a short walk to Lighthouse Beach, which was nice, and we enjoyed the views from the bay and from the gulf. The island has a pleasant laid back vibe which we appreciated. We went to Ding Darling nature preserve, had some nice meals on Sanibel and Captiva in quaint, beachy type settings, did a little shopping in the upscale stores, and generally swam and relaxed in lounge chairs with some audiobooks. It was a very relaxing vacation which is exactly what we wanted.


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## theo (May 24, 2017)

rapmarks said:


> We left estero on Saturday and are in Wisconsin for four months. I sure miss Florida already.



Are you *seriously* going to "miss" being in SW Florida in June, July, August and September, or are you actually just saying that "tongue in cheek"? 

If serious, you must really and truly love Florida. Personally, I could not / would not tolerate being stuck in the heat and humidity of Florida during *any* part of June through September --- not to mention that those particular months constitute about two thirds of hurricane season.  To each their own, of course.


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## rapmarks (May 24, 2017)

We have had forties and rain for most of the ten days we have been back.  So next year, I think we will wait for June.  We were in a drought I. Florida, they just got a storm two days ago after months of barely any rain.  Yes I love Florida 


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