Island Hideaways in the Fort Myers Sanibel Area

Getting There is Half the Fun

A boat ride is required to get to the outer islands (all except Gasparilla), and that’s a big part of their charm. Charter fishing captains and Sanibel Island cruise boats also conduct sightseeing, shelling and adventure trips. Captiva Cruises has regularly scheduled trips to the upper islands of Cabbage Key, Useppa and Boca Grande.

North Captiva

Once a part of Captiva Island, North Captiva was split off during the early 1920s. Four miles of state-owned beaches are a favorite weekend destination. At its northern end, bordered by Captiva Pass, is a sheltered bay known as Safety Harbor. There, a handful of restaurants cater to vacationing islanders, anglers and boaters. Tropical sauces and fresh herbs adorn fish and fowl, which are on the menus alongside cheeseburgers and black beans with rice.

Cabbage Key

Boating can also lead to a culinary adventure. Cabbage Key is home to the famous Cheeseburger in Paradise and a rustic restaurant and bar, Cabbage Key Inn and Restaurant. The walls are lined with dollar bills, placed there by visitors carrying out a tradition begun long ago. Fishermen would tack a spare dollar on the wall for days when fishing wasn’t so good but their thirst was great. Today, the money is signed and dated, reflecting the origins of the thousands of visitors who come to the island.

Useppa

Across the waterway is the gentrified, private island of Useppa. A small historical museum features the Calusa Indians who once occupied the island. The restaurant is housed in the former home of Barron Collier. It was once the center of the sport-fishing world and is where the Izaak Walton League was born. The easiest access to Useppa is via one of Captiva Cruises dining trips.

Cayo Costa

To the north is Cayo Costa, another quiet, unbridged barrier island. The least-visited state park in Florida, this sleeping giant has some 8 miles of beach and offers some of the best shelling in Florida. At its northern end, the state maintains a camping area, picnic tables and restroom facilities.

Gasparilla Island

At the mouth of Charlotte Harbor is Boca Grande, reachable by a draw bridge. From May through mid-July, Boca Grande Pass is one of the most intensively fished areas in the world. Boats are so close together that you can hop from one to the other. All are in search of the silver king, the tarpon. Some say you haven’t fished until you hook into a fish as big as you are. During late spring and early summer, tarpon fill the passes and move into the estuarine waters of Pine Island Sound. Gasparilla Island State Park’s landmark is the low wooden lighthouse established in 1890 at the southern tip.