Sanibel and Captiva Islands

Sanibel and Captiva are barrier islands connected to the mainland by a three-mile-long causeway that stretches from the southern reaches of Fort Myers out across Pine Island Sound, where the
Sanibel Lighthouse.

Caloosahatchee River empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

Created by nature to protect the mainland, the palm- and pine-tree lined islands are famous for their beaches and the incredible variety of shells on their shores. And also for their reluctance to allow too many intrusions of the modern world: there are no stoplights on either island, and buildings on
Sanibel are “no taller than the tallest palm tree."

Sanibel J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and Captiva have been used variously as stopovers for Spanish explorers and resorts for the rich and famous, including one very special cartoonist, Jay Norwood Darling, who helped create the more than 6,400-acre national wildlife refuge that bears his name.

Visitors to both islands enjoy not only the natural, ungroomed beaches, but also the languid pace of island life, great restaurants, theater, small museums and, of course, abundant native flora and fauna. Captiva feels (and is) more remote than Sanibel, with a tiny village connecting beach houses and
resorts of all sizes and vintages with “civilization."

Brush away the beach sand and you will find, buried beneath the surface of Sanibel and Captiva Islands, layers of environmental, historical and cultural depth. Some 5,600 make the their principal residence on Sanibel Island, 500 on Captiva. The islands' population swells to 22,000 in winter.

Island people live in condominium communities, close-knit neighborhoods and exclusive developments. They occupy historic cottage renovations, new "Old Florida-Style" stilt homes, and low-slung stucco houses. They buy homes centered around a boating lifestyle, a golf course tennis or children. They
are single-family home-dwellers, second-home owners and young renters. They serve the tourist and other service-related industries, commute to mainland professions, volunteer to the benefit of their community, and quietly retire from executive and governmental careers.

Real estate options along Sanibel Island's canals, waterfronts, golf courses and side streets are wide and varied. Captiva Island, with its tucked-away mansions and old-time cottages, has higher property values for a more specialized market.