Sanibel/Captiva Island, FL

[WoodleyGrrl]

I asked last year around this time, and there were no responses, so I am going to try again:

Anyone familiar with the Sanibel Island/Captiva Island area retaurant scene? My family, my boyfriend, and I are vacationing there over the holidays and I was wondering if there was restaurants that I should not miss? We go there every year around this time and we tend to hit the same places (bubble room, mucky duck, lazy flamingo...)

Anyone know where else we should go? And how does the place look afer hurricane Charley et al?

[Gifted Gourmet]

a very good place to begin ... and I will check out the hurricane damage to that specific area momentarily ...

[robyn]

There was a front page article in the NYT Escapes section about Sanibel/Captiva last week. At least judging from the picture in the article - the place looks pretty crummy. Of course - the area where I lived in Miami looked crummy for years after Hurricane Andrew. I'd check and make sure what's open - and what's not. Robyn

[KatieLoeb]

We go there every year around this time and we tend to hit the same places (bubble room, mucky duck, lazy flamingo...)

But the Lazy Flamingo is a great bar! I still have my t-shirt from there somewhere...

[WoodleyGrrl]

We go there every year around this time and we tend to hit the same places (bubble room, mucky duck, lazy flamingo...)

But the Lazy Flamingo is a great bar! I still have my t-shirt from there somewhere...

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Not to mention one of the best grouper sandwiches EVER. I can't wait to go back there. Some of my best memories came from that island. All you floridians: it is your civic duty to visit Sanibel and Captiva sometime soon.

[robyn]

...All you floridians:  it is your civic duty to visit Sanibel and Captiva sometime soon.

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We're frequent visitors. I'll note that the best time to visit in general IMO is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Rates are low - the weather is good - the bugs aren't awful - the shelling is excellent (particularly during the winter solstice) - and the half of Ohio that visits between Christmas and April hasn't arrived yet . Robyn

[Denise]

We have always enjoyed a restaurant called the Mad Hatter. It is right on the water between Sanibel and Captiva.

[WoodleyGrrl]

...All you floridians:  it is your civic duty to visit Sanibel and Captiva sometime soon.

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We're frequent visitors. I'll note that the best time to visit in general IMO is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Rates are low - the weather is good - the bugs aren't awful - the shelling is excellent (particularly during the winter solstice) - and the half of Ohio that visits between Christmas and April hasn't arrived yet . Robyn

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I admit, we are part of the problem: We are from Toledo.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Interesting that Ohio currency spends just as nicely in sunny Florida!

Anyway, after spending a few winters in Columbus, Ohio, Sanibel/Captiva looked damn fine to me! Baby, it's cold outside!

[robyn]

Interesting that Ohio currency spends just as nicely in sunny Florida!

Anyway, after spending a few winters in Columbus, Ohio, Sanibel/Captiva looked damn fine to me! Baby, it's cold outside! 

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I admit that Florida usually isn't as cold as Ohio - but the last few times I've been - it's been kind of cold. Of course - I usually plan my trips around winter shelling at the solstice (which involves going out on the mud flats at about 5 am with a flashlight). Come to think of it - that's about now - and we're going to be a bit chilly here in Florida early this week. Robyn

Edited December 19, 2004 by robyn (log)

[WoodleyGrrl]

Interesting that Ohio currency spends just as nicely in sunny Florida!

Anyway, after spending a few winters in Columbus, Ohio, Sanibel/Captiva looked damn fine to me! Baby, it's cold outside! 

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I admit that Florida usually isn't as cold as Ohio - but the last few times I've been - it's been kind of cold. Of course - I usually plan my trips around winter shelling at the solstice (which involves going out on the mud flats at about 5 am with a flashlight). Come to think of it - that's about now - and we're going to be a bit chilly here in Florida early this week. Robyn

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As long as it warms up by next Monday...Here in D.C. it is about 20 degrees right now, so anything would be an improvement.

Back to the food:

We are going to be there for the week, so we will be going off the island a bit as well. Are there any can't miss places in Naples or Ft. Myers?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Are there any can't miss places in Naples or Ft. Myers?

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Fort Myers Dining Guide

Weather for Ft. Myers ....

Looks like you are going to have a great trip, Woodley Grrl!

[robyn]

We are going to be there for the week, so we will be going off the island a bit as well.  Are there any can't miss places in Naples or Ft. Myers?

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Not that I've ever been to. And remember that the traffic down to Naples is quite horrible. Only thing that's don't miss in the area as far as I'm concerned is the Edison Museum in Fort Myers (it's really fascinating). Robyn

[BarbaraD]

Just came back from Sanibel. It was cool AND the mosquitos were biting. I'm still scratching. If bugs love you like they do me, take some repellent (I forgot). The Mad Hatter is very good. We had the tuna sashimi and veal chop; both were very good. We ate at a place called La Vigna that was pretty good also. For lunch, Gramma Dot's in the marina is nice. The restaurant at the hotel, Casa Ybel, we stayed at is also good.

The restaurants were empty. Two of the largest hotels are still closed and will be for a while. Debris is still on the side of the road. A waiter told us Periwinkle Lane was closed for a week.