Just got back from my hols and was magical!!

[MadameCastafiore]

here Captiva Island - is off of the coast of florida, gulf of mexico side.

Was incredible, food really nice (compared to previous week at Disney - am never eating a burger or french frie again!!).

Rooms were so clean, kitchen was more than fit for us and we could watch Manatees off of our balcony, dolphins on the edge of the pool and went t a beach to collect fab shells and the kids got to look at all kinds of sealife in their natural habitat - funny to watch your kids collectitng shells and then realising there is a crab insode - they drop the little blighters pretty quickly!!

So if you want a break after Disney - is about a 3 hour drive - this is the place to go - much easier than faffing about flying to the Carribean.

we went there pre-kids

Thanks Madame for reporting back, have been looking at captiva island myself - it gets mixed reviews on trip advisor but everyone on MN who has been there says its great

do you mind me asking you a few questions:

-about how much did you spend on food/spending money etc per day
-did you have a hire car when there or do you not need one
--did you book direct or through a travel company

thanks - and glad you had a great time

oo sorry another question - which type of accommodatoin did you stay in and did you bother cooking or just dine out?

We booked our whole break through trail finders but you can book direct with some owners apparently.

We spent about $1000 (but that included a boat trip) for the four of us for the week that we were there - we ate out a couple of times - the store where we were was so overpriced so we did a couple of trips onto the main part of the island and stoked up there - not at Jennys - one a bit further which was really really good value.

We soent tha first week in Orlando doing the theme parks so did have a hire car and it depends what you want to do and if you are sporty - you could do the whole island on a bike - we couldn't because at 6 it would have been a bit much for DS.

You could hire little cars or golf buggies where we were - south sea island repost - and they were fine to trundle to the shops.

WIldlife is stunning - sea is beautiful - it will be a holiday we will never forget.

You lucky lady MC - I went to captiva a few years ago (pre hurricane charley) when DC were much younger and rented a beautiful house with a pool and fishing jetty (sadly the house was destroyed in the hurricane, but now rebuilt I gather). My DC still remember the holiday with fondness - we'd spent a week at disney (Hell for us parents, lovely for our DC) but they remember Captiva rather than the hellish week in Disney.

We booked a villa direct with the owner and she organised bikes and babysitters for us. Just Fab and I'd love to go back, but fear it wouldn't live up to my memories.

Our villa was on the right just after the sanibel/captiva bridge and there was a fantastic eatery (and take away) on the sanibel side of the bridge that did fried clams, clam chowder, lobster, crab, fried shrimp etc which kept us all well fed. We also managed to dine well on both Sanibel and Captiva with and without DC.

I have to say that the beach wasn't brilliant (very cloudy water and high waves - probably more to do with the fact that we were there in Agust) but we were all kept very busy shell collecting and my DC were also shocked (in a nice way) by the hermit crabs.

If I had to describe it, it's like the hamptons only warmer! A bit preppy, but lovely! (Think Salcombe or Padstow without the sloanes and transfer it to Florida).

madame, which hotel did you stay at in disney and would you recommend it?