The Sanibel Inn
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Built on one of the world's best shelling beaches, The Sanibel Inn is an casual, intimate, secluded resort that's the picture of tropical tranquility. Seagulls soar above miles of powdery white sand that fringes the island. In the blue-green surf, pelicans dive for dinner and dolphins romp. Ashore, cockles, sand dollars, tiger's eyes and ladies' ears await avid shell collectors who come to collect nature's bounty. (The Sanibel Shell Fair, held each March, is the biggest event of the year here.)
The Sanibel Inn is on the eastern end of the island, and from the screened-in terrace of your room there's a view of the swimming pool, tropical gardens, and the Gulf of Mexico, superb at sunset. A total of 92 units in two-and-three story buildings dot the property. Lanai rooms have two double beds, a dressing area, and a small refrigerator. A lanai efficiency has, in addition, a living area with a sleeper sofa plus a stove-top unit. Condominiums have one or two bedrooms plus a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and living-room area complete with sleeper sofa. Cable TV brings in programs from HBO and other premium channels.
Yet the real magic is outdoors. Over on the sandy side, you may rent a beach chair and umbrella to set up a base for shelling. The Inn will arrange for guests to secure sailboats and windsurfers to navigate the Gulf Stream. For duffers, there are two championship golf courses nearby. A tennis pro is on premise, and there is no fee to use either of the Tru-Flex courts.
Nearby, some 5,000 acres of wetlands have been set aside as the J.N. "Ding" Darlng National Wildlife Refuge. The visitor center at the entrance offers information, wildlife prints, books, and displays. It's open from dawn to dusk and there is a per-car charge to take the five-mile drive that passes through a mangrove swamp. Bicycles are available for rent from the Inn. A boardwalk leads to tidal flats where lucky or patient visitors may see roseate spoonbills, herons, raccoons, otters, and alligators.
Casa Ybel Sanibel Island Resort
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Sheltered Casa Ybel Sanibel Island Resort also provides an island retreat for civilization-weary guests. Every morning the turquoise Gulf of Mexico delivers a bounty of seashells to the splendor of Sanibel Island beach . More than 400 species -- from clam to the rare brown-speckled junonia -- wash to shore. Experts say the best selection is when the tide goes out or after a storm.
All kinds of watersports are available here: windsurfing, sailing, kayaking. Deep-sea fishing expeditions yield an impressive catch. Closer in, there are separate pools for adults and toddlers. Golfers hie to a 18-hole course on the island's Dunes Country Club. A wildlife refuge on the northwest side of Sanibel contains nature trails and bird rookeries. Bicyclists are welcome.
Accommodations consist of one- and two-bedroom suites with a Gulf of Mexico views. Each has a living room, private balcony or terrace, kitchen facilities, and daily maid service.
Thistle Lodge serves seafood and steaks. The hotel also hosts destination weddings, and barefoot-on-the-beach settings are popular.
*Does your guide advise against Disney on your honeymoon? Go if you must, I say. But prepare to pay exhorbitant entrance fees, see not-terribly-fresh exhibits, wait on lines, feel as if you're being processed like a piece of cheese, and experience free ear piercing via the din of thousands of tired, cranky, dyspeptic children.
