Q&A on the Sanibel and Captiva Islands in southwest Florida, with some additional tips on timing your trip.

We are flying into Ft. Myers, Florida and are looking for a good area to stay no more than a half hour away with nice beaches and good food. Any suggestions?
You will definitely want to investigate the areas of Sanibel and Captiva Islands just west of Fort Myers. Both are known for their beautiful beaches and many dining and lodging options are available. Use this TripTik Travel Planner map to view Sanibel Island, then zoom out to see Captiva and the distance from Fort Myers. Also, use AAA.com/travel (Travel Agency tab, then click on hotels tab) put in your dates and location to see AAA Approved lodging with great rates. Accommodations and attractions will be highlighted, once you have decided on lodging, use TripTik to map your route from the airport. Click on the ‘fork’ icon to see restaurants in the area.

New to using the TripTik Travel Planner.  I was looking for accommodation in Sanibel or Captiva, Florida. Are the accommodation rates shown the discounted rates? They seem high.
The lodging rates on AAA.com and via TripTik Travel Planner do reflect a AAA discount, however, winter is the high season in a traditionally expensive area. You may find somewhat better Gulf coast prices further north (Clearwater/St. Petersburg) and rates are definitely lower in the Panhandle area (Destin) because it’s not as warm there in the winter.

Tips on timing your trip to Sanibel: Mid-December to April is the high season and March and April are the two most crowded months. In May the winter residents start to go north and this was traditionally the start of the low season. However, although June to August are part of the low season, things can be busy with more people taking advantage of the cooler sea breezes which offset Florida's high temeratures. Visitors decrease in September, October and November with the high season starting in mid-December.

Please read a blogger's post on Sanibel and Captiva for further information on what to see and do.

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