Captivating Captiva

Written by Jeffrey Cohen

Located near Fort Myers off Florida’s Gulf Coast, South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island is all about the outdoors. Family-oriented, with more than enough activities to keep all but the most disinterested in a state of constant motion, this vacation spot is a hub of water-based recreation, fine and casual dining and more creative ways to while away the days than I could ever have imagined. Originally a key lime plantation, South Seas has been attracting generations of guests, often multiple generations at the same time, since it opened in 1946 as a fishing resort. Today, watersports, golf, tennis, nature tours, children’s programs and wildlife encounters are just a few of the offerings that make the resort a playground for all ages. A wide range of bespoke activities allow parents and children to spend as much time together or apart as they desire.

Despite its family orientation, our kids were still in school when my wife and I flew into Fort Myers in late October to spend a few days at the vast, allencompassing 330-acre retreat. Feeling a pang of guilt (not to mention gratitude) that my mother-in-law would be in charge of things back home for a few days, I nevertheless cast those thoughts aside and got down to the business of having a good time. With over two miles of white sandy beaches and the island’s only waterfront golf course, South Seas Island Resort is entirely self-contained. Even though the island is home to many fine restaurants and seafood shacks, we never felt the need to explore beyond the resort’s boundaries.

We arrived midafternoon and were greeted at the front desk with a bottle of red wine for my wife, and white wine for me (on this small detail, we remain a house divided). Soon it was time to head by golf cart to Sunset Beach for an al fresco dinner accompanied by a most informative tequila tasting. As is the custom in these parts, cocktails were accompanied by the always magnificent spectacle of the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, an activity known locally as the Sunset Celebration.

Offering many styles and sizes of accommodations including guest rooms at the Harbourside Hotel, villas, cottages and private homes, South Sea Islands Resort is much more than a hotel. In addition to golf on the par-three course, guests can enjoy tennis, kayak tours, boating and parasailing, as well as three lagoon style pools, complete with private cabanas and water slides. On-site dining opportunities abound, including the well-stocked Captiva Provision Company, where on a couple of occasions we grabbed a quick bite in between activities. On the first full day of our visit, my wife and I enjoyed a grab-and-go breakfast at the marina before boarding a Captiva Cruises catamaran for a shelling adventure at Cayo Costa. For an hour or so, I thought of nothing but shells and sand dollars as we strolled along the beach, peering into the crystal clear waters to retrieve some colorful specimens, the only distraction provided by the occasional school of dolphins.

Following a quick lunch of tacos at Attitudes Beach Bar & Latitudes Food Shack (mahi for me, steak for my wife), accompanied by a couple of spicy jalapeno margaritas, we resumed our activities with a round of golf before boarding yet another boat for an exhilarating hour of parasailing with Sunny Island Adventures. Between this and once driving a jeep up a vertical mountain at The Greenbrier, I cannot decide which was the more terrifying. With a sigh of relief to be back down to earth again, the day ended in a most satisfactory manner at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, a favorite with locals and visitors alike. Here we enjoyed fresh and vibrant ceviche, shrimp and grits and a glorious paella, accompanied by mojitos and a couple of rums from the restaurant’s extensive collection.

On our second morning, we were up at sunrise for a yoga lesson with the resort-based Ambu Yoga on the King’s Crown Lawn, followed by a suitably virtuous breakfast of parfaits and granola, again from Captiva Provision Company, which we enjoyed outside by the marina. Invigorated by fresh juices and strong coffee, we next engaged in an hour or so of pickleball (as an avid tennis player this was, amazingly, my first attempt at the sport) that turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable, so much so that we played on for another hour with a couple we had met on the court. Having worked up another appetite, we took lunch under a cabana by the pool, where we greedily consumed hibiscus margaritas and chicken quesadillas.

After a few hours of rejuvenation both in and out of the pool, we were back on the water, this time on jet skis, speeding up and down the shore admiring the gorgeous homes. Everywhere we went there were dolphins, many of which came up to our watercraft to say hello. Exhausted by our day’s activities, it was with a great deal of pleasure that we headed to the Harborside Bar and Grill for a lengthy and relaxing dinner. Starting with tuna sashimi and candied bacon – not on the same plate – we then each enjoyed an excellent steak, filet for me, strip for my wife, accompanied by a fine bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape. Dining outside, we relished the perfectly balmy evening and ensuing sunset.

The next and final morning, we had breakfast before a car took us back to the airport. It had been an eventful holiday, and we certainly packed a lot into three days. It would have been even more fun with the kids, so we will be sure to bring them along next time.

For more information, visit southseas.com and fortmyers-sanibel.com