A love for baby manatees
WRITTEN SEP 12, 2026
Six Days and Seven Nights | June 2026
North Captiva Island is for those who go to the beach for the beach – and for people who appreciate all the creatures that call it home.
If your ideal beach vacation involves long, unhurried days, fishing from the docks, searching for shells, riding bikes down sandy paths, and spotting wildlife, North Captiva is worth a look.
It is also not the easiest place to get to.
But sometimes the places that require a few extra hoops may be the ones that stay with you.
Our Itinerary at a Glance
Continue reading for all of the details and logistics of our stay.
Friday
Flight to Punta Gorda Airport
Uber to Safe Harbor Pineland
Island Girl Ferry to North Captiva Island
Golf cart transfer to our rental house
First walk down the Nature Preserve Trail to the Beach
Saturday
Explore the island
Ice Cream Stop at Mainstay and Barnacles
Pick up fishing poles and extra bikes at Boats and Fun
Grocery order pick up at Mainstays Dock
Sunday
Bike Rides, Beaches, Pools, and Fishing
Monday
Half day fishing charter with Katch ‘Em Up Charters
Lunch at Mainstays Bar & Grill
Bike Rides, Beaches, Pools, and Fishing
Tuesday
Pick up Grocery Restock from the Mainstay Dock
Dolphin Beach
Bike Rides, Beaches, Pools, and Fishing
Wednesday
Community pool at The Island Club
Snacks at Mango’s Bar & Grill
Bike Rides, Beaches, Pools, and Fishing
Thursday
Dinner at Over the Waterfront
Bike Rides, Beaches, Pools, and Fishing
Friday
Island Girl Ferry back to Safety Harbor Pineland Marina
Pre-arranged Pine Island Taxi transfer to Punta Gorda Airport
Flight to Nashville
We pre-arranged our ride with a taxi service because Ubers from the marina back to the airport can be unreliable.
Dreaming of Long Days on the Beach
I suspect many families are currently thinking about opportunities for a beach trip this fall or winter.
This summer, we were fortunate enough to experience North Captiva Island, Florida for the first time. I would encourage you to give it some thought – especially if you love a quiet, natural beach setting and slow days by the ocean.
And don’t let the logistics scare you.
It is well worth jumping through a few hoops to get there.
North Captiva Island, Florida
Not to be confused with Captiva Island, North Captiva Island is a remote car-free island on the Florida’s Gulf Coast that is accessible only by boat or small plane.
The island is about 4 miles long and half a mile wide at its widest point. In total, it covers about 700 acres, while roughly half of that is land dedicated to a state preserve.
Our house was just a short walk from the entrance to the preserve, and we made the walk down to State Preserve beach many times throughout the week.
There are no traditional hotels on the island. Private rentals and beach houses are available through Airbnb, VRBO and local property management companies.
The island is very easy to navigate. It’s mostly laid out in a grid of sandy paths lined by palm trees and beach scrub. Golf carts, bicycles and walking are the primary modes of transportation.
Riding around the island was my favorite part of each day. We kept our eyes peeled for iguanas and native gopher tortoises, both of which were common sights.
Getting There
I imagine the logistics of getting to and staying on the island can scare people away. The good news is that the residents and businesses that support the island have the process down to an art.
If flying, Punta Gorda or Fort Myers Airports are the closest options. We flew Allegiant into Punta Gorda.
Overall, our flights were on time and the cost was lower than comparable options through Fort Myers. Punta Gorda is a tiny and, at times, very crowded airport. It was also under construction during our visit, which made the crowds feel even more condensed.
Immediately after we got off the plane, thunder began to rumble and the entire airport was put on a ground stop.
Our luggage was stuck on the plane.
We were happy to have made it off the plane ourselves, but the ground stop stretched on and on. Every time the thunder boomed, the clock reset, and we watched our scheduled ferry reservation creep closer and closer.
I stayed in touch with Island Girl Ferry about our status and they were incredibly calm and unfazed by the predicament. They assured us that if we missed our boat, a private ferry would be available to get us to the island.
Comforting – but also an additional expense we were hoping to avoid.
Luckily, our luggage finally showed up. We grabbed it and ran through the pouring rain to our Ubers, arriving at the marina exactly at 5:00 pm – our scheduled departure time.
Island Girl Ferry was ready and waiting.
We threw our bags on board and headed across the bay to North Captiva.
Arriving on the Island
The short 20 to 30 minute ferry ride to the island was beautiful at dusk.
We tied up to the dock at Mainstay and Barnacles Bar and waited for our luggage to be unloaded.
A representative from our home’s property management group was waiting for us with our golf carts and a separate cart for all of our bags.
Our group of nine piled onto the carts and made our way to our house for the week.
The ride down the sandy paths, past beach houses tucked behind palm trees, gave the feeling that we had truly just escaped to an island paradise.
I don’t know that we passed another golf cart on our drive to the house.
The absence of cars – and especially the absence of road noise – added to the peaceful atmosphere.
Feeding a Group of 9 on a Remote Island
There are no grocery stores on North Captiva.
As first time visitors, this was probably the hardest thing for us to wrap our minds around as we planned for our stay.
There is a small market, called The Market at the Island Club, on North Captiva, but it only carries a small selection of essentials such as milk, bread, sunscreen, bug spray – and, naturally, at island prices. They also have grab and go foods, coffee and an ice cream bar.
The most widely recommended option was grocery delivery.
We placed an order with Fresh Pick Groceries which had a shopper purchase our groceries at Publix and deliver them to our kitchen on the day we arrived. We used Fresh Pick for most of our essentials and to get us through our first night and the following morning.
We then placed a much larger order with Door 2 Door & More. Our Costco order was sent over on the ferry on our first full day, and we picked it up from the dock.
Midway through the week, we realized we needed a few more things and sent another small order over through Door 2 Door.
The other option is to shop for groceries on the mainland and bring them with you on the ferry.
That avoids some of the shopping and delivery fees, but then you have to coordinate transportation to and from the ferry, make a grocery stop, and figure out how to efficiently pack everything into boxes and coolers for the trip across the bay.
For our first visit- and especially after the storm delay at the airport – we were very happy to arrive at the house and find our groceries already waiting for us.
Settling in and Spotting Manatees
Our first full day on the island, everyone was excited to get out and explore.
The boys were ready to grab their bikes and go fishing as soon as they stepped out of bed. The girls were ready to swim and see the beaches.
Our house came with a few bikes and two golf carts. Unfortunately, we discovered that our house bikes had flat tires. We tried our best to get this remedied with the management company, but without much luck.
It seems that pretty much everything on the island takes a beating from the salty, humid air.
We visited Boats and Fun near the Island Club to rent a couple extra bikes and some fishing poles.
And that’s where we saw our first manatees.
A mama manatee and her brand-new baby were hanging out near the docks. I could have stood and watched them for hours. The baby was so little.
This wasn’t our only manatee sighting for the week. When the tide was in, we would often see them in the canals. One day at Dolphin Beach, a manatee even swam right past us.
For families that love wildlife, these unexpected encounters were exciting highlights of the trip.
Easy Beach Days and Fishing Fun
Our days were relaxed and easy.
Every day was some combination of fishing, swimming at the pools, spending time at the beach, biking, watching for wildlife, watching World Cup soccer games, and retreating to the house when we needed a break from the heat.
The freedom our son had to take his bike out and find a fishing spot on the beach or at the Mainstay dock was his favorite part of the experience.
He caught a tarpon, a puffer fish, a sea urchin and many catfish.
It’s a miracle he didn’t get sidelined with a sunburn after day one of our stay.
On the third day of our trip, the two dads took four of the five kids on a half day fishing charter with Katch ‘Em Up Charters.
They came home with a pretty good haul, which we cooked for dinner over the next couple of nights.
Dolphin Beaches and Seashells
We spent time on several beaches during our stay. The Nature Preserve Beach, Sunset Beach, and Dolphin Beach each offered something a little different.
The walk to the Nature Preserve Beach was especially pleasant in the evening. The quiet path was the perfect spot to spy tortoises, ospreys, bunnies, and snakes.
The beach itself was also quiet and one of the boys’ favorite fishing spots. They did spot some sizeable bull sharks in the water so most of their fishing was done from the shore.
Sunset Beach was also a beautiful stretch of beach. The girls spent the most time here, diving for shells and taking beach walks.
They found handfuls of sand dollars and used the goggles to search out schools of fish.
At one point, our daughter brought a shell to us on the sand and a tiny octopus crawled out of it. That was a first for all of us.
She quickly returned it to the water only to watch it get eaten in one bite by a passing sheepshead fish. Slightly traumatic, but also a very real life example of the circle of life.
There was an amazing sandbar at low tide the first several days of our stay. It was the ideal spot for gathering sand dollars and shells.
The real challenge was trying to bring a few home to Nashville. Only a couple escaped being crushed on the trip home.
We also paid a visit to Dolphin Beach one morning. It is a small strip of beach at the end of the island’s grassy airstrip.
My husband and I went to scout it out and spotted several dolphins swimming around some kayakers.
When we returned with our family, the dolphins had moved on, but the water was calm and perfect for swimming. We spent some time with our snorkel masks to find shells and watching the fish.
Throughout our stay, we heard people on the island talking about the numbers of dolphins they had seen from Dolphin Beach.
Every time we went, we somehow managed to miss them.
Maybe next time.
Sea Turtles and Nests
Walking on the beach each day, we could spot new sea turtle nests marked with stakes and ribbon.
The turtle crews comb the beaches each morning this time of year to mark new nests and track their numbers.
One day, we came across a very large sea turtle being monitored by a member of the Sea Turtle Foundation.
The turtle had come ashore and appeared to be digging a nest in the middle of the day.
On one hand, it was an amazing sight to watch from a distance as she searched for a spot and then made her way back toward the water.
On the other hand, we knew it wasn’t normal for her to be on the beach that time of day and suspected she was in some sort of distress.
We were relieved to see her swim back out into the surf and wished her the best.
Visiting the Island Club
There is a social hub in the center of the island with facilities operated by The Island Club at North Captiva.
Our rental house included a membership number that allowed us access to the club, so about halfway through the week we decided to check it out.
We ended up spending a couple of afternoons at the community pool.
It was a lot of fun to have a change of scenery. The pool is a good size, music was playing, and there was a pool bar and grill called Mango’s where we could order food and drinks.
The club also provides bike and kayak rentals.
We considered the kayak rentals one day but chickened out at the last minute due to mixed messages about how long it may take us to kayak around the point to Dolphin Beach.
Maybe we will tackle that adventure on a return trip.
Island Restaurants
North Captiva is a small island, but there are a few fun spots for eating out.
- Mango’s Bar & Grill – Located at the Island Club’s community pool, Mango’s is good for a casual bite or drink during an afternoon of swimming.
- Mainstay and Barnacles Bar – An open air, casual restaurant near the docks with sandy patio seating and strings of party lights. We also stopped by the ice cream shop above the restaurant, which was a hit with everyone.
- Anchor’s Landing – This restaurant was in the process of having its soft opening during our stay. It is a steakhouse near the marina, close to the Island Club and Boats and Fun. We didn’t get a chance to try it, but I am sure the island is happy to have another dining option. A new open air tiki bar was also opening on the marina docks nearby.
- Over the Waterfront – For our last night on the island, we decided on dinner out – just the adults. We chose Over the Waterfront, a small and intimate restaurant located in a house built directly over the water in a quiet corner of the island. Reservations are required, and to reserve a table, we texted directly with Chef Peter to check availability. It is cash only and BYOB. We enjoyed lobster and seabass cooked in the open kitchen and brought directly to our table by the single server working that evening. Overall, it was a very unique experience and the food was delicious.
Where North Captiva Island Shines
For families who love beach days filled with pool time, shell hunting, fishing from the docks, riding bikes, and casual beach bars – North Captiva is the ideal beach vacation.
For people who love beaches in a natural setting – with grassy dunes, palm trees, and an abundance of wildlife – again, North Captiva is your place. You will see birds, iguanas, manatees, and likely some sharks and snakes as well.
For those who look forward to dinners out, go karts and mini golf, shopping and the convenience of nearby grocery stores – I would recommend redirecting your search elsewhere. North Captiva is a very different experience from other Gulf coast beaches such as 30A, Destin or Gulf Shores.
There is less to do.
And that’s exactly the point.
What We Would Do Again
Have the Groceries Delivered
The convenience of having our groceries delivered was worth the extra cost, in my opinion.
Had we needed to stop for groceries on the way to the ferry, the stress of our storm delay would have been multiplied ten-fold.
Book the Fishing Charter
The kids loved getting out for a fishing trip, and it was awesome to cover a couple of dinners with their fresh catches.
Make the Adults Only Dinner Reservation
One night out for a nice meal was an excellent way to end our trip.
What We Would Do Differently
Try Flying into Fort Myers
We had an awkward amount of time between check out and our afternoon flight.
Punta Gorda was convenient and cost efficient, but it wasn’t a particularly comfortable place to spend several hours waiting for a flight
Next time, I’d take a closer look at our options through Fort Myers.
Balance Groceries and Eating Out Better
Finding the balance of groceries and eating out on a remote island is a practiced skill.
We kept our grocery list simple, which meant some repeated meals that the kids eventually got tired of.
We also didn’t want to eat out every meal because the average cost of a meal is definitely higher on the island.
I think that we could hit a better balance the second time around with a more efficient grocery order and a couple of planned meals out to mix things up.
Wait to Reserve Extra Bikes
We ended up needing the extra bike rentals due to the flat tires on the house bikes.
Had the house bikes been in working condition, though, I think we could have done without the bikes from Boats and Fun.
The Island Club provided bike rentals for a few hours at a time if needed, and we mostly traveled by golf cart or foot.
Order Fishing Bait with our Groceries
I think we could have saved a little money by getting creative with our grocery orders for fishing bait.
Bait is sold at Boats and Fun, but at a premium. We managed to make ours last but I think we will know better next time.
My Love for Beaches and Sea Creatures
It’s becoming clear to me that I rarely regret any vacation.
This trip in particular I loved for all the reasons that made it unique.
The quiet, car free atmosphere that gave our teens the freedom to explore and fish all day. Wildlife seemed to be around every corner. The beaches and pools were never crowded. We could ride our bikes wherever we wanted, wander down to the water, or spend an afternoon watching soccer around the pool at our house.
Nothing about the week felt rushed.
There wasn’t a long list of things we needed to check off.
And that was wonderful.
Sometimes tackling the crazy logistics to get to a destination can be incredibly rewarding.
North Captiva is proof of that.
And as always, if you are wanting to plan an adventurous beach getaway with a little room to amble and roam. Send me a message. I’d be happy to help you plan it.
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