One of the questions we get asked a lot is, “what are the differences between Sanibel and Captiva Island?”
Both islands are amazing and consistently get placed on “must travel” lists by top media outlets. While Sanibel is larger and offers more shops, hotels and sights, Captiva is quaint with powder soft beaches and Old Florida charm.
Captiva Island’s parent island is Sanibel. The two were once a single island, along with North Captiva Island, until separated by a storm at Blind Pass.
Related: Captiva Island’s History
Differences Between Sanibel and Captiva Island
Here are the most noticeable difference between the islands to help you pick your island destination:
Sanibel vs Captiva: The Beach and Sand
One of the biggest distinguishing factors between Sanibel and Captiva lies beneath your toes: their sand. The best comparison is to a mattress.
Sanibel’s beaches are generally firm and compact, from higher foot traffic. Having taken morning runs on both island beaches, Sanibel’s sand provides a much better surface for runners. Bowman’s Beach and Blind Pass Beach re where you will find softer sand on Sanibel Island.
As for Captiva Island’s beaches, the sand is much more like a pillow-top mattress. It feels like you’re walking on a fluffy cloud. Strollers, wagons, and the like are a lot harder to maneuver on Captiva’s beaches than on Sanibel. Captiva’s beach is far better for simply lounging on the powdery sand.
The depth of beach space changes too. Aside from Bowman and Blind Pass beach areas, Sanibel’s beaches are far more narrow than Captiva’s. Narrow beaches mixed with more beachgoers creates a recipe for crowded beaches.
On Captiva, you have much more space to spread out.
Captiva vs Sanibel: Activity Levels
The SanCap area is reminiscent of the differences between a smaller community versus the regional center; Sanibel is a smaller town that provides basic services to the broader area.
Captiva has more of a village feel. There isn’t a full-on grocery store (The Island Store is the closest it gets), but the shops on the island can get you most, if not all, of your basic needs. The vibe is even more relaxed than the slow-paced vacation lifestyle of Sanibel. It’s the place you go to unplug and unwind.
Sanibel has all the bells and whistles compared to Captiva. There are two large grocery stores and several smaller markets. The city-island has several banks and shopping centers, even a single-screen movie theatre. You could easily sell your home, move here and never miss a thing. Hey, it even has a K-12 school, so what’s stopping you?
Captiva vs Sanibel: Getting Around
On Sanibel, you’ll want a bike, possibly even a car, for your visit. Biking is our favorite way to get around the islands . At 33 square miles, (12 miles end-to-end), walking may not always be convenient, depending on your plans. Some resorts offer bikes for rent. There’s also Billy’s Rentals or Finnimore’s Beach and Bike Rentals.
Captiva, on the other hand, is much, much smaller: five miles long and 1.64 square miles in size. Other than day trips to Sanibel, we don’t usually use our rental car on Captiva. Walking and biking can get you around most of the island. You can even rent golf carts. If you stay at South Seas Island Resort, you have the added benefit of the resort’s shuttle service.
Sanibel vs Captiva: Shelling
Ever since our first trip to Captiva in 2016, I’ve been impressed with the ability to find shells on Captiva. That is until we stayed at the Island Inn on Sanibel.
On Sanibel after high tide, it looks as if someone dumped buckets upon buckets of shells on Sanibel. There’s a reason that Sanibel is consistently named as one of the best shelling beaches on the planet.
As for Captiva Island, the shelling is still spectacular. The gentle slope of the beach means more spread-out shells. I’ve always found the best shells in the water on Captiva.
Bottom Line
While we initially stayed on and fell in love with Captiva Island, both islands are perfect for rest and relaxation. Both are a far cry from the bitter cold winter months further north. You can stay, explore, dine and swim on both with a guarantee to enjoy yourself.
