Everything You Ever Wanted to know about Sanibel

We are always happy to respond to guests' questions about our beautiful, pristine (oil free) and natural island. And our staff certainly is the line of first response to questions on our own properties.

Sometimes, however, our rental guests will ask a question where we have had no experience or where we might be in conflict of interest in responding.

Happily, there are dozens of ways a vacation rental guest can obtain information on such matters as best restaurants, things to do with children and where you can purchase the things you like best.

One highly interactive resource for vacationers is the TripAdvisor website. TripAdvisor is arguably the most active site on the internet for providing forums and discussions just about any place in the universe. In addition to the user reviews, there are forums and chat boards where you can post a question and, inevitably, you will get an answer. Some times the responses are written by island "experts", people who perhaps live on Island or visit frequently and their answers will be designated as "expert". Often times, the answer will just be another vacationer like you who wants to share their experience. Since all reviews and interactive discussions are anonymous, you must weigh responses carefully. But the information to be found there is quite good and most often quite helpful.

Of course there are lots of very generic sites where you can ask questions such as Yahoo, Askjeeves, About and several others, but you won't find the number of questions or responses nearly as vibrant as on TripAdvisor.

More locally, there is a site that appears to be pretty comprehensive with information,
http://www.sanibel-online.com/
and also has a message board, but it does not seem that answers or questions are posted publicly.

Perhaps the information on the Sanibel Captiva Chamber site will be most credible and up to date. Right now there are some live and lovely cam shots of the beaches as a way of demonstrating clearly that there is no oil spill on the Island. You may not be impressed with the disconnect (the scene does not show a single person except the on-camera individual) between the words ("families enjoying the beach") and the images (no one is there), but you will be impressed with the serene beauty of the Gulf. What a sight! You will want to head on down here asap with a vision of that tranquil blue/green water.

Another way to gather information is to use social media. We have been working with Second Porch, a new application for Facebook, to list our properties. What we like about social media in general and Second Porch in particular is the transparency. If you find someone who has been to Sanibel, you will know who they are and can trust that at least the answers you are getting are honestly composed.

But to be as truthful as we can, the best way to get to know Sanibel Island is to explore it yourself. An intimate island with a friendly atmosphere for both 2 legged and 4 legged visitors, you can get to know it quickly. And you'll be happy that you did!