The Keys, Marco,Naples, Sanibel....Choices and Chances

From time to time, we will be contacted by a prospective rental guest stating that they are looking at several options on where to spend their holidays.

The choices expressed are most often other locales in SW Florida.

While we don't often have time to do a compare and contrast over the phone, we would like to create a think paper here on this blog as a place to point to when the need arises.

Essentially, the decision should rest on the kind of vacation you want, the kind of environment you prefer, and the kind of beach you dream about.

The Keys are a great choice for those seeking a largely boating or fishing adventure. The poetic statement, "Water, water everywhere" has no better application than in the Florida Keys. The thin strip of land on which the Keys are built is flanked on one side by the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. If all that water were not enough, the Keys are full of mangrove swamps and lagoons. There is literally no end to the water front dining one can enjoy while vacationing at most of the Keys, and probably the best snorkeling and scuba diving in SW Florida is possible there as well.. But, and those who love the Keys and bask in the spectacular sun sets and sun rises would agree, there are few beaches on the Keys. Even more disappointingly, those that do exist have such low tides that to actually swim, one needs to do a lot of walking to reach deeper waters. Development on the Keys, with the exception of one or two beautifully landscaped residential areas, has not included much greenery though the condos and hotels are often planted nicely and are low key. If you are seeking, lush, however, the Keys will probably disappoint.

Marco Island does have great beaches and great spots for swimming. Gulf front accommodations range from hotels to condos, and we have it on good word that the pricing is very competitive. It, like the Keys, is not abundantly green and most of the beaches are lined with high rise buildings. If you seek a vacation on a largely residential Island with special beaches, Marco could be a good choice for you.

The same could be said for Naples, though one distinct attraction in Naples is being able to be on a beach within walking distance of so many downtown, fine dining (and quite lovely) restaurants. The gourmand may find a Naples beach vacation the most appealing, as might the shopper given the number of stores where one can browse and buy all day long.

Sanibel is a small barrier Island with great verdant stretches of land and a large parcel of protected land that takes up 2/3 of the Island. The beaches on Sanibel are often full of gorgeous shells and fairly deserted. Bird watching is both easy and pleasing as the Island is home to 220 species of birds, many, if not most, easily observed and recorded. The topography is highly diversified, low density in buildings and copious in topicality. Twenty five miles of lightly used walking and biking paths thread the island, and boating adventures take place from both east and west locations. There are a couple of fine dining eateries, but many more casual places offering an interesting mix of menus. Shopping may not be as plentiful as Naples, but will definitely offer more choices than the Keys (excluding Key West) or Marco.

We hope that this post will be of help to those who want to plan their future travels.