I was invited by a friend to spend a few days at her favorite retreat, the Waterside Inn on the beach. The Waterside is nestled in a long row of inns and condo-style units which line the southern shore of the island. Despite the snugness of the properties, there is a feeling of "seclusion" for guests of the Waterside. It consists of a handful of multiple-unit buildings, each painted a soft tropical color and named accordingly: Apricot, Pineapple, Blueberry, etc. The buildings have varying numbers of units. Let me just run down some features based on our double-occupancy efficiency: two levels (we stayed upper); gulf view; remote control AC; fully-furnished kitchenette (full size stove and fridge; microwave; generous sink; dishes, pots and pans, full size coffeemaker); table and chairs; two comfortable queen beds; flat-screen TV (which we didn't turn on all 4 days); 6-drawer dresser/mirror; double vanity bathroom; nice tub/shower combo; roomy mirrored closet; sliding glass door opening onto balcony with chairs and snack table. The room was plenty big for us; we spent nearly the entire day on the beach, which is just steps away. You can let the Waterside know how much or little housekeeping you would like; we got a light touch: beds made and trash emptied, and towels changed out.
The Waterside provides plenty of good sturdy lounge chairs which guests can drag onto the beach whenever they like; just keep in mind you need to drag them BACK when you are done, or the Waterside gets fined. Also watch out for turtle nests on the beach, which are cordoned off by yellow tape. Don't disturb them, please! The waterside also has a really nice pool, not all that big but very clean and with lots of poolside tables and chairs for relaxing in the afternoon, shaded by beautiful palms and flowering trees. Perfect for a cool-down dip after hours on the beach. Speaking of the trees, the Waterside's landscaping is lovely. Lots of attention paid to neatness and trimming. As for the beach itself, it lines the Gulf of Mexico and is quite different from my native NE Florida Beaches, which at low tide are a huge expanse. The difference between the low and high-tide lines on Sanibel is (I would guess) about 50 feet at most. And where most beaches are "shells scattered on the sand", Sanibel's beaches are "Sand scattered among the shells". I have never seen so many, and if you dedicate some time and sharp eyes to a search, you'll find some beauties.
Bring your cameras, folks: every evening you are treated to a spectacular sunset. The sky seems particularly "big" on Sanibel, and the interplay of clouds and sun creates National-Geographic-style sunsets. We spent some time after dark (and it gets DARK) on the beach watching a striking (no pun intended) lightning display way off in the distance.
Plan on a few excursions while you're there. In the hotter weather, I recommend what we did: freshen up around lunchtime, when it's hottest, and take a short drive over to Periwinkle Way, which is as close as Sanibel gets to a "Main Street". There are NO traffic lights on this 3-mile x 5-mile island, and no street lights either. No typical big chain-restaurants or retailers, except for a Dairy Queen. We dined out twice, once at "Island Cow", with its eclectic, anything-but-health-food menu (the "Frickles" are to DIE for)...and "Cheeburger-Cheeburger", a fun spot with a fifties feel and a terrific burger menu. They also have a legendary milkshake or malt, with nearly 40 "embellishments" from which to choose. I was planning on a peanut butter/cheesecake/caramel one, but was too full from my burger and fries to get one. Maybe next time, because there will be a next time! Other neat things to note: the island's lighthouse, the John "Ding" Darling wildlife preserve, and some interesting indigenous vegetation, including trees with branches that grow down and around anything they get close to. My friend also recommends the "Thriller" boat ride, a 1.5 hour high-speed (60+mph at some points) boat ride around the island, featuring dolphins that frolick in the boat's wake. I could go on and on...what a great experience!