Cinco de Mayo in North Captiva Island

Bliss!

Irishgal (Chicago, IL)
Review submitted: December 21, 2011   Date of arrival: November 10, 2011

Along with my college girl friends we celebrated our year of turning 50 at Cinco de Mayo. What a spectacular home and island adventure we had, and there is no doubt that we will return. Regardless of your vision for a vacation - you will find it here. With the helpful guidance and expertise of Sarah Rapp we had the perfect blend of relaxation, adventure and island living. Sarah is not only the ulitmate home owner and caretaker of this amazing property, but knows everything there is about how to plan a fantastic visit.
The experience of getting to the island was seamless and part of the vacation journey. To arrive by boat and be met by wonderful island staff to take us to "our home" was just the start of our perfect visit. The home is beautiful with views all around, spacious so even a large group can find their special spot for a nap or to read a good book. We grilled out, loved the pool, walks on the beach and the evening sunset. There are fun, easy going places to go for lunch and dinner, but our favorite was just enjoying hanging out together at the house on the decks, by the pool etc.
While we enjoyed an adult get away, families with children of any age woud find this the perfect place for a real family vacation. While there is an island pool complete with cabana bar, it is nice that the house has its own smaller pool.
Just writing this review feels challenging to do justice...but it does allow me to check out availability and start dreaming about my next visit.
As a closing thought - I have gone to Sanibel Island for more than 40 years. I found North Captiva Island to be a bit like "old" Sanibel - slower paced, no traffic,neat beach houses, time spent together versus out shopping...if you are looking for that - this is the spot for you.

Recommended for: families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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"Great place, relaxing stay"

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: April 22, 2010

The home and amenities are great. As a frequent visitor to the Destin area, we were looking for someplace a little warmer for Spring Break. North Captiva was wonderful, but a little confusing for a 1st time guest. Once we were able to establish transportation to the island, it was a great time. The only requirement is do your best to plan ahead because activities book up fast! Also, activities, "groceries" from the island store, and additional water taxi fares are expensive, so plan to keep a credit card on file for activities and at least a couple of hundred dollars extra for water taxis. The home owner, Sarah, was an enormous help to us. She was kind, patient, and extremely informative. She shared island info, water taxi, grocery, and any other activity you could think of with us. By the way, I highly recommend using the grocery service so your home is stocked when you arrive. It's hard enough to get a week's worth of luggage on the boat, why not make the trip a little easier and plan ahead. The kayaking and fishing was great.

Overall, North Captiva was a great place for my family. It's a great place to bring kids as it's quiet and they can't get in too much trouble on an island. Many thanks to the Rapp family for sharing their home with ours. It was a great house and we really enjoyed our stay.

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"Gorgeous perch in a secluded community"

Review submitted: October 11, 2010   Date of arrival: May 4, 2010

Our week in N Captiva was like leaving the country. Abeautiful island nestled in the gulf with a very ralxed atmosphere. The homes location is just a few steps from the marina/bar/convenience store/ beach. The view of the island from the rooftop is nothing short of breathtaking. Nearly 40ft in thair, you are positioned over a forest of palm trees and we watched the sun set into the water horizon every night. House is well appointed and very comfortable. Make the commitment to rent a boat and you will expreience some remarkable freedom. Dolphins chase the boat and the fishing is amongst the best in the world. We considered this a remarkable value, as this would have cost much more in Hilton head or Pawley's Island. bartender John is a pistol, made every effort to make our stay pleasant beyond making cocktails. Need to carefully plan provisions, and iffy water taste from tap only negatives. Loads of things to keep kids busy. Very family friendly trip.

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