North Captiva Point House - Old Florida Island Getaway

First the negatives (since no place is perfect)...we knew going in it was going to be rustic, but it was more rustic than we’d imagined. The couch is a hide-a-bed, but completely broken. The kitchen has all you need, but it’s terribly unorganized and many of the dishes were dirty in the cabinets. The bathroom is rough...to say the least. The place hadn’t been vacuumed well when we arrived, but the vacuum was there for use. There were 4 beach towels, but nothing else to take to the beach unlike all our other friends’ rental places had (golf cart, beach chairs, toys, umbrellas, air pumps, fishing poles). The detached room vibrates (from the main house A/C we think?) so loudly we couldn’t sleep in it. The water stunk of sulfur but most others on the island said the same.

BUT, the views are impeccable and the experience is so unique we felt it was worth the lack of creature comforts. The amount of ocean life is never-ending - dolphins, manatees, starfish, sand dollars, giant horse conch, fishing from the shore, lizards, and more. The dock is outstanding for boats, fishing and fish-cleaning, sitting, swimming, and jumping in. You can eat on the house’s upper deck on all sides allowing you to customize your view/sun/wind exposure. There’s room for kids to roam and do things they can’t do ANYWHERE else on the island. (Note: The beach is shelly and can hurt feet) Watching the boat traffic never got old...and there’s a lot.

Summary: if you’re needing to be pampered by the accomodations this place is not for you. If you’re looking for one of the most unique and somewhat eco-centric Floridian experiences you’ll ever have, this IS the place for you.