Stay Close to It All, by Land Or by Sea

A short drive to Sanibel, Captiva, Fort Myers Beach and the ball parks, this bright and airy 3-bedroom home is named Boater’s Paradise for good reason: It’s located near the end of a quiet canal with its own new dock. Iona Cove on Caloosahatchee River is just a 4-minute boat ride away--be sure to bring your fishing gear! You can also sail to the waterfront bars and restaurants of Cape Coral on the other side of the river, as well as to Sanibel Island and Captiva, Pine Island, and the Gulf of Mexico. Prefer to stay on land? Bike to nearby Bunche Beach Preserve, where you can swim, fish, hike among mangroves, and watch dolphins and all sorts of birds. In fact, you’ll find 2 bikes at Boater’s Paradise available for your use! What’s more, you can drive to Fort Myers Beach, with its restaurants, shops, and sugary white sands, in less than 15 minutes, and be on the Sanibel causeway in 5 minutes or so. The house itself is as fabulous as its locale. Key West style windows and shutters, and the telescoping recessed sliding window/doors let in plenty of light. And the living room’s white tile floors and white leather couches give the space a summertime feel year-round. When you’re not watching your favorite cable shows on the living room’s HDTV or sneaking in a midday nap on the spacious sofa, you’ll want to be in the sunroom or on the wraparound screened-in lanai overlooking the canal. Furnished with a dining table and chairs, the lanai is an idyllic spot for meals: You can watch gulls and eagles soar overhead as pelicans dive for fish. Maybe you’ll even spot dolphins and manatees nosing around the dock. You’ll also have a garden’s worth of fruit trees, from mango to suriname cherry to lychee, to admire. While you’re out there, cook up your day’s catch--or steaks and burgers from the supermarket--on the grill. Of course, there’s an indoor dining area as well, with fully opening sliding glass doors that open onto the sunroom, bringing the fresh air and sunshine of the outdoors in. After you clear the table, bring out the Monopoly board or the jigsaw puzzle; there’s plenty of room for the whole family to gather around--and isn’t that what vacations are all about? The dining area and the living room are adjacent to the spacious, open kitchen. Loaded with appliances, cookware, prep tools, and tableware, the kitchen has everything you need to prepare a multicourse feast… or to heat up leftovers from the previous night’s restaurant meal. The counters are long enough to accommodate several helpers as well as your laptop, should you want to Google new recipes to try out. (Yes, Boater’s Paradise has free WiFi.) And there’s enough storage space that you can stock up on groceries at the beginning of your stay, rather than having to head back out to the supermarket every other day. Each of the 3 bedrooms has its own flat-screen TV and ceiling fan, whose soothing murmur is sure to ease you off to pleasant dreams. Two of the bedrooms have a queen-size bed, making Boater’s Paradise well suited for 2 couples vacationing together; the 3rd bedroom is furnished with 2 twins. [that’s not what the photo shows, however] The beds will be made with fresh linens and plenty of pillows and blankets when you arrive, and freshly laundered towels will be waiting in the 2 bathrooms. If you want to freshen up with a shower or a nap as soon as you arrive, you can. Speaking of conveniences, Boater’s Paradise has its own laundry room, complete with a full-size washer and dryer and a separate entrance to the gardens. You’ll also have access to the house’s double-size garage, which can fit two small cars or one large vehicle; the ample driveway offers even more parking.