The huge Florida road trip is coming to an end. I only have 1 or 2 more videos to publish from it and it will finally be complete! Check out the journey from the very beginning in this playlist ua-cam.com/play/PLTQbOpui9NO-2QdyVW84djySNVjANFGMQ.html
I'm in this area many times throughout the year and I have to say that this is a great and accurate assessment of the beaches and parking! One of my favorites on Sanibel is Lighthouse Beach which you didn't mention. Parking is currently $6/hour which all of them have gone up to. Parking is somewhat limited but it's a great spot for seeing a lot of dolphins!
Bowman's Beach is a very nice beach. I've enjoyed it the times I've been there and it's worth checking out if your near by. That walk from the parking lot is brutal if your carrying chairs and stuff tho. So pack light.
@@MichaelBordenaro yep, got a $6 toll bill in the mail a month later after visit! Lol Toll booths were not open the day we drove thru, but the cameras must have been! Lol
Sanibel has really gone downhill since we were there back in early 2000s. We stayed at a hotel that was on the beach, there were cabanas to sit in and the beaches were clean and, of course, there were the beautiful shells that kids enjoyed collecting. We went to Captiva for the day and the bird life along the beach was beautiful. Perhaps, all the storms over the years have stripped the beaches of its beauty. Glad we have our memories.
I think the beaches are still very beautiful but they just don’t seem worth visiting in my opinion with how many other great beaches are not far from here
I couldn’t remember the beach that I went to in sanibel because I tried three beaches and they were jam packed, so I ended up at Bowmans! I couldn’t remember what it was called until I saw it in your video. I think that’s where I took my profile picture, actually. I went in January and it was 78° and sunny. I absolutely loved it. But I agree, the rest of sanibel seems like a rip off. I did like driving over the causeway though lol, it felt like a mini Skyway Bridge on I-275
Glad to bring back some cool FL memories for you 😎Next time you're in the area, I recommend checking out Venice, Bonita Springs or Siesta Key. They are all free and just as nice 👌
Hey you guys. Parking has gotten ridiculous !! My favorite beach is Siesta Key. Love the low key atmosphere, beach sand actually squeaks. Enjoy the rest of your trip, and drive home safely. Tampa.
Sanibel Island ist great but the beaches are just standard beaches. The great things on Sanibel are the wildlife, the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the farmers market and so on ;-)
Both if you are completely missing the point of Sanibel Island. People flock there to enjoy the island because of how they kept big business and high rise condos off the island. There is no loud music, no screaming drunk collage kids, there is no nothing fancy. Thats why you go. People appreciate the refuge status of the island. Ive been going for 20 years and spend most winters there.
@@Chewyandalibi I have been all over the state of Florida, and there are many beaches that fit this criteria. This is not the only option if you want tranquility and no big business.
Thank God ! Sanibel or Captiva Island didn't turn into another Marco Island! High Rise Condo after Another High Rise Condo in Marco Island !! Too Much Development Sucks! How many t-shirt shops and Bars does one need in Life going to Fort Myers Beach...
I’ve been to sanibel captiva many times. Pre cerveza craziness, you could get on captiva for less than $300k, now there’s nothing on the market for less than $800k. Sanibel you used to be able to get on the island for less than $300k, now there’s nothing under $550k on the market. It’s mostly full of old people and tourists with kids. There’s really only one road basically on the islands, making it a huge headache to get around much of the time. They also consistently suffer from poor water conditions and red tide due to Lake O draining all those chemicals right there in fort Myers.
Yeah, our plans to retire in FL were ruined due to housing prices going to the extreme. (we live in GA) FL was always more expensive due to popularity but double/triple housing costs are unaffordable for us average folks.
@@lindylou3519 yup. For the most part you’re gonna be paying a million plus to live in decent places in Florida lol. Not worth it to me, not even close. Too crowded and too crazy. I’d recommend you look at some places abroad like Panama for instance, where you can live like a king for a fraction of the price than in the states. Better beaches too. Do some research, the world isn’t such a scary place.
I just left cape coral and went there . I did not like any of the beach’s especially Fort Myers beach the water stunk and then I found out that really it’s just all a bunch of Rivers so disappointed.
What are u talking about?? I think u went to San Carlos and not all the way to fort myers beach. Its literally facing the gulf. The south end beach near lovers key is very nice and more private. Even fort myers beach itself is better than any on sanibel.
Hi Michael, Appreciate your videos. Would love to learn more about the differences among beaches in Florida, that will help to choose our next getaway. Just FYI, we were at Clearwater and St Pete beach last month. I personally liked St Pete better than Clearwater. Less crowded, and less commercialized. Loved the St Pete Pier and boat ride at St Pete Marina. St Petersburg downtown is also great. Enjoyed the Oak and Stone bar and grill's beer wall and pizzas.
Thank you Shailen! I have plenty of similar videos on the channel you can check out at your convenience. Hopefully they can help you on your next trip👌
My daughter & I went to Bowman’s Beach in July this year during our stay in Ft Myers Beach & we loved it & didn’t have to pay for parking that day, which was a great bonus to us as well as a few beach goers that were parking at the same time. If you love shell hunting, Sanibel is the place, although we found some cool shells at Ft Myers beach as well.
I live in Fort Myers Florida and I agree with you totally $25 for 2 hours is way out of line but that's how everything's getting in Fort Myers rent has gotten ridiculous
Yep that area of Florida is exploding in growth right now. I feel bad for you. That’s one plus of living in Miami is we’re already built up to the max so there’s not really much room for extra growth here anymore
In my opinion the best way to experience Sanibel is to rent a condo on the beach. Not as many people as the public beaches. I go for the shells not the “beach”.
The $25 two-hour beach parking (& lack of facilities) is to discourage non-residents from visiting. Reduces outsiders from coming to town, reduces traffic, and effectively creates a private beach the (wealthy) local residents. The high-cost parking is a feature not a bug.
I went to sanibel island beach and I was not impressed. I liked Fort Myers beach much better. But I did notice in sanibel their was a lot of luxury cars.
I've gone to Sanibel and stayed for a few days at one of those small resorts. The thing I liked about it was that it felt like you weren't going to be mobbed by daytrippers & tourists... you felt like a local. Sanibel is also a looooong way away from I-75. Between that, the limited (or ridiculously high priced) parking, and the lack of amenities, it keeps things quiet & chill. I really don't think they want a lot of tourism here. And, the evening biting insects (no-see-ums) are BRUTAL. I had painful bites last for more than 6 weeks.
Welp! After receiving my 2021 property tax bill, I've decided to list my FL beach condo for sale. I've had it fully rented for six years and planned to retire there in two years but the property tax + HOA fees are getting too high (now totaling over $10K per year and going nowhere but up!). Should be able to quickly sell and triple my investment. At this point, I'm feeling that the beach is over-priced & over-rated and after my first bout with skin cancer on my face six months ago, I'm trying to avoid the sun as much as possible. Still going to stay on the east coast FL, but at much less cost and just three miles from the beach.
Oh no! That is bad and good news simultaneously I suppose. At least you'll walk away with some $$ that is always good. Sorry to hear about the skin cancer, that is scary. Where did you decide to go instead?
@@MichaelBordenaro A little north of Palm Beach County. Been here for over ten years now and, fortunately, bought during the real estate crash in 2010.
@@kookietherapy9398 Sold 4 mos. before Ian. On FL's east coast,;no storm sdamage. I got a very attractive (unexpected) offer and closed quickly. I just prepared my 2022 tax return and am looking at a huge (but not unexpected) capital gains tax.
You should make a video ranking the actual beaches, I would like to see a top 5 or 10 best beaches in Florida video now that you’ve been to so many of them
Would it be possible for you to make a video about Nevada and how it compares to Florida. Even better if you could actually visit Nevada and tour it like you recently did with California. Maybe on your next vacation 🤔😎 Anyways love all of your videos, keep em flowing! Much appreciated Kind regards Sean 👋
Maybe next time I'm out that way I can do that👌 I drove through Nevada on my way to California, but didn't really stop anywhere besides Vegas for a couple hours
Good video Michael although you were coming down hard on Sanibel Island lol. I thought it was really nice drive around the island when we went. I think they want to keep it underdeveloped and limit the number of cars parking . We saw a lot of bike riders when we went . Thx for sharing!
Haha thanks, well you know me, I have to say what I think about things / places. Not everyone agrees, but thats ok with me. Yes the parking price might be intentional but it didn't really seem drive too many people away, considering how full many of the lots were
Will you be posting a video on Fort Myers Beach? We recently started going there on vacations and can’t get enough of it. Would love to see how that one ranks against the other beaches you’ve been to.
No because when I went to Fort Myers, it was pretty crowded, so I kept driving south and ended up in Bonita Springs instead. That video will be going up soon
People go to these beaches as they tend to be isolated, or used to be. They are principally known for shelling. Shelling is big there as Sanibel is one of the best shelling beaches in the world. I looked at property on the island a few years back. Its hugely expensive and is designed to be pretty much exclusive at this point. I live on a nearby island that affords better value and amenity to water access albeit primarily boating. (Cayo Costa is a nearby state park accessible by boat only). Bowman's is a nice beach, the beach at the south end (Light house area) is also a nice beach. The idea of the island is that it is something of a preserve, however development has compromised this to a large degree in my opinion.
I can see that is the vibe they are going for here. Which works ok if you're rich and don't plan to leave the island much I suppose. Not a great place to visit IMO. Other areas nearby offer just as nice of beaches at no cost
So glad we feel the same way! This area is beautiful, BUT…I definitely feel that the beaches from Clearwater on up through the panhandle (Destin area, etc.) have nicer, softer, whiter sand. I appreciate all of these areas though. As for that expensive parking, two of my coworkers met in an area of San Diego for dinner one weeknight, and collectively both paid $80.00 to park their two cars in a lot for roughly two hours. Said the prices for downtown are even worse. Unbelievable!
Yep, just not worth it in my opinion. I'll probably never come back here, don't see the point. That is an outrageous amount for parking in San Diego!!!
I visited here a long time ago around 2003. They were propping it up to be like the blue lagoon 😁 The nature was beautiful no doubt. I was disappointed with the water though. It was that mud brown bay type water. Which spooks me out with the sharks down there..lol Either way I enjoyed seeing the tour 👍🏻 It's been a long time since seeing the place
@@MichaelBordenaro Agreed. This is one of the reasons I hadn't spent a lot of time on the gulf in the past. A few of the beaches I went to were like that. Thankfully the gulf beaches on this last trip ended up being top notch 👌🏻 I still have a couple items left on the bucket list in South Florida. Possibly a short winter/spring visit. However I'd really like to explore the entire emerald coast next 👍🏻 My friend recently went to Destin and the beach looked amazing. With calm weather, he ended up getting really nice crystal clear emerald green water every day 👌🏻 Based on the pics, it appeared like it could rival any beach in FL
Well everything isn't for everybody. I perfer the wildlife, shells and happy people. Yes ,a lot to pay to park but most rent places on Sanibel or Captiva and bicycle or walk. Share rides. Glad you made it there tho.
Very informative video. Bowman beach area seems like a winner. If the beach has no restrooms and no showers, that is a no go or is $25 bucks for 2 hours, that is also a no go. Are motorized scooters etc allowed at the Bowman beach? That could ease the burden of walking down to the beach with all our gear. However, then you need to out the freaking scooter somewhere. Sometimes you really wonder what goes through this people's heads that are in charge. It could be that they charge so much to keep the trouble makers out. Unfortunately. that could be a necessary evil? Oh well, Appreciate you Bro. Sorryu to see the Beach Videos coming to an end. I will be hopeful that your put together a summer of your findings. You didn't really go into the real estate options in this area, how was that?
I don’t think you’re allowed to bring any motorized vehicles to the beach here. No I did not cover the cost of housing in this one but I might do something like that in the future
Totally wrong island. You say Sanibel and you go to Captiva. DUH. Captiva is a millionaires sanctuary that's why it's pricey, they don't want you there.
The huge Florida road trip is coming to an end. I only have 1 or 2 more videos to publish from it and it will finally be complete! Check out the journey from the very beginning in this playlist ua-cam.com/play/PLTQbOpui9NO-2QdyVW84djySNVjANFGMQ.html
I'm in this area many times throughout the year and I have to say that this is a great and accurate assessment of the beaches and parking! One of my favorites on Sanibel is Lighthouse Beach which you didn't mention. Parking is currently $6/hour which all of them have gone up to. Parking is somewhat limited but it's a great spot for seeing a lot of dolphins!
Bowman's Beach looks awesome
I would recommend checking that one out 👌
My wife and i and my 3 daughters went to
Sanibel every july from 1993 until 2013
wow what a tradition!
Love Sanibel and Captiva .....
Great video. Thanks
Glad you liked it!
Love the Satellite Images Michael… Great video!👍🏽
Glad you like them!
You should have gone completely to the other end where Lighthouse Beach is located!
Oh well, I guess i made it everywhere but there
Yes I was going to say the same thing!
Great video! Thanks for taking the time and showing us Sanibel island. 🏝
Thank you Johnny you’re welcome!!
A wagon. Good investment for beach goers
Good call 👌
West coast beaches are like big lakes they hardly move.
Usually they are pretty calm
I agree, Sanibel and Captiva is disappointing.
I think it’s pretty underwhelming too considering how many other beautiful places are nearby
Thanks, we were going to visit last week and we were talked out of it. Sanibel is crossed off our list.
Good call there’s plenty of other beaches not far from here that are much better and free
Bowman's Beach is a very nice beach. I've enjoyed it the times I've been there and it's worth checking out if your near by. That walk from the parking lot is brutal if your carrying chairs and stuff tho. So pack light.
I played golf on the course there it was nice!!
Those parking prices are discouraging. Plus, you have to pay a toll at the causeway just to get on the island.
Yeah they are and I forgot to mention in the video that you have to pay that toll to cross the bridge too!
@@MichaelBordenaro yep, got a $6 toll bill in the mail a month later after visit! Lol Toll booths were not open the day we drove thru, but the cameras must have been! Lol
@@lindylou3519 Its because they are getting rid of all the actual toll booths in FL. All tolls now are cashless by the plate or sunpass
all the traffic, cost & red tide-no thanks!
Park at the causeway free parking right on the beach!
Sanibel has really gone downhill since we were there back in early 2000s. We stayed at a hotel that was on the beach, there were cabanas to sit in and the beaches were clean and, of course, there were the beautiful shells that kids enjoyed collecting. We went to Captiva for the day and the bird life along the beach was beautiful. Perhaps, all the storms over the years have stripped the beaches of its beauty. Glad we have our memories.
I think the beaches are still very beautiful but they just don’t seem worth visiting in my opinion with how many other great beaches are not far from here
If you are a resident of Fort Myers you could buy a parking permit for $60 for the year and park at certain beaches
I couldn’t remember the beach that I went to in sanibel because I tried three beaches and they were jam packed, so I ended up at Bowmans! I couldn’t remember what it was called until I saw it in your video. I think that’s where I took my profile picture, actually. I went in January and it was 78° and sunny. I absolutely loved it. But I agree, the rest of sanibel seems like a rip off. I did like driving over the causeway though lol, it felt like a mini Skyway Bridge on I-275
Glad to bring back some cool FL memories for you 😎Next time you're in the area, I recommend checking out Venice, Bonita Springs or Siesta Key. They are all free and just as nice 👌
Hey you guys. Parking has gotten ridiculous !! My favorite beach is Siesta Key. Love the low key atmosphere, beach sand actually squeaks. Enjoy the rest of your trip, and drive home safely. Tampa.
I enjoyed Siesta key too! That is a place I would go back too 👌
Sanibel Island ist great but the beaches are just standard beaches. The great things on Sanibel are the wildlife, the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the farmers market and so on ;-)
The wildlife refuge would probably be the only thing I would go back there for, and that grouper too 😄
Both if you are completely missing the point of Sanibel Island. People flock there to enjoy the island because of how they kept big business and high rise condos off the island. There is no loud music, no screaming drunk collage kids, there is no nothing fancy. Thats why you go. People appreciate the refuge status of the island. Ive been going for 20 years and spend most winters there.
@@Chewyandalibi I have been all over the state of Florida, and there are many beaches that fit this criteria. This is not the only option if you want tranquility and no big business.
Would appreciate if you can suggest a beach on Florida east coast, a beach which is not very crowded and is clean. Thank you!!
First ones that come to mind I would definitely suggest would be Juno Beach or satellite Beach. I have videos on those places too
Thank God ! Sanibel or Captiva Island didn't turn into another Marco Island! High Rise Condo after Another High Rise Condo in Marco Island !! Too Much Development Sucks! How many t-shirt shops and Bars does one need in Life going to Fort Myers Beach...
I'll give it that for sure!
Isn't there a pretty expensive toll to go over the causeway? $25 for two hours really says, "stay away riff raff".
Yes there is a toll, I think its a few bucks
I’ve been to sanibel captiva many times. Pre cerveza craziness, you could get on captiva for less than $300k, now there’s nothing on the market for less than $800k. Sanibel you used to be able to get on the island for less than $300k, now there’s nothing under $550k on the market.
It’s mostly full of old people and tourists with kids. There’s really only one road basically on the islands, making it a huge headache to get around much of the time. They also consistently suffer from poor water conditions and red tide due to Lake O draining all those chemicals right there in fort Myers.
Yeah, our plans to retire in FL were ruined due to housing prices going to the extreme. (we live in GA) FL was always more expensive due to popularity but double/triple housing costs are unaffordable for us average folks.
All even more reasons for me to cross this off the list of one of my favorite places in Florida
@@lindylou3519 yup. For the most part you’re gonna be paying a million plus to live in decent places in Florida lol. Not worth it to me, not even close. Too crowded and too crazy. I’d recommend you look at some places abroad like Panama for instance, where you can live like a king for a fraction of the price than in the states. Better beaches too. Do some research, the world isn’t such a scary place.
I just left cape coral and went there . I did not like any of the beach’s especially Fort Myers beach the water stunk and then I found out that really it’s just all a bunch of Rivers so disappointed.
Its very possible there was red tide when you were there
What are u talking about?? I think u went to San Carlos and not all the way to fort myers beach. Its literally facing the gulf. The south end beach near lovers key is very nice and more private. Even fort myers beach itself is better than any on sanibel.
Hi Michael, Appreciate your videos. Would love to learn more about the differences among beaches in Florida, that will help to choose our next getaway.
Just FYI, we were at Clearwater and St Pete beach last month. I personally liked St Pete better than Clearwater. Less crowded, and less commercialized. Loved the St Pete Pier and boat ride at St Pete Marina. St Petersburg downtown is also great. Enjoyed the Oak and Stone bar and grill's beer wall and pizzas.
Thank you Shailen! I have plenty of similar videos on the channel you can check out at your convenience. Hopefully they can help you on your next trip👌
Holy hell! The parking! Been to that area many times. Yikes
I know right!
My daughter & I went to Bowman’s Beach in July this year during our stay in Ft Myers Beach & we loved it & didn’t have to pay for parking that day, which was a great bonus to us as well as a few beach goers that were parking at the same time. If you love shell hunting, Sanibel is the place, although we found some cool shells at Ft Myers beach as well.
Its always nice when you don't have to pay for parking 👌
I live in Fort Myers Florida and I agree with you totally $25 for 2 hours is way out of line but that's how everything's getting in Fort Myers rent has gotten ridiculous
Yep that area of Florida is exploding in growth right now. I feel bad for you. That’s one plus of living in Miami is we’re already built up to the max so there’s not really much room for extra growth here anymore
In my opinion the best way to experience Sanibel is to rent a condo on the beach. Not as many people as the public beaches. I go for the shells not the “beach”.
I will 2nd that
I found a beach there for like $7 for a couple hours then it started pouring and everybody bailed lol!
😆
The $25 two-hour beach parking (& lack of facilities) is to discourage non-residents from visiting. Reduces outsiders from coming to town, reduces traffic, and effectively creates a private beach the (wealthy) local residents. The high-cost parking is a feature not a bug.
Thats perfectly fine with me, the deterrent worked as I won't be back 👌 Really nothing to go back for IMO
That what make this islands a peaceful paradise with a rich wildlife and clean beaches.
@@virginiatort3362 Those beaches sucked. And so did the amenities.
I went to sanibel island beach and I was not impressed. I liked Fort Myers beach much better. But I did notice in sanibel their was a lot of luxury cars.
Likewise, nothing too special here that you can't get anywhere else nearby
Plenty of parking? Try finding a spot inJan, Feb or March. Insane.
Haha I hear you!
I've gone to Sanibel and stayed for a few days at one of those small resorts. The thing I liked about it was that it felt like you weren't going to be mobbed by daytrippers & tourists... you felt like a local.
Sanibel is also a looooong way away from I-75. Between that, the limited (or ridiculously high priced) parking, and the lack of amenities, it keeps things quiet & chill. I really don't think they want a lot of tourism here.
And, the evening biting insects (no-see-ums) are BRUTAL. I had painful bites last for more than 6 weeks.
I can see that side of it for sure. It is a pretty isolated island and you really need to make the effort to get over this way
I spent a Thanksgiving weekend there. It was boring and dissapointing.
What a ripp off
Totally!
Welp! After receiving my 2021 property tax bill, I've decided to list my FL beach condo for sale. I've had it fully rented for six years and planned to retire there in two years but the property tax + HOA fees are getting too high (now totaling over $10K per year and going nowhere but up!). Should be able to quickly sell and triple my investment. At this point, I'm feeling that the beach is over-priced & over-rated and after my first bout with skin cancer on my face six months ago, I'm trying to avoid the sun as much as possible. Still going to stay on the east coast FL, but at much less cost and just three miles from the beach.
Oh no! That is bad and good news simultaneously I suppose. At least you'll walk away with some $$ that is always good. Sorry to hear about the skin cancer, that is scary. Where did you decide to go instead?
@@MichaelBordenaro A little north of Palm Beach County. Been here for over ten years now and, fortunately, bought during the real estate crash in 2010.
Curious if you got your condo sold before Ian came thru ?
@@kookietherapy9398 Sold 4 mos. before Ian. On FL's east coast,;no storm sdamage. I got a very attractive (unexpected) offer and closed quickly. I just prepared my 2022 tax return and am looking at a huge (but not unexpected) capital gains tax.
You should make a video ranking the actual beaches, I would like to see a top 5 or 10 best beaches in Florida video now that you’ve been to so many of them
Thanks for the idea Michael! I put it on my ideas list, this one I will definitely make😀
The ranking should be only the ones with inexpensive parking.
@@s99614 Don't worry about that, most of the best ones have free parking 👌
They charge that much for that exact reason, to keep the people away, lol
It worked 😆
Those parking rates are insane, especially with no shower. This was a good video with the Google maps clips, nice!
I know right I don’t know what they’re thinking!
$25 for 2 hours? Maybe that 1.2T bill they just passed will cover this hot mess.
No kidding!!
no lobsters?
Man$$$, Oh man, the price to park at Blind Pass has sure gone up since I left in 2010.
Yep!!
Would it be possible for you to make a video about Nevada and how it compares to Florida. Even better if you could actually visit Nevada and tour it like you recently did with California. Maybe on your next vacation 🤔😎
Anyways love all of your videos, keep em flowing!
Much appreciated
Kind regards Sean 👋
Maybe next time I'm out that way I can do that👌 I drove through Nevada on my way to California, but didn't really stop anywhere besides Vegas for a couple hours
@@MichaelBordenaro thank you for a quick response 😄
@@MisterSeanR You're welcome!
Good video Michael although you were coming down hard on Sanibel Island lol. I thought it was really nice drive around the island when we went. I think they want to keep it underdeveloped and limit the number of cars parking . We saw a lot of bike riders when we went . Thx for sharing!
Haha thanks, well you know me, I have to say what I think about things / places. Not everyone agrees, but thats ok with me. Yes the parking price might be intentional but it didn't really seem drive too many people away, considering how full many of the lots were
Will you be posting a video on Fort Myers Beach? We recently started going there on vacations and can’t get enough of it. Would love to see how that one ranks against the other beaches you’ve been to.
No because when I went to Fort Myers, it was pretty crowded, so I kept driving south and ended up in Bonita Springs instead. That video will be going up soon
One day, you should do a ranking of all of the Florida Counties that you've been to! :)
Thanks for the idea!
People go to these beaches as they tend to be isolated, or used to be. They are principally known for shelling. Shelling is big there as Sanibel is one of the best shelling beaches in the world. I looked at property on the island a few years back. Its hugely expensive and is designed to be pretty much exclusive at this point. I live on a nearby island that affords better value and amenity to water access albeit primarily boating. (Cayo Costa is a nearby state park accessible by boat only). Bowman's is a nice beach, the beach at the south end (Light house area) is also a nice beach. The idea of the island is that it is something of a preserve, however development has compromised this to a large degree in my opinion.
I can see that is the vibe they are going for here. Which works ok if you're rich and don't plan to leave the island much I suppose. Not a great place to visit IMO. Other areas nearby offer just as nice of beaches at no cost
It's too hot over there, most of the time. The sun is too strong. The red tide is nasty. It's a boring place. The east coast beaches are better.
I know that red side is a huge concern for me!
Oi Michael and Lisi. Have you been to Bahia Honda Park in the keys? Probably the best beach in Florida.
Hey Andre, only drove by, never stopped. We have been to Key West once several years ago, but didn't really stop anywhere in between.
So glad we feel the same way! This area is beautiful, BUT…I definitely feel that the beaches from Clearwater on up through the panhandle (Destin area, etc.) have nicer, softer, whiter sand. I appreciate all of these areas though. As for that expensive parking, two of my coworkers met in an area of San Diego for dinner one weeknight, and collectively both paid $80.00 to park their two cars in a lot for roughly two hours. Said the prices for downtown are even worse. Unbelievable!
Yep, just not worth it in my opinion. I'll probably never come back here, don't see the point. That is an outrageous amount for parking in San Diego!!!
I visited here a long time ago around 2003. They were propping it up to be like the blue lagoon 😁 The nature was beautiful no doubt. I was disappointed with the water though. It was that mud brown bay type water. Which spooks me out with the sharks down there..lol Either way I enjoyed seeing the tour 👍🏻 It's been a long time since seeing the place
I would not be in a hurry to come back here either
@@MichaelBordenaro Agreed. This is one of the reasons I hadn't spent a lot of time on the gulf in the past. A few of the beaches I went to were like that. Thankfully the gulf beaches on this last trip ended up being top notch 👌🏻
I still have a couple items left on the bucket list in South Florida. Possibly a short winter/spring visit. However I'd really like to explore the entire emerald coast next 👍🏻 My friend recently went to Destin and the beach looked amazing. With calm weather, he ended up getting really nice crystal clear emerald green water every day 👌🏻 Based on the pics, it appeared like it could rival any beach in FL
@@markm391 You should definitely hit the panhandle beaches. They are gorgeous!
In summation.
All the beaches are sub par
Well everything isn't for everybody. I perfer the wildlife, shells and happy people. Yes ,a lot to pay to park but most rent places on Sanibel or Captiva and bicycle or walk. Share rides. Glad you made it there tho.
Thats for sure!
I like Lover’s Key and Barefoot beach way better than Sanibel.
Very informative video. Bowman beach area seems like a winner. If the beach has no restrooms and no showers, that is a no go or is $25 bucks for 2 hours, that is also a no go. Are motorized scooters etc allowed at the Bowman beach? That could ease the burden of walking down to the beach with all our gear. However, then you need to out the freaking scooter somewhere. Sometimes you really wonder what goes through this people's heads that are in charge. It could be that they charge so much to keep the trouble makers out. Unfortunately. that could be a necessary evil? Oh well, Appreciate you Bro. Sorryu to see the Beach Videos coming to an end. I will be hopeful that your put together a summer of your findings. You didn't really go into the real estate options in this area, how was that?
I don’t think you’re allowed to bring any motorized vehicles to the beach here. No I did not cover the cost of housing in this one but I might do something like that in the future
a bit overpriced for what you get indeed but the experience of walking there looked kinda cool!
Yes the walk to the beach was pretty awesome
This is pathetic. Want to see nice beaches, come to Australia.
I have been to much better Florida spots than this
Do you do anything else but complain? Sanibel and Captiva are great places.
Totally wrong island. You say Sanibel and you go to Captiva. DUH. Captiva is a millionaires sanctuary that's why it's pricey, they don't want you there.