<p>Well, the Sundial certainly sounds popular! We’ll probably end up there because of the many pools (just in case there’s red tide or red algae or red stingrays or anything else red :eek:) not to mention more amenities in the condos. I like the Beachview location better, but am a little nervous about the loud A/C that I’ve seen mentioned. We can always go to Bowman or Blind Pass beach for the better beaching/shelling experience. With round trip fares of $169 each from Chicago, $120 car rental, and $159/night condo, how can I resist!</p>
<p>This will be our fifth trip but the first without the kid . My H remembers a lot more than me about the restaurants - I still think about Any Fish You Wish which wasn’t even around the last two times we were there.</p>
<p>If you go to Bowman’s Beach take a lot of quarters with you to feed the parking meters (annoying but necessary). If you walk on the beach to the West/North (i.e. walk from parking lot to the beach and walk to your right) and you walk for about 30 minutes pass all the people, you will likely feel as if you are in the heavens. I suggest you walk at about 4 p.m. on a clear day.</p>
<p>We will definitely report back! By the way, do people ever negotiate with a private owner on price? They are already offering 4 days instead of requiring a week, and the price seems fair, but there’s another (not as nice) unit for 20% less. But if it’s not “done” I won’t even try!</p>
<p>Anyone ever try the Segway tour? I’m not sure how much biking stamina I can build up in two weeks!</p>
<p>Marilyn: did you look on the Trip Advisor forums about Sanibel? There is some current info there about the red algae situation. Apparently now it comes and goes. Where we were there a guide at the Tourist Center told us it rarely is present at the beaches just before Captiva that you mentioned.</p>
<p>We ate at one restaurant we liked very much. It’s called Trader’s Store and Cafe on Periwinkle and is a nice, more formal restaurant with good service. It also has a gift shop attached with lots of things from around the world. We had wonderful grouper sandwiches and liked it so much for lunch that we went back the next day. (1551 Periwinkle Way, about midway)</p>
<p>Flat it may be but let me just say two words: jello thighs. So I’m on the exercise bike every day building up minutes and walking every couple of days. I do want to make it up and down the beach on foot and through Ding Darling on bike. The stoop I think I can handle without working up to it!</p>
<p>Funny coincidence - I opened the Chicago Tribune magazine section today - it’s about spring travel to Lake Michigan beaches - and find three articles about other favorite beach destinations: Waikiki, Malibu, and…Sanibel-Captiva! Boy, do I feel clever for deciding to plan this trip (we did finalize at Sundial). Plus they give a shout-out to Bowman’s Beach being one of Trip Advisor’s 10 best family beaches.</p>
<p>I’ve been tracking the red algae situation but it looks like there’s no way to know ahead of time what will happen - so we’ll just go and hope for the best. At least it looks like there’s always some beaches that are clear.</p>
. My H remembers a lot more than me about the restaurants - I still think about Any Fish You Wish which wasn’t even around the last two times we were there.</p>