You can drive to spectacular Captiva Island using the Blind Pass Bridge, which connects the island with neighboring Sanibel Island. It’s a relatively short bridge crossing the 50-meter-wide Blind Pass waterway. Sanibel Island is in turn linked to the mainland by the 3-mile-long Sanibel Island Causeway. By traveling over these two bridges, you can travel from Punta Rassa on the mainland to Captiva Island in around 35 minutes, a journey of just over 17 miles. During peak season, it can take considerably longer to complete this same journey.
Captiva Island is a long, thin barrier island located off the west coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. It lies to the west of the nearby cities of Fort Myers and Cape Coral, forming part of the same metropolitan area. The island measures 4 miles in length but is just half a mile wide at its widest point. The entirety of the island’s west coast is made up of a long white sand beach.
Despite its proximity to the mainland and other islands, there are only a few ways to reach Captiva Island.
Road – The only road connection to Captiva Island is the Blind Pass Bridge, which connects the island with Sanibel Island. This connection enables a link to the mainland, as Sanibel Island is connected to Punta Rassa via the Sanibel Island Causeway. While there’s no charge for crossing the Blind Pass Bridge onto Captiva Island, there is a $9 fee for westbound traffic on the Sanibel Island Causeway.
There are no road connections to the nearby Pine Island in the east or North Captiva Island in the north.
Boat – Captiva Island is separated from the nearby North Captiva Island by the narrow Redfish Pass. Despite the small distance, there are no road connections or ferries that travel between the two islands. The best option is to hire your own boat or charter a water taxi to travel between the two locations. Onward travel from North Captiva Island is possible using a separate daily ferry service that sails to nearby Pine Island. There’s no direct ferry service between Pine Island and Captiva Island.
Air – There’s no airport on Captiva Island or Sanibel Island, so you’ll need to fly into Fort Myers Airport on the mainland. The airport is well-serviced by all the major U.S. airlines, including American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United. From the airport, you can either choose to rent a vehicle or take an Uber or Lyft. The travel time by road is around 1 hour, and a taxi will cost you $60 -$70. Many hotels and resorts offer private connections, which are often cheaper and more convenient.
Driving on Captiva Island is possible, although there is a very limited road network, and traffic is a problem during peak season. Once you’ve crossed over the Blind Pass Bridge onto the island, you can follow Captiva Drive and South Sea Plantation Road to the north of the island. Parking can also be challenging, although public car parks are at the Blind Pass Bridge and further north at Alison Hagerup Beach.
Captiva Island is generally best visited during the winter or spring months when days are generally warm, dry, and sunny. The temperature during this time averages between 75-80°F, making the island a popular destination for snowbirds. The late autumn is also a good time to visit with similar conditions. It’s generally best to avoid the summer and early autumn as the weather is hot, humid, and often wet. There’s also the chance of hurricanes in late summer and early autumn. This risk was realized in 2022 when Hurricane Ian struck Captiva Island and Sanibel Island, causing widespread destruction.
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