Plantation Bay Villas at South Seas Island Resort

Plantation Bay Villas at South Seas Island Resort is on Captiva Island, FL. This is the 8^th resort in the area I have been to this year and I am still excited because the West coast of Florida is that amazing.

Video by Michael & Kate

Day One Travel & Arrival at Plantation Bay Villas at South Seas Island Resort

My trip began as many do with a drive down I95. This is a long haul that was about a 14-hour trip. I stopped in Jacksonville on the way down, so I only had 4 hours to drive today to the resort.

After my drive I still had some time before check-in, so I went to Key Lime Bistro on Captiva Island. For lunch, I had a great Caesar salad and then fresh crab cakes. The meal was amazing. I could barely hold it but I had to try the Key Lime Pie while I was here.

I then drove to the resort parked my car mentioning I was a guest in the area early to prevent any towing of my car, then I walked, not waddled down to the beach as full as I was from lunch.

The beach on Captiva is long, uninterrupted, and wide. It essentially covers the entire gulf side of the island in a deep beach layer that is at least 20 yards wide at low tide.

You can access the beach in the area via the beach park. Alison Hagerup Beach Park is just a few blocks distance away from the resort parking.

I spent the next hour until check-in time on the nice beach.

Once back at the resort for check-in, it was time to see my accommodations. This resort offers giant 3-bedroom villas. That is the centerpiece of their accommodations. Each villa or suite is 1,611 sq ft, and the suite offers everything a family or small group would want. A full kitchen and even a washer and dryer are all in the unit. I have found with beach fun it pays to have a washer and dryer in the unit to wash and dry swimsuits from the day before. No more of that 70s or 80s cold wet suit the next day experience.

Villa Amenities

Resort Amenities

Recent Reviews

The resort is very nice with lots of wildlife to see! The manatees were very active and playful while we were there! Lots of birds and dolphins to see too. The beaches were clean and plenty of space if you don’t want to be by people. This is a cashless resort, which can be dangerous if you get carried away! The rooms can use some updates, but overall, the resort was very nice and kept clean overall.

The suites are large and spacious. The pool is nice, but the beach is the main attraction and you are close. Captiva is a great island getaway and you will have a blast renting bikes, and spending time on the beach. It was nice coming in the springtime before the peak summer crowds. The island was busy, and many people seemed to get away from places still on some sort of lockdown, so everyone looked relieved and happy.

I settled in to watch the sunset on the beach to end this long two-day travel time. It was an amazing view, one that is hard to find competition for except maybe Hawaii. Certainly, the price is right for a trip to Captiva instead when booking with TZort.

Day Two Sailing

Today I had friends coming to stay with me. I could not be in this great 3 bedroom alone and not feel guilty. I have a friend who lives in Miami who, along with another friend, drove the short drive over to the resort. Since Captiva is on the West Coast and Florida is so then here down towards the bottom of the State it was an easy drive for them.

My friends have a neat south beach area condo, but this location on the island I thought would still be fun for them. It is always good to hang out with friends. Once they arrived, we headed for my planned outing of the day, which was going sailing.

I used to sail a good bit when I was young and even sailed some competitively for a few years. On this trip, however, I did not want to be the captain of the boat. Instead, I wanted to enjoy the ride and focus on a drink or two. We chose New Moon Sailing to take us out on the water. This is a local Captiva Boat and captain who knows the water well. I think the idea of getting away from it all and starting a sailing business appeals to everyone who can sail at some point. Here Mick has done it and truly enjoys the experience right along with you.

We went out for a full day sailing in the local area. We stopped for lunch on a little island, and just really enjoyed the time. My friends had never sailed before. So both were excited and overwhelmed by the experience.

When you first sail on the open sea (or in this case the Gulf) you feel like you are transported back in time. Some part of your lizard brain senses danger even on a calm day like today. In these waters, you also can think about stories of pirates from hundreds of years ago. While sailing for the first time in I think 2 years, I was also thinking about the time when I used to sail every week. I do not have the energy or passion to maintain my own sailboat these days, but I do miss the time on the water.

Day Three Exploring Captiva from the Plantation Bay Villas at South Seas Island Resort

Captiva is a great island especially because of its long white sand beach. If you look at the area in Google Maps, you can see that the beach just seems to keep going and wrapping around the gulf side of the island. Captiva is smaller than its neighboring Sanibel but lovely and full of fun adventures that are slow in pace.

Here are some reviews of the beach here, so you can get a feel for how others see it.

Beach Reviews

Lots of room to spread out, the water nice and calm, lots of dolphins! Some shells (not as many as 20-30 years ago).

The shells were plentiful even at 5:30 pm and the sunset was spectacular. The lack of insects and wind made for a perfect evening stroll.

Very nice beach and surroundings. Lots of shells for those collectors. Parking can be a bit of a challenge if you’re not staying on the island. The waves were a little rough for small kids; at least on the day we were there, but still, a lot of kids were playing in them. The beaches were clean and not crowded at all. The water temperature was perfect. Life runs at a slower pace here, which is perfect for relaxing.

Captiva Beaches and water are much better than Fort Myers. Clearer, bluer water. Less crowded for those who don’t want all the hustle and bustle. Enjoyed Captiva Island very much.

Nice Private Beach Feeling without the price

What I love about this resort at Plantation Bay Villas at South Seas Island Resort is the lack of crowds even now in the springtime.

For us, the beach here was nice because of the lack of crowds and privacy. I could see a couple here enjoying an almost private walk before sunset, or time on a beach towel just being together and taking it all in.

With my friends in tow, we walked the full length of the beach here and took it all in. Playing in the water some, and generally just enjoying the great location.

Afterward, we rented bikes and toured the island. There are a great number of options for renting boats, jet skis, bikes, and more on the island. There is also a good amount of fishing charters and looking back on it other than the fact we just rented a boat for sailing the day before, I am not sure why we did not go fishing. It must be great in the area.

After a few hours of visiting local shops and spots, it was time to get something to eat. We went to Cantina Captiva which was an Earth Mexican spot that had a nice beach dive feel to it.

Afterward we headed to the Tween Waters Spa for some massage and the ladies got manicures and pedicures as well. This was a nice way to cap off the afternoon after all the bike riding. There are other spas on the island as well if you can not arrange an appointment here. Try Kay Casperson as an alternative for you. Between the salt air and the bike ride, once massage hit me, it was all I could do to stay away.

The worry of someone pushing on my body after Mexican food and beer was, I think, the only thing that kept me awake during the latter part of the session.

Want a great vacation destination on Captiva Island and you to have a good sizes group try this resort through Tzort.