Andy is making himself at home in our rebuilt back office, while Lisa and Candy are organizing our new front desk!   In addition to renovating all of our units and amenities in preparation to welcome you back, we’re also putting our Ocean’s Reach office back together again, bit by bit! Over the past month, we’ve put in a new front desk, back office area, computers and phone lines.  Some of it is still work-in-progress, but it’s enough to start taking reservations again … and we’re oh-so-excited to get to this stage! As we’ve announced, we are now accepting reservations for stays fr ..read more

  Ocean’s Reach is reopening November 30, 2024!  At long last, we are delighted to invite you to once again visit our much-beloved “all oceanfront” condominium resort on Sanibel Island. We continue to work non-stop to rebuild our complex after the shambles Hurricane Ian left behind nearly eighteen months ago.  By late this year, we’ll be able to welcome you to beautiful new units, brand new amenities and our exquisite world-class beach just steps away. Each and every one of our 64 fully-appointed and impeccably-maintained condominiums are directly beachfront, allowing you to en ..read more

  Now that our new interiors are underway at Ocean’s Reach, it’s time to focus on bringing back our outdoor beautification! As you may know, Andy has done a remarkable job through the years ensuring that the grounds and landscaping at Ocean’s Reach were some of the loveliest on Sanibel Island. Over the past year, he has worked eagerly with both our landscaper and the City of Sanibel’s natural resources department to develop a plan that’s not only in keeping with our goal of bringing back Ocean’s Reach “better than ever,” but a plan that also has a strong emphasis on environmental sus ..read more

Photo by Bonnie Gross of “Florida Rambler”   The SanCap Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a State of the Islands Summit, which brought more than 230 people together to hear about progress on Sanibel and Captiva Islands.  Attendees heard from nearly 20 speakers and panelists who assessed our hurricane recovery efforts to date, providing both an inspiring and pragmatic update for island residents and businesses. The key take-aways from the summit: Sanibel leaders say finances are stable, real estate values remain steady and 70% of island businesses have come back in some capacity. F ..read more

  Visitors driving electric vehicles to Sanibel and Captiva Islands can now rest assured that they will be able to charge their cars while on island. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held at the SanCap Chamber Visitor Center to celebrate their new electric-vehicle (EV) charging station with two plugins – the first public EV station on the islands – which had been in the planning stages before Hurricane Ian hit in September 2022. Two parking spots on the right side at the back of the chamber parking lot are now designated for EV charging, open 24 hours daily. Users can pay at the st ..read more

The Sanibel Lighthouse with its new permanent leg!   Photos from The City of Sanibel   A symbol of hope for so many after Hurricane Ian, the Sanibel Lighthouse has just received a new cast iron leg and is standing strong once again. When Hurricane Ian left its catastrophic impact on the island sixteen months ago, rumors swirled that Ian’s surge took out the lighthouse.  As the sun came up the next day, islanders were relieved to find that the 138-year-old lighthouse had survived, but had been battered so fericiously that it was missing a leg and its two caretaker cott ..read more

“Friends are like seashells we collect along the way.”   Many of our Ocean’s Reach guests have stopped by to say ‘hello’ while we continue our rebuilding work here in “repairadise.” We love that they’ve come to visit the many businesses throughout the island that have worked hard to re-open and who very much appreciate the support.  We hope to be able to let you know of our own re-opening plans within the next month or so.  We can’t wait to be able to welcome you back to your favorite beach destination! As our local chamber of commerce likes to say, we may not be perfect … yet ..read more

  Happy New Year!  Just as a new year allows us to focus on reinvigorating our own lives, the start of 2024 will see rejuvenation of Sanibel’s beloved beaches and ecosystems. A little over fifteen months ago, Hurricane Ian flattened our coastline, leaving behind significant beach erosion and creating channels of “gullies” near the beach at Ocean’s Reach and throughout the island. After months of careful planning, an enormous beach renourishment program is now underway, aimed at restoring Sanibel’s beaches to their former glory. More than 400,000 tons of pristine sand will soon b ..read more

  A place to let it all go … and take it all in. Where it’s come as you are and everybody’s your friend.   Feels like home to me.    A new release by BMI musical artists Brian Sutherland and Clint Daniels illustrates the special connection the songwriters have to Southwest Florida.  Our county tourism bureau is calling “Feels Like Home To Me” our new destination anthem. The music video for the song was shot on Captiva Island and takes viewers on a journey through our little corner of the world, with highlights including the Sanibel Lighthouse, downtown Fort Myers ..read more

  It’s time to kick off the holiday season on Sanibel and Captiva Islands! Our traditional “Luminary Night” community celebration will be postponed one more year, as the SanCap Chamber of Commerce announced that it will wait until the first weekend of December 2024 to host the beloved holiday event as a kickoff to the City of Sanibel’s 50th anniversary. However, a merry mix of events are planned in its place this year to ensure that we keep the holiday spirit alive and well on the islands! A few that are sure to be Santa’s favorites: HOLIDAY SHOPPING NIGHT The J.N. “Ding” Darling Na ..read more