Article: Florida's Gulf Islands shell out delight; Good things to know if you go Getting there: Sanibel and Captiva Islands are located off the Florida Gulf Coast, 130 miles from Orlando and a half-hour drive from Fort Myers. Where to stay: There are any number of hotels, time shares and condos on the islands. We stayed at Song of the Sea, a delightful small inn. The $142-a-night Nature Lovers package for two included continental breakfast, a complimentary bottle of (good) wine, free T-shirts at a gift shop, two-for-one drinks at a nearby lounge, and free admissions for tram and canoe tours of local wildlife refuges. Eating: Restaurants offer the usual surf-and-turf fare, although Sanibel does boast a Thai eatery and a good Italian spot called Portofino. Captiva's claim to fame is the Bubble Room, a kitschy place filled with memorabilia from the 1920s-'50s. It's overpriced, but a good place for a drink. Excellent seafood can be found at Manatee's on Sanibel, an unimpressive-looking place with sophisticated and creative dishes.

There's something refreshingly foreign about Sanibel and Captiva Islands, off Florida's Gulf Coast.

Maybe it's the total absence of stoplights or fast-food franchises. Maybe it's the fact that zoning laws limit building heights to four stories.

But most likely it's the overwhelming presence of undisturbed nature: Nearly half the acreage of these islands is set aside as a wildlife preserve. You can travel along back roads so deserted, so lined with canopy-like foliage, that it's easy to imagine you've been transported to Central America.

Mellow? Sanibel and Captiva define the term. These are places for hanging out, dabbling in golf, tennis or water sports, and finishing up the day with a ...

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