Advice needed - Seawacth on the beach, ft meyers

[krmlaw]

Seawatch on the beach resort ... tell me all about it and if it a good place for a beach vacation

[chriskre]

I haven't stayed at this resort but did visit the grounds this summer and it looks like a really nice place for Fort Myers beach. It's an older resort but it looks like it's maintained nicely.

I personally love the Ft. Myers beach area and have been vacationing every year for 39 years now. I've stayed in a few timeshares and most of the Mom & Pop places over the years but many have been torn down and turned into condos. This place still has a beautiful beach and a nice pool area.

I'd say you'd have a great beach vacation if you don't mind shallow murky water with little to no waves and an occasional dolphin. It's a very swimmable beach for little kids. My opinion, go for it.

[krmlaw]

is all the water in the area murky

[krmlaw]

i really wanted to stay in south seas resort .... should i hold out?

[silentg]

You may have to hold out a long time for Sanibel. I have never been able to get an exchange there.

[TomR]

Through II's on-line exchange system, I traded a winter 1 bedroom St Maarten week for a 2009 summer 2 bedroom at Casa Ybel in Sanibel. I never saw a winter week available on Sanibel/Captiva using my St. Maarten winter weeks. Sure the weather is hot there in the summer, but so is the Gulf waters. We had a great vacation and I can highly recommend Casa Ybel. It is just my opinion, but after driving around the area for a week, I much prefer Sanibel over Captiva.

[chriskre]

South Seas beach is okay. Captiva's had issues with beach erosion over the years. Sanibels beaches are better. Lots of nice shells. Ft. Myers beach isn't always murky but it was when I was there in August this year.

I think the mosquitos are much worse on Sanibel/Captiva than in Ft. Myers beach. I don't think they spray for mosquitos because of the ecosystem on the island. They are very much into preservation and that includes unfortunately the mosquitos and the sandfleas.

It's very very difficult to trade into the west coast from what I've gathered. I got lucky this year and was able to trade into Beach Club I on Ft. Myers beach but it's not as nice as the Mariner resorts or the upscale places although it was a great place in my opinion. Might be that RCI gave me a VRI preference since I own and exchanged another VRI. The one negative being that Humongous Pink shell resort is right next door and is crowded with loud Floridians on vacation. If you've been there you know what I mean. South Seas and Pink Shell are owned by the same group. I think it is Mariners.

I think alot of owners use their weeks. I know that I do with my beach weeks. I hardly ever trade my beach weeks.

[krmlaw]

so would you guys take the trade to seawatch?

we've never been to that side of FL, so we are really going blind here ...

are there things to do in that area?

[chriskre]

I'd trade it unless you were trading a week at a Royal or a St. John week.
What are you trading for this?

As far as things to do in the Southwest:

Visit the Henry Ford & Thomas Edison Museums.

Go on a pirate party boat.

Go on a fishing boat.

Go Parasailing or waverunning.

Fish from the pier.

Visit downtown Naples.

Go shelling on Sanibel.

Visit Lovers Key.

Lots and lots of golf courses.

Visit a local winery. Eden vineyard.

Take a trip to the Everglades and ride an airboat or swampbuggy.

Lay out in the sun.

Take a day trip to Busch Gardens.

Eat great Mexican food and visit the Mexican fleamarkets in Tyce.

Rent a pontoon boat and go out in the flats and see dolphins manatee up close. Bonita beach resort motel or trade into Bonita beach resort and get the boat use for free for the whole week, just pay for gas.

Take a helicopter tour.

Visit a botanical garden.

Visit a water park in Cape Coral.

You can also kayak or canoe in the flats. You might even catch a snook.

Go to open houses at all the million dollar homes for sale now.

Ride bikes on the island.

Go on some timeshare presentations and make a few bucks.

Apply for a job and possibly deduct the trip.

I think you'll have plenty to do. I'm sure I've left off some stuff.

[krmlaw]

wow ... great. im going to confirm this then ....

thanks for the advice!

[chriskre]

I'm sure you'll enjoy the area. Just don't spread the news of how fun it is over there. We don't want everyone trying to trade in there now.