• HOME
  • photography
  • Life
  • Adventures
  • decorate
  • shop
  • craft

Mrs. Midcoast

Mom Blogger - Musings from the Heart of America

Adventures

Sanibel Island Florida Family Vacation

July 13, 2017

waterside inn sanibel florida

So after our Epic Disney World Adventure we needed a little chill time at the beach. We like to stay at different types of places that aren’t your typical hotel. I knew I wanted a quaint vintage vibe old Florida Cottage. So I did a little research and came across the cutest little cottage community in Sanibel Island, Florida called Waterside Inn. It was about a 3 hour drive from Disney World and well worth it. Just relaxing on the beach for a few days after a crazy Disney trip was fantastic.

We stayed in the Raspberry Cottage, which is PINK! The Waterside Inn is right on the beach, has laundry facilities, beach towels, a pool and was close to dining and shops. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect place.

family photography sanibel floridaSince it is not cheap to fly a family of 6 anywhere we try to maximize our vacation adventure by visiting more than one place. So we usually always fly in one airport rent a car and then fly out of a different airport. This trip we flew into Orland, went to Disney then drove down to Sanibel and file out of Fort Meyers airport.  Most of the time there is a $50-$100 fee to return the rental car to a different location, but its worth it for us. Other trips we have done like this were fly into Portland and out of Seattle. Fly into San Diego and out of Los Angeles. We’ve never had a problem switching airports and it’s really nice to see different cities.

 

waterside inn sanibel island florida

raspberry cottage waterside inn sanibel florida

Raspberry Cottage

waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida

florida beach cottages

florida family vacation waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida

sanibel island florida waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida sanibel island florida

The Inn had a great little pool and we swam in the rain because it’s Florida and it rains more than I expected. It was actually overcast for most of the beach trip which normally I would be bummed about, but after the heat of Disney World it was a nice break. waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida pool at waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida pool waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida pool waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida pool waterside inn on the beach sanibel island florida pool

This was Liam’s first real beach experience. He went with us to Mexico last year, but he was only 3 months old so he didn’t get to play. It was fun to watch him exploring the sand and water.

There was also a storm off shore which made some pretty big waves. The boys had a blast with the big waves.
beach sanibel island florida beach sanibel island florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida beach photography sanibel florida

waterside inn sanibel

The inside of the Raspberry Cottage was the perfect Old Florida vibe. The kitchen and living space were open to each other. The kids chilling with their iPads. After being so busy at Disney and long days at the beach we really didn’t mind them just chilling and playing on their tablets. This was one of those times the Brendan and I just wanted to chill SOLO on the lanai and have a cocktail, so we let the iPads parent for a while 🙂 raspberry cottage waterside inn on the beach sanibel florida raspberry cottage waterside inn on the beach sanibel florida raspberry cottage waterside inn on the beach sanibel florida raspberry cottage waterside inn on the beach sanibel florida raspberry cottage waterside inn on the beach sanibel florida

beach cottage waterside inn on the beach sanibel florida sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation sanibel florida beach vacation

We rented a Surrey Bike and went on a bike ride on one of the many bike trails on Sanibel. It was actually hard work pedaling with four kids, but it was super fun. family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida family surrey bike ride sanibel island florida

We spent mornings drinking coffee and evenings having cocktails on the lanai.  It was a nice “playpen” for Liam. Eloise and Quinn really loved playing in the “shell dirt” outside the door. raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida

Me and Eloise wearing our matching dresses. A plus to being a petite person is that I can buy clothes from the little girls section and Eloise and I can match 🙂raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida waterside inn cottages sanibel florida raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida

raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida raspberry cottage at waterside inn sanibel florida waterside inn sanibel florida family pictures waterside inn sanibel florida family pictures Family Picture time!  I always take a tripod on vacation so we can take a nice family picture. I actually forgot my camera remote control so I had to set the camera on a timer push the button and run to get in the shot….eek!  The remote works way better!!!waterside inn sanibel florida family pictures

sanibel island family vacation

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

RELATED

Spring Europe Road Trip: Netherlands, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium
January 12, 2019
Europe Trip Stop 14: Antwerp, Belgium
May 14, 2018
Europe Trip Stop 13: Giverny, France – Claude Monet’s House and Gardens
May 13, 2018
Europe Trip Stop 12: Chateau de Versailles – Versailles, France
May 12, 2018
Europe Trip Stop 11: Amsterdam, Netherlands
May 11, 2018
Leave a Comment 
0

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi! I'm Sarah, mom of four, living the dream in the MidCoast. This is my journey of moming, crafting, traveling, shoping, saving, living, loving, learning, etc. I'm really good at run-on sentences. I don't have time to proofread and I assume if you are here you are a busy mom as well, so you don't care. Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo,
Mrs. Midcoast

Categories

Featured Posts

Seabrook Washington Beach Cottage

White Sands New Mexico

Disneyland Sleeping Beauty’s Castle Photography Tips

family vacation in tulum mexico

Adventures in Tulum, Mexico

family on main street at magic kingdom

Our Epic Walt Disney World as a Family with Four Small Children Summer Adventure

family photography sanibel florida

Sanibel Island Florida Family Vacation

Disney World Art of Animation Resort Lion King Suite Room

My Favorite Items for Traveling with Kids

maroon bells aspen colorado

Our First Road Trip with Four Kids to Colorado

the netherlands tulip fields

Europe Trip Stop 1: The Netherlands – Tulip Fields of Lisse Holland

hotel with castle view Mosel cochem Germany

Europe Trip Stop 2: Cochem, Germany – Castle on the Mosel River

Burg Eltz Castle

Europe Trip Stop 3: Burg Eltz Castle – Wierschem, Germany

neuschwanstein castle Bavaria Germany

Europe Trip Stop 4: Neuschwanstein Castle – Schwangau, Germany

Europe Trip Stop 5: Principality of Liechtenstein

lauterbrunnen_switzerland_vacation

Europe Trip Stop 6: Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

eguisheim_fountain

Europe Trip Stop 7: Eguisheim, France

Europe Trip Stop 8: Colmar, France

Europe Trip Stop 9: Luxembourg

Europe Trip Stop 10: Zaanse Schans, Netherlands

Europe Trip Stop 11: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Europe Trip Stop 12: Chateau de Versailles – Versailles, France

Europe Trip Stop 13: Giverny, France – Claude Monet’s House and Gardens

Europe Trip Stop 14: Antwerp, Belgium

Spring Europe Road Trip: Netherlands, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium

Back to top