Inside Captiva Island, Florida's Best Vacation Home Rentals

"Set on four acres of waterfront property, this estate feels like a collection of private retreats with 11 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms (most ensuite), two rooms per wing in the main house and three rooms in a separate guest cottage. For group time there’s a cozy TV room, two fire pits, a hot tub, a spacious great room with a fully equipped bar, and outdoor living rooms by both the pool and the dock. We launched kayaks and stand-up paddle boards straight from the backyard to explore the nearby mangrove trail, took a two-minute ride on the property golf cart to the beach, and used the dock — stocked with fishing equipment — for fishing; there’s also a tennis court that doubles as a half basketball court. The house is luxuriously furnished but still welcoming to children, and the concierge service made the stay feel truly effortless, arranging groceries, private chefs (Paper Fig Kitchen wowed us with melt-in-your-mouth cheese puffs and a key lime pie we literally fought over), tennis lessons, and an eco-tour that picked us up at the private dock. Owned by the husband-and-wife team behind Drip Castle Management, Sea Oats is built for groups who want both togetherness and alone time while keeping a comfortable “bubble.”" - Jessica Poitevien Jessica Poitevien Jessica Poitevien is an international storyteller and regular contributor to Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines