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17 Apr 2018
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Hints and Tips

Many people rent a condo, house or cottage on Sanibel with more room than they may need so that they can invite family and friends to visit. This is especially true of our vacation rental guests for stay for a month or more.

And while we love to read and hear about everyone having a special time together, we can also see between the lines.

The truth is, entertaining can be exhausting, even in the nicest of places and with the very best in amenities. The daily necessities of shopping and preparing meals, not even to mention the clean ups, consume lots of vacation time.

And, while Sanibel restaurants run the gamut from super casual to casual chic, the truth is that eating out for every dinner soon wears down the vacation budget.

But, you want to be a good host and hostess, and clearly want to avoid just bringing in fast food, so what do you do to keep it simple and yet give your company a feeling of being special?

Well, one way may be to start the day with something inventive. A picnic on the beach need not be at dusk, and could be a channel for something really different for breakfast as well as a nice substitute for a complicated or expensive dinner that day. You can make your own eggs McMuffin, or you can head to any of the wonderful Sanibel breakfast eateries and dine there (a lot less costly than dinners out) or get some nibbles to go. Over Easy, The Sanibel Bean and The Lighthouse Cafe have great breakfasts that your guests will remember. Both large grocery stores, Jerry's and Bailey's, have lots of choices for a picnic breakfast as well, and Jerry's does have sit down meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eggs, muffins, fruit and coffee never taste quite so good as when you feel the salty water spray in the air as you eat!

Would you rather be on the water than watching it? Well you can start the day out with a cruise with Tarpon Bay Explorers. Experts agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So why not join Tarpon Bay Explorers for a Breakfast Cruise? They have taken their Nature and Sea Life cruise and added complimentary coffee, orange juice, and fresh gourmet pastries. It’s the perfect way to beat the crowds and experience one of the most beautiful settings on Sanibel.

Of course you do not have to limit your cruising to the morning, and a cruise at any time of the day is a way to show off Sanibel and your hosting abilities. The boat trips to any of the smaller islands is always fun, and a sure way to see dolphins dancing in the water. And then there are evening cruises almost guaranteed to give you the best sunset views you will have ever experienced!