An Essex Wedding - Nov/Dec 2019 (Issue 89)

HONEYMOON 117 MY HIGHLIGHTS ❤ Eating out We ate at so many amazing places and enjoyed everything from pizza at Capones in Fort Myers (caponescoalfiredpizza.com) ; breakfast at The Island Cow in Sanibel (sanibelislandcow.com ), a fun and funky eaterie with the best homemade muffins; to fine-dining at the Mad Hatter Restaurant (madhatterrestaurant.com ), a romantic destination where you can kick off your shoes before dinner and join other sky-gazers on the sand to watch the sun go down. If you think that’s hard to beat for starters, the food and atmosphere of this former beach bungalow won’t disappoint. It’s renowned as one of the top-notch culinary destinations in the area. No trip would be complete without a stop off at Pinchers (pinchersusa.com ) for a no-frills, authentic taste of Southwest Florida. The business runs on a simple ethos; local fishermen, fishing local waters for a local restaurant. Unsurprisingly, crab features large on the menu, so be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. It’s well worth it though. Psst... for a Florida-favourite, check out the Key lime pie at the eponymous Keylime Bistro (keylimebistrocaptiva.com ) in the middle of historic Captiva Island Inn Village. A great place to eat, drink and just hang out, listening to live music on the patio. CAPTIVATING CAPTIVA Feeling thoroughly relaxed and carefree after just two days, it was time to leave for the second leg of our trip to neighbouring Captiva. This tropical island gem has a character and charm all of its own, a little piece of heaven, it’s like stepping into a film set. We stayed at the Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound. Surrounded by 13 picturesque acres, what was once a collection of fishing cottages is now a holiday hotspot, great for honeymooners, with accommodation to suit a range of budgets and an extensive stretch of sugary white sand, renowned as one of America’s most romantic beaches. It’s not often I’m tempted to get up at 6am when I’m away but the sound of the ocean beckoned and seeing the sun rise over the water is not to be missed. Followed by a hearty breakfast at historic landmark The Old Captiva House, it’s the perfect start to the day. The restaurant has been reinvented and redesigned with a fresh, chic style and a mouth-watering menu to match. Fast becoming a go-to destination for breakfast and dinner, I tucked into a stack of delicious pancakes before heading out to explore the island. Although it’s hard to tear yourself away from the beautiful beaches, there’s plenty more to discover to get a real feel of Captiva’s quirky charm and character. Here the living is easy, you can set your own pace, soak up the sun, swim, sightsee, or simply be! To plan your trip to The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel go to fortmyers-sanibel.com ❤ Island hopping Enjoy a pinch-me island experience with Captiva Cruises (captivacruises.com) . We took a trip to the southern end of Cayo Costa island, a remote part accessible only by boat and with no amenities, just miles of shell-strewn sand, blue sea and wildlife. You can take a picnic and find your own secluded spot, do some snorkelling, or bird spotting. Teeming with wildlife, while we were waiting at the marina to board our vessel I watched the manatees grazing in the shallows and as the boat made its way across the water, dolphins were swimming alongside. ❤ Attractions • Stop off at the family-owned Gulf Coast Fudge Company  (gulfcoastfudge.com ) in Fort Meyers for a sweet treat made the old-fashioned way. Hand-poured and cooled on a marble slab in front of your eyes, the fudge comes in a mouthwatering array of flavours; the only problem is which one to choose. • I had no idea Edison was such a prolific inventor. I always associated him with the light bulb but there’s so much more to his achievements, as I discovered at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates (edisonfordwinterestates.org ). This is no fusty collection of artefacts and memorabilia but a fascinating insight into how the man and his friend and protégé motor industry legend Henry Ford lived and worked. • Also check out... the award-winning Wicked Dolphin Rum (wickeddolphinrum.com) for a tour of the distillery and tasting session afterwards. ❤ Shopping Bag yourself a bargain at the Miromar Outlets (miromaroutlets.com) . We stopped off on route to the airport before flying home and, although I vowed to only window shop, it’s hard to resist the huge savings on big-name brands; so I didn’t! Thank goodness for expandable suitcases. BOOK IT Fly to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers from the UK via Philadelphia, Newark, Charlotte, Atlanta, and other main hubs. Prices start from £490pp americanairlines.co.uk ; virgin-atlantic.com ; delta.com Sundial Beach Resort & Spa Prices start from £187 per room per night (inc. taxes and fees) sundialresort.com Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa Prices start from £185 for a beach-view room per night (inc. taxes and fees) tween-waters.com