Quiet shelling and sunset views north of Sanibel.
Captiva Beach is in Lee County, Florida, on the Gulf coast.
Parking at Captiva Beach is a small paid lot at Alison Hagerup Beach Park, and it fills early enough that a late morning arrival often means no spot at all. Pets aren't allowed on any Captiva beach, and there's no lifeguard on duty. Sanibel Island is about four miles off, and Fort Myers Beach is a longer trip at a bit over sixteen miles.
Today's flag, water temperature, surf, wind, UV and tide times for Captiva Beach load on this page automatically. Conditions change through the day, so nothing on this page is a substitute for the flag flying when you arrive.
Amenity details are Coasti's own notes and can go out of date. Fees, lifeguard seasons and dog rules are set locally.
Flags run from green for low hazard to double red for water closed — see what each flag color means.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Redfish Pass, Captiva Island (north end) (8725441).
Weather and marine forecasts come from the National Weather Service at Page Field (KFMY).
Red tide readings come from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission monitoring map.
Captiva Beach sits in Lee County, where the state samples for red tide on a rolling eight-day cycle and posts results to a statewide FWC map. Karenia brevis, the algae that causes it, is native to the Gulf and blooms on its own schedule. It moves with wind and current, so a beach can clear up while the one next to it stays affected, and it tends to intensify late in the summer, with the worst of it landing most years between September and November. See today's statewide red tide status.
That depends on the flag and the surf, and both change through the day. Coasti shows the posted lifeguard flag when a current one exists, and estimates from surf, wind and rip-current risk when it does not. Today's answer for Captiva Beach loads at the top of this page.
Captiva Beach has no lifeguard station, so no official flag is posted here. Coasti estimates the flag from conditions instead.
Parking at Captiva Beach is paid. Small paid lot at Alison Hagerup Beach Park — fills early. Fees and lot hours change, so check locally before you go.
Dogs are not allowed on the beach at Captiva Beach. Nearby rules vary, so check locally before you go.
More Lee County beaches · All beaches Coasti covers · Red tide status · What the flags mean