[meteorite-list] Florida Vacation (Meteorites optional)

From: MARSROX_at_aol.com <MARSROX_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:50:28 2004
Message-ID: <1a5.101cb1b.29f1dee0_at_aol.com>

Friends:

Kathy and I are not going to be able to use our timeshare week this year and
rather than rent it out through the resort (and pay a fee) I thought that
we'd discount it, and offer it here first. To keep with the meteorite theme
of this list, I will be glad to bring my collection of meteorites to the
resort for your enjoyment while we sip on Margaritas and watch the sun set
from your balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

The resort is called the "Shell Island Beach Club" and it is on the south end
of Sanibel Island. It is not a hotel but a condo and all people staying there
must be members or guests of members. There are no one-night accomodations.

The Sanibel-Captiva Island area is "world-class up-scale" and has winter
homes (mansions) for people like Williard Scott (NBC-Today Show) and Mr. Case
the CEO of our beloved AOL.

You will be in the 2nd building from the beach, elevated on stilts. You'll
have a direct view of the Gulf from one of the two bedrooms, the living room
and your screened lanai. Since there are two bedrooms (queen-size beds) and
two full bathrooms, it would be perfect for two couples sharing (or one small
family). No pets. There's a fully equipped kitchen, cable/VCR (with a library
of rental movies in the lobby), washer and dryer and covered parking. Just
outside your door is a tennis court and two heated pools and a spa (note that
in August the water temp in the Gulf is 88*F). There are (is this
incredible?) about 50 golf courses with reduced summer rates within a 1 1/2
hour drive.

Sanibel and Captiva are loaded with fine restaurants. But there's a couple of
supermarkets on the island to stock your kitchen (and there's a bar-b-q grill
at the resort, shrimp is fresh off the boat here).

The beach is powder, creamy-white and the area is famous for its seashells.
You can walk several miles and it is laid back and quiet. For the year-round
"Spring Break" scene, Ft. Myers Beach is 20 minutes away- Thong City. But at
either place, about anything connected to water sports, boating, jetskis and
charter fishing is available at either location.

The Thomas Edison home is 30 minutes away in Fort Myers and worth a look for
his thousands of inventions and his 100 year-old tropical gardens. Day trips
to the Everglades, Miami and Tampa (Busch Gardens) are do-able. Before or
after your week, visits to Orlando (Disney) and my favorite, the Kennedy
Space Center are about 6 hours drive. You can touch a 30 gm moon rock there
(what do you mean, you're NOT IMPRESSED?)

Southwest Regional Airport (RSW) is an easy direct highway to the Island.
There are direct flights from NYC, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, etc. We live
twenty minutes from the resort and could help with your planning (and beer
drinking).

The week begins Saturday August 24 at 3PM ending Aug 31 at 10am. This leaves
the next 2 1/2 days as the remainder of the Labor Day week-end for added fun.

Here's two sites to check out the area:
www.leeislandcoast.com
will show where SW Floirda and Ft. Myers (Lee County) are and help you make
arrangements and plans,
www.rci.com
Click on left column "resort directory", then click on "resorts" and type in
resort #2197 for the Shell Island Beach Club for particulars.

Hotel rooms on Sanibel average $200/night+ in August. Because this is a condo
it brings $250-300/night. If you call the resort direct, they will offer you
a week at $1,360, not necessarily with a Gulf view.

The first $1,000 takes the week.

Again, this might be perfect for two couples and at $500 each.........

Kevin Kichinka



 
Received on Fri 19 Apr 2002 04:58:08 PM PDT