The Captiva Holiday Golf Cart Parade returns on the afternoon of Dec. 5, 2026. Hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton interrupted it, along with the rebuilding that followed. This year's route covers the entire village and runs all the way to 'Tween Waters.
A longer route makes sense now because there is more village to drive past. Along Andy Rosse Lane and Captiva Drive, the businesses that make up the village core are open again. The island's first newly built lodging since Ian is taking reservations. The work still unfinished on Captiva is mostly on the water.
Dec. 5, From Chapin Lane to 'Tween Waters
The Captiva Civic Association announced the parade in late September. According to the Island Reporter's account, the parade has been a Captiva tradition since 2010. The first "Light the Way" parade drew about 50 decorated carts and became the kickoff to Captiva's larger Luminary celebrations. This year it opens both the Luminary and F.I.S.H. music celebrations.
CCA President Lisa Riordan described the plan in that same report:
"Bringing back the Holiday Golf Cart Parade has been a CCA and community goal. Captiva residents and business representatives have already begun forming a planning committee and are working on plans. The parade route will be expanded to cover the entire village area and extend all the way to Tween Waters."
The parade starts and ends at the CCA parking lot on Chapin Lane, where the festivities will be held. Official judges will award prizes for the best-decorated carts. The CCA said in September that entry details would go out to the community, so cart owners who want to take part should check with the association directly.
Andy Rosse Lane, Address by Address
For the first time since the 2024 storms, a walk down Andy Rosse Lane passes open doors instead of construction fencing. The table below shows each business's address and its posted hours or current status. Restaurant sites don't date their hours and seasonal schedules change, so call ahead before you head out.
| Business | Address | Posted hours or status |
|---|---|---|
| The Mucky Duck | 11546 Andy Rosse Lane | Reopened March 14, 2026; no reservations |
| Keylime Bistro | 11509 Andy Rosse Lane | Daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Latte Da | 11508 Andy Rosse Lane | Daily, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar | 11508 Andy Rosse Lane | Wednesday to Monday, 5 to 9 p.m.; seven days in high season |
| RC Otter's Island Eats | 11506 Andy Rosse Lane | Daily, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Cantina Captiva | 14970 Captiva Drive | Daily, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| The Bubble Room | 15001 Captiva Drive | Lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., dinner 4:30 to 9 p.m. daily |
The Mucky Duck reopened last, and its owner's account shows why the wait ran so long. Andreas Bieri told the Island Reporter that Ian left sand and cleanup but no structural damage, and the pub recovered in about four months. Helene brought more sand in September 2024, and it took a few weeks to clear. "We were just about to open up again after Helene when Milton struck," Bieri told the paper. The pub reopened on March 14, 2026, keeping the same look and feel, including items saved from the storm.
Keylime Bistro reopened on May 24, 2025, and the SanCap Chamber held a ribbon cutting for it. By June 2025 the Chamber also reported RC Otter's open again. Latte Da was on track to reopen Nov. 1, 2025, according to Gulfshore Business. The Bubble Room was back on Captiva Drive by July 2025. That makes this winter the first full season with every door on the lane open together.
Toward the north end of the parade route, 'Tween Waters is taking room bookings. Its Old Captiva House lists daily dine-in and take-home service with reservations. Crow's Nest Steakhouse at 15951 Captiva Drive lists hours of Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
The First New Rooms Since Ian
The restaurants reopened inside their old buildings. The Captiva Island Inn was demolished and rebuilt from the ground up.
When construction started in October 2025, Gulfshore Business reported that owner Sandy Stilwell Youngquist had owned the property since 1999. After meeting with Lee County's Historic Preservation Board, she decided to tear down most of the original wood-frame cottages. Ground was broken on Oct. 15, 2025.
On Sept. 23, 2026, Stevens Construction announced the project complete and called it the first newly built accommodation to open on Captiva since Ian. The release lists these specifics:
- Two elevated buildings totaling 8,454 square feet, at 11508 and 11509 Andy Rosse Lane
- 208 concrete pilings under the two buildings
- Twelve months of construction, after a 21-month preconstruction process with MHK Architecture and Quattrone & Associates
- Five guest units per building, each with a private entrance, great room, primary bedroom, kitchenette, bathroom and front porch
The first five units, at 11508 Andy Rosse Lane, have been bookable since Sept. 18. The other five, at 11509, are scheduled to be finished by the end of 2026. That means the inn may finish its second building within weeks of the parade, depending on how the final weeks of construction go. Earlier coverage put the rebuilt inn at 15 units. The completed design has two five-unit buildings, so 10 is the number to use.
For a homeowner, the takeaway is the gap between design and construction. The inn spent almost two years in planning and one year in construction, and it was built on pilings rather than at grade. Rebuilding on Captiva now generally takes that shape.
Where the Rebuild Hasn't Reached Yet
Two water-side projects are on longer timelines than anything along the parade route.
Blind Pass
Sand from the latest Captiva beach renourishment has been drifting south into Blind Pass, the inlet between Sanibel and Captiva. In March, WUSF reported that a sandbar was growing across the mouth of the pass every week. Lee County expected the pass to close and said it would not reopen it until at least 2027. A county spokeswoman said it was "prudent to allow the coastal systems some time to reach equilibrium before engaging in further activity, so that any work done doesn't immediately fill in."
The next step came in April. On April 7, Lee County commissioners approved a $290,580 supplemental authorization for Coastal Engineering Consultants to handle engineering, permitting, bidding and construction services. That approval covers the preparation work, not the dredging itself. The Islander reported that the county expects the preparation to let dredging begin in 2027. The exact timing depends on engineering data, nesting season, erosion, weather and contractor availability. The dredged sand is slated for the eroded shoreline between Blind Pass and Bowman's Beach Park.
Captiva Landing
South Seas held the grand opening of Captiva Landing, a water-play area for resort guests and Club Captiva users, on Dec. 22, 2025. As of Oct. 12, it is temporarily closed for enhancements. The closure covers Bottlenose Bay, the Gulfstream Lazy River, The Cove Pool and The Arcade, and the resort has not posted a reopening date. Most of the rest of South Seas is listed as open, including Beach House, Harborside, Redfish Grill, Scoops & Slices, The Shops and the Tarpon Bar pools.
The beach itself is easier to get to. The Alison Hagerup Beach Park lot at 14790 Captiva Drive reopened in March 2025. The Captiva Erosion Prevention District's current page lists access from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, with payment through the Oobeo app. Earlier reports mentioned ParkMobile, so go by the district's page.
The Island Calendar Between Now and New Year's
The parade sits in the middle of a season that is filling back up. In date order:
- Tuesdays, November through April, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Captiva Island Farmers Market season. Local Roots lists the South Seas entrance at 5400 Plantation Road. A 2025 Islander report placed it at The Shops at South Seas, 14830 Captiva Drive, so check with Local Roots for this season's location.
- Nov. 26, Thanksgiving. South Seas lists Thanksgiving dining at Harborside from noon to 6 p.m. and at Beach House from noon to 9 p.m.
- Dec. 5, afternoon. The Holiday Golf Cart Parade leaves from the CCA lot on Chapin Lane and opens the Luminary and F.I.S.H. music celebrations.
- Dec. 19 to 30. Festive at South Seas. The resort's daily schedule has a day-of-week error, so confirm individual activities with South Seas.
- Dec. 31. South Seas' annual New Year's Eve celebration at Sunset Beach, welcoming 2027.
- By year's end. The Captiva Island Inn's second building at 11509 Andy Rosse Lane is scheduled for completion.
The Blind Pass dredging won't make this calendar. The county's earliest target is 2027, and Captiva Landing has no announced reopening date. Along the Dec. 5 route from Chapin Lane to 'Tween Waters, the restaurants are serving and the Captiva Island Inn's first five rooms are booking.
The Captiva Island Inn shows what rebuilding on Captiva involves now: elevated buildings on concrete pilings, almost two years of planning and twelve months of construction. If you're weighing a rebuild or a new elevated home on Sanibel or Captiva, Potter Trinity can talk through the design, permitting and construction timeline with you, drawing on our partnership with Potter Homes. Schedule Your Consultation, and we'll start with your lot.
