Heading down to FL the first week in April. Ideas for places to stay that are on or close to the beach? Family vacation with 5 year old--could be 1 bedroom with pullout or 2 bedroom or? Anyone have ideas of places to stay? Have done Sanibel/Captiva in the past. Love the actual beach at Ft. Myers--other ideas in that general area?

And yes--it's boating related--I might rent a boat for a few days....

No personal experience, but make sure you check www.vrbo.com

the pink shell on ft myers beach is really nice. My wife and I got married there. Or the Diamond head resort is nice. There also is a Hoilday inn on the beach and lots of little motels.

This is one of my favorite places on the Gulf Coast, but not the same neighborhood you are looking at:
http://www.loewshotels.com/Don-CeSar-Hotel

I've checked VRBO--not really anything that I have fallen in love with but I haven't exhausted the list quite yet.

+1 for pink shell. Pricey but excellent place. I got married there too. Mine didn't last. Hahah.

X3 Pink Shell, it's one of the nicest on Ft. M Beach/.

youay want to consider going in late april or early may,,its usually way cheaper to stay..are you set on that area? sarasota is also real nice and siesta key has the #1 beach on the gulf coast..
http://www.flipkey.com/siesta-key-va...entals/g34636/

X4 pink shell

Wife and I spent anniversary 10 at diamond head.....still nice enough.

Pink shell has a small marina opposite the the main lobby....for your boat.

I rent boats.

Homes too.

I also have super exclusive north Captiva ( not upper Captiva) where u have the run of the island with full amenities but no other humans. With boat usually runs about 1k a day......and u can sit on the point and laugh at the tourists getting canned memories on the other side of redfish pass at south seas......

http://www.cape-coral-vacation.com

There's a place in the Cape maybe thirty minutes from Ft. Myers Beach, Tarpon Point, we've stayed there and it's real nice, also,on Sanibel if you want to stay on the island, there's Tween Waters, great fun place.