What a month it has been in the Gulf of Mexico! First Hurricane Helene at the end of September and tomorrow marks a week since Hurricane Milton made landfall just north of us in Siesta Key. While we didn't take a direct hit here in Southwest Florida, we did feel the impacts, especially on our barrier islands.
We've had lots of questions from listeners over the last week, wondering what local businesses are open and welcoming visitors on Sanibel and Captiva. And with the help of the Sanibel & Captiva Chamber of Commerce, we have a list of restaurants, shops and accommodations that are open and ready for business.
Shops Open On Sanibel and Captiva
Adventures in Paradise Outfitters
Coco Y Cabana
CVS Pharmacy
Grog Shop
Island Store
Jerry's Foods
Sanibel Community House
Sanibel Sole
Shiny Objects
Synergy
Timbers Fresh Market
Tower Gallery
Tuttles
Whitney's Bait & Tackle
Wilford & Lee Accents
Restaurants Open On Sanibel and Captiva
Bleu Rendz-vous French Bistro
Cheeburger Cheeburger
Cielo
Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille
Gramma Dots
Green Flash
Husters Market & Deli
Island Pizza
Sweet Melissa's
Jerry's Cafe
Lighthouse Cafe
Magic Bus
Mudbugs Cajun Kitchen
Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream
RC Otters
Rosalita's Cantina
Sanibel Cafe
Sanibel Deli
Sanibel Grill
The Shack of Sanibel
Timbers
Tutti Pazzi Italian Kitchen
Wickies
Accommodations Open on Sanibel and Captiva
Island Inn
Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa
Pink Shell Beach Resort (Fort Myers Beach)
Sanibel Moorings
Select Vacation Properties
Tween Waters plans to open on Friday, October 18th
VIP Vacation Rentals
These businesses, now more than ever, could use the support of the local community. And who doesn't love to spend some free time on Sanibel & Captiva? The weekend is only a couple of days away.
It's Thursday morning, and with the sun coming up we're getting our first look at the damage brought on by Hurricane Milton in Punta Gorda. Officially, Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Siesta Key, but the southern surge of water is what brought damage as you can see in these pictures of Punta Gorda.
Here's what things looked like in Fort Myers last night:
Members of the media work in flooded streets after Hurricane Milton made landfall in the Sarasota area on October 09, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida. Milton, coming on the heels of the destructive Helene, hit as a category 3 storm with winds of over 100 mph, though veering south of the projected direct hit on Tampa. Instead, the storm, which earlier had reportedly spawned tornadoes, landed about 70 miles south of Tampa near Siesta Key, a strip of white-sand beaches that's home to 5,500 people, according to published reports.. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The floodwaters in the Fort Myers are were expected, what took the town off guard was the tornadoes that unexpectedly spun up. Tornadoes forming in the outer bands of hurricanes is common, but what we saw in Southwest Florida yesterday afternoon was horrifying.
These are the first pictures of Punta Gorda we're seeing after the sun came up. The first batch is aerial drone photographs from Getty Images. Additional photos supplied by Charlotte County Emergency Management.
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, a boat rests in a street after it was washed ashore when Hurricane Milton passed through the area on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, a boat is washed ashore from when Hurricane Milton passed through the area on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, a boat rests in a street after it was washed ashore when Hurricane Milton passed through the area on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, Flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Charlotte County Road after Milton
Charlotte County Emergency Management
Punta Gorda
Charlotte County Emergency Management
Punta Gorda
Charlotte County Emergency Management
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, flood waters inundate a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Barrels Into Florida
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: In this aerial view, a person walks through flood waters that inundated a neighborhood after Hurricane Milton came ashore on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Milton Floods Parts Of Punta Gorda
PUNTA GORDA - OCTOBER 10: Austin Stolpe helps clean up the Celtic Ray Public House restaurant/bar after it was inundated with flood waters when Hurricane Milton passed through the area on October 10, 2024, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Siesta Key area of Florida, causing damage and flooding throughout Central Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
