The Captiva Island resort hosted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit shoots for its 2026 print and digital issues, placing its coastal setting within a broader cultural platform.
South Seas Resort has been featured in the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit print issue after hosting a model-and-athlete photoshoot at its Captiva Island property. The resort also hosted a separate WAGs shoot that appeared on the magazine’s February digital covers. The announcement places South Seas within a media platform that connects travel, fashion, sport and popular culture, while highlighting Southwest Florida as an editorial setting.
The print issue features models Christen Goff, Katie Austin, Jena Sims, Jasmine Sanders, Ellie Thumann, Gabi Moura and Olandria, alongside athletes Sophie Cunningham, Napheesa Collier and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. South Seas said those participants stayed at and were photographed at the resort. The February digital shoot featured Brittany Mahomes, Christen Goff, Claire Kittle, Haley Cavinder, Ronika Love and Normani, who were presented as accomplished women and partners of professional athletes.
South Seas spans 330 acres among mangroves, with more than half of the resort described as a dedicated wildlife preserve and estuary. Its offering includes golf, fishing, boating, family activities, dining and island adventures, while the resort’s website describes a retreat on Captiva Island with two-and-a-half miles of Gulf shoreline. South Seas has also said it has operated as a destination for more than 75 years and is being reimagined through expanded services and refreshed amenities.
The timing gives the resort two forms of exposure within the same annual editorial cycle. The 2026 issue was scheduled for digital release on May 12, 2026, with the print edition reported as available on select newsstands from May 14 and distributed nationwide by May 26. For South Seas, the shoots connect the physical experience of a coastal resort with the visual language of a media brand whose coverage extends beyond a single magazine edition.
Shawn Farrell, South Seas’ general manager, described the print shoot as an honour and said the platform showcases both the resort and the wider Southwest Florida region. The release also invited guests to experience the settings used by the featured models, athletes and personalities, without detailing a dedicated package or pricing tied to the coverage. The result is a tightly defined marketing moment: South Seas is using editorial association to reinforce its position as a long-established island retreat while keeping the destination itself at the centre of the story.
