Sanibel Island, Florida is a special place for anyone wanting to visit the beach. Sanibel Island is located along the Southwest coast of Florida just off Fort Myers Beach. It’s a fairly quiet island that has a small town feel with no chain restaurants (with the exception of Dairy Queen), high rises, or even stoplights. It’s a great place to visit for a laid-back vacation.
Sanibel Island is known for its shell-lined beaches, wildlife, and biking. Honestly the best way to get around the island is by biking. There are a few places to rent bikes for your stay, we have usually done Billy Bike Rentals.
The last few years we have gone to Sanibel Island in the middle of March. Many of our friends ask us if we are concerned about the college spring-breakers. However, Sanibel Island is not a typical destination for college kids to drink and party. You are going to run into the older crowd known as “snowbirds”. For Michael and me this is more our style, additionally my parents are also visiting Sanibel when we go.
The last few years we have stayed at Anchor Inn & Cottages. This Inn is on Periwinkle Way, the main drag that goes through the island. It is not close to the beach which for many could be a downside, but I like being able to hop on the bike and go to wherever I have planned for the day. They do have a heated pool and offer various beach items to borrow.
Things to Do
There are many things to do on Sanibel Island. I have been to Sanibel Island numerous times and now have brought Michael twice, so I keep taking him to various places. Here are just some of the things to do on Sanibel Island.
This refuge is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States. The best place to visit first is the Visitor and Education Center, where you can explore the exhibits, gather brochures, and visit the gift stop. Also, stop by the bathroom to see some artwork (don’t forget to look up).
For this trip, Michael and I biked the Indigo Trail. This trail is a 4-mile round-trip trail that starts from the Visitor Center. Along this trail, we spotted various birds, mangroves with tree crabs, and an alligator. Michael and I stopped at various spots along the trail to try and spot an alligator. We stopped at the Wildlife and Education Boardwalk, as we made our way to the two-story observation pavilion. Michael quizzed me on wildlife scat models that are on the railings of the boardwalk. I think I left him quite impressed with my random knowledge of scat. The boardwalk is also where we spotted a large alligator sunning itself.
Bailey Tract Trail
The Bailey Tract is a FREE part of the refuge that is located off Tarpon Bay Road. This trail offers views of an interior wetland where you can spy various birds, turtles, and alligators. The last two years we have seen the same alligator sitting in the same spot. It is kind of neat seeing the picture of him from last year and comparing it to this year! How much he’s grown!
To take a break from biking everywhere to see wildlife, another cool way to explore is via kayak. There are group led Kayak Trail Tours which are led by a naturalist. However, there is also the self-guided option which is what Michael and I did.
We traversed through the mangrove forest along the Commodore Creek Trail. This trail gives an up-close perspective to the mangrove habitat. Though sometimes a little too up-close since we sometimes ran into the mangroves or got ourselves attached to one. We saw many fish and a few live starfish as we made our way around through the mangroves.
Sanibel Lighthouse
The lighthouse is on the eastern end of the island. I visited the lighthouse twice on our stay this year. Once was on my 4-mile run in the early morning and later with Michael and my parents to hangout at the beach.
There is also a fishing pier near the lighthouse, and it is fun to watch the fishermen. This is also a great place to watch for dolphins. When I went with Michael and my parents, we spotted a dolphin swimming around. The water was very cold, but felt nice on the hot day. This is also a great place for shelling.
Probably a weird place to visit on vacation, but this library is a nice place to cool down while biking around the island. They have board games, puzzles, a huge Simon Says video game that Michael and I spent a good deal of time playing. When you walk in you are greeted with a huge shell collection. There is also a photo booth which I always get emailed pictures from my parents. So, this time got to send them one of Michael and me in return!
While there are many things to do and explore, sometimes the best thing to do is layout on beach soaking up the sun and listening to the crashing waves of the Gulf. Sanibel Island is a special place for us and is truly a paradise.
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