Visit Sanibel Island, Florida

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 17 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #657 in Travel, #30,412 overall

Visit Sanibel Island, Florida

Sanibel Island, Florida, is a great place to visit if you like beach, fishing, birding, boating, or just chilling out in the sunshine. Ding Darling is a world famous drive through wildlife refuge park with walking trails that is on the bird migration fly through. We made this photograph in November 2008.

Delicious
Bookmark this on Delicious

My trip review, in a nutshell 

We drove to Sanibel Island on Florida's westcoast, just south of Fort Meyers, to photograph the birds at Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge and on the beach. There are places to stay on Sanibel, but, we always drive about 15 farther to Tween Waters resort on Captiva, the next island.

The November weather was somewhat cold for Florida, about 74 degrees. Due to strong winds on the first day, all the birds at Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge were down on the ground or water. We saw a large group of white pelicans settled out in the water, but, too far away to photograph. It warmed up the second day and we found lots of birds to photograph.

Sanibel Island is famous for its seashells. Eighteen years ago I visited the island with my parents and we did find a lot of shells. I have been back to the island four times in the past six years and not found many shells. But, recent visits have been mainly for photography and I didn't spend much time on the beach. To find shells you need to look at low tide.

Great Blue Heron on Bowman Beach, Sanibel 

Great Blue Heron wades through the surf on Bowman Beach, Sanibel Island, Florida, on flip mino camcorder video I made on the second day. It is always interesting to me to watch birds. I wish people could just lift our arms and fly up in the sky the way birds do.
powered by Youtube

5 things you shouldn't miss! 

Swim at Bowman Beach, Sanibel Island or beachcomb for sea shells.
Drive through or walk through Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge.
Photograph birds or go fishing at Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge.
Rent a bicycle on Sanibel and ride around the Island.
Swim at Captiva Beach or beachcomb for sea shells.
Stay at or eat dinner at Tween Waters resort, Captiva Island.
Take a cruise from the Tween Waters Marina or Captiva Marina.
Watch for dolphins on a cruise.

Readers: What do you like to do on a beach? 

Florida is a popular vacation destination for people world wide. Some people sit and sunbathe on the beach while others look for seashells, hike, or go fishing. What do you like to do on a beach?

Would you rather swim or go fishing?

Loading Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

I like to chill on the sand or swim.

ClassyGals says:

I love the privacy factor on Sanibel Island. Truly the best vacation spot I've ever visited. I love to fish and swim, but of the two, swimming is what I like doing at the beach!

Posted May 02, 2009

Pastiche says:

I'm a Pisces, born near the Atlantic, and I live for the summer and the seacoast ... everyone tells me Sanibel Island is heavenly, so I must visit one day.

Posted December 28, 2008

rms says:

I love everything about the beach! My favorite place to be.

Posted December 06, 2008

KimGiancaterino says:

Just taking in the beach and sky...

Posted December 05, 2008

debnet says:

I'd rather swim, sit and peole watch or maybe take a walk along the shore line.

Posted November 30, 2008

I like to fish even if you have to release.

dustytoes says:

I don't like to fish from the shore, but if there is a boat...count me in!

Posted April 28, 2009

 
view all 7 comments

Transportation on the Island 

Most people who visit Sanibel Island have a car; either their own or rental. You can rent bicycles to ride around the island.
And, to answer a visitor's question, "Yes, there is one taxi service on the Island,"
SANIBEL ISLAND'S TAXI SERVICE .
This is their contact information:
(888) 527-7806 - Toll Free
(239) 472-4160 - Main Office
Visit Us
Sanibel Taxi
Sanibel Prominade
695 Tarpon Bay Road, #12
Sanibel, FL 33957

Birding by Canoe 

Take a canoe ride in Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge with a professional birder. Learn the names of many birds that can be found on Sanibel Island, Florida.
powered by Youtube

Black-crowned Night Heron in trees at Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge as we watch.

Roseate Spoonbill birds preen at Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge as we watch.

Raccoon we saw washing its paws while we bird watched at Ding Darling.

Do Not Feed the Alligator sign I phototgraphed that was posted at Ding Darling. 

"Do Not Feed the Alligator" is a very important warning to people in Florida. Alligators are born with a fear of human beings. So they will try to avoid people and nobody gets hurt. But, all that changes if people feed them. Just throwing bread or food scraps is enough to change it.

Alligators begin to associate humans with food. The alligator will then start to get close to any people it sees in the future. If it comes across a pet cat or dog, the alligator will eat that pet. If it comes close to a child, the alligator will eat the child, too. Once the alligator is reported to have threatened a human, then the State of Florida authorizes the elimination of the alligator. So what started out as a "fun thing to do" feeding a wild creature, ends up causing the death of that creature.

Sanibel Island Weather 

Current weather conditions in Sanibel, FL

Local Pollen Reports

55°F (Feels like 55°F)

Last update: 11/30/09 4:53 AM EST

Humidity: 93%
Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 53°F
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 30.02in steady
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: calm From: Airport Conditions
powered by weather.com

Today


Fair
High: 81°F
Low: 59°F
Sunrise: 6:59 AM
Sunset: 5:36 PM

Tuesday
Dec 1 


Mostly Sunny
High: 81°F
Low: 66°F
Sunrise: 6:59 AM
Sunset: 5:36 PM

Wednesday
Dec 2 


Partly Cloudy
High: 84°F
Low: 66°F
Sunrise: 7:00 AM
Sunset: 5:36 PM

Thursday
Dec 3 


Mostly Cloudy / Wind
High: 73°F
Low: 54°F
Sunrise: 7:01 AM
Sunset: 5:36 PM

Seashelling on Sanibell Island, Florida 

Nice explanation natural things found on beaches and of seashell types. I learned about skate pods and whelk casings which I have often seen, but, never knew what they were. Good advice for anyone visiting a beach.

More shells are found at low tide than at high tide. We only found small and broken shells during this visit because we were never on the beach at low tide.
powered by Youtube

Octupus Found in Seashell 

This lucky man found a live octopus in a seashell on Sanibel Island, Florida. We have shelled on various Florida beaches for 10 years and never found an octopus. You would usually have to go out 20 feet or more into the water to find it.
powered by Youtube

Take a Cruise and See Dolphins 

People on this small cruise boat see dolphins swimming and jumping out of the water next to the boat. Last year we took a boat ride from Captiva Island to Cabbage Key for lunch and on the way 2 dolphin suddenly appeared at the back of the boat about 5 feet from me. It is really exciting to see these wild animals so close and without glass walls or aquarium tanks between you and them.
powered by Youtube

Ocean's Reach Condos on Sanibel Island, Florida 

We have never stayed overnight at any place on Sanibel Island because we stay on Captiva Island. This condo looks nice and the video shows room interiors as well as the grounds, beach and some beautiful Gulf of Mexico sunsets.
powered by Youtube

Tween Waters Marina and Resort on Captiva Island, Florida. 

We made this video of the marina at the resort on Captiva Island where we stay when visiting Sanibel Island, Florida. There is a long stretch of uncrowded beach right across the road from the resort.
powered by Youtube

Captiva Island beach and Gulf of Mexico waters in Florida. 

Colorful beach chairs just waiting for you on Captiva Beach in sunny Florida. I made this video while walking the beach opposite our resort motel.
powered by Youtube

Enjoy palm trees, water, and tropical scenery. 

See tropical scenery out the window of our car on the ride back from Captiva Island to Sanibel Island, Florida. Watch palm trees fly by and hear the sound of the nearby Gulf of Mexico surf.
powered by Youtube

Sanibel Island 

Sanibel Island, the seashell capital of the world, is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 6,064 people. Located within Lee County, Sanibel is a barrier island ? a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island.

The city of Sanibel incorporates the entire island, with most of the city proper at the east end of the island. The community of Santiva, a portma...

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

Fly to Fort Meyers and Drive down to Sanibel Island 

There is no airport on Sanibel but Fort Meyers is only about 30 minutes away. Fly to Fort Meyers and rent a car to drive down to Sanibel or take a taxi cab ride down.

powered by Orbitz

Thanks for visiting Sanibel Island lens. Please take a moment and leave us a note. Thanks again. 

submit
Show All

Squidoo City Guide member badge 

This lens is a member of the
Squidoo City Guide

Related Topics

CoolFoto Recommends...

Create a Lens!