One Day (or Two) on Sanibel?

[TinkOhio]

We just changed our travel plans for the rest of the week and now plan to spend Thursday and maybe Friday on Sanibel. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to spend either one or two days there? What beaches, shops, restaurants, etc., should we hit? How much should we expect to spend per day for parking, touring, etc? Any other things we should consider before setting out tomorrow morning?

Thanks so much for any suggestions/help!

 

[jpwoods]

Depends on your family. My DH and 15 DD HATED Sanibel - they said it was boring. I, on the other hand, could spend all week there relaxing on the beach doing nothing but napping, reading and picking up shells. Sanibel doesn't have a lot to offer. We did rent kayaks once and that was ok, but DH didn't like the mangroves and it was too swampy looking for him! Sanibel is just a really nice place to relax. I'm so jealous! Enjoy!

 

[dani77]

If you want to do something uniqe try the "sanibel thriller". Speedboat sightseeing tour all around sanibel, captiva and north captiva with almost guaranteed dolphin sightings! Amazing tour and tons of fun, just google sanibel thriller for more info. Best beaches in my opinion are the lighthouse beach and bowmans beach. Another nice thing to do is drive or bike through the ding darling wildlife refuge. So many things to to on this beautiful island! Also, renting bikes and exploring the island is fun, great bike trails everywhere.

 

[turnlisa]

I would say 2 days - we spent 2 weeks there last summer and had an awesome time!

I highly recommend Lighthouse Beach for the wildlife - never picked up so many fabulous shells in my life. Bowman's Beach is great for the swimming. We also loved Turner Beach which is on Captiva for the sunsets. Parking is by the hour and not very expensive.

For restaurants, I recommend The Island Cow, George & Wendy's, and Island Pizza Company. Make sure you hit Pinocchio's for the ice cream - best place on the island for it! There are tons of shops and they all basically sell the same beach gear. We took one afternoon and explored them all.

Tarpon Bay Explorers has kayaks and various tours. I highly recommend them also. We learned a lot about the area and got to see manatees and other wildlife. In Fort Myers, there is Adventures in Paradise for tours. We did the sunset dolphin excursion and had a fabulous time.

You are so lucky to be going! We are already talking about going next summer for another 2 weeks. Be prepared for some relaxation!

 

[Joan S.]

Hi, We spent 3 days on Sanibel/Captiva last Summer. I could have stayed longer BEAUTIFUL and so relaxing!! Had breakfast at The Island Cow,a must see. Also on Captiva is The Key Lime Bistro,great food and THE BEST Key lime pie!! Joan

 

[shortbun]

You're going to Sanibel without reservations? From where? It's still a big Spring Break week and Sanibel may be packed. I hope you've already got someplace to stay. Sunset Beach at sunset. Ding Darling Sanctuary. Find some manatees-try Captiva. Shelling is wonderful there IF the tides are right. I'd find myself a spot on the beach and chill.

 

[Green-bay]

Another vote for having a good time at Sanibel. We just love it. You have many good suggestions and have a wonderful time. Our favs are the Lighthouse beach, Ding Darling Sanctuary and for restaurants, Mucky Duck and the Bubble Room. Have fun!