Feature photo by martinmarksoerensen
Sanibel Island isn’t your stereotypical Florida beach town, and that’s exactly why people love this place so much.
Kathy and I visited Sanibel Island recently, our first time in many years, and the “Old Florida” charm that Sanibel is famous for is still there.
Sanibel Island’s beachfront is clean and uncrowded, with no high rises allowed.
You won’t find high-rise condos or hotels along the beach here. You won’t find sprawling 55+ communities for retirees. There are no mega-RV dealers like Camping World, no Bass Pro Shop, and no outlet malls. You won’t even find a Publix or Winn-Dixie supermarket, Florida’s popular home-grown grocery chains.
Traffic lights? There are none on Sanibel Island.
Sanibel Island is similar in size to Manhattan Island, but the similarities end there. Only about 7,600 people live on Sanibel, versus Manhattan’s 1.6 million.
It’s what you will find on Sanibel that makes it a great place to visit, regardless of your age. Beautiful Sanibel Island is world famous for its abundance of sea shells and migratory birds. It’s a nature-lover’s paradise, with two-thirds of the island devoted to conservation, including the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
For senior travelers, Sanibel is perfect. Life moves at a slower pace on this serene and tropical island. Traffic is relatively easy to navigate. The beaches are not crowded. Spring breakers and other party scene seekers don’t come here.
Touring Sanibel by bike
Something else you will find on Sanibel Island is 25 miles of paved bicycling and walking trails, making it possible for visitors to see nearly all that Sanibel has to offer without a car. That is what Kathy and I chose to do on our visit. We rented bicycles and went exploring on the trails. You can literally go from the famous historic lighthouse on the more rustic east end of the island all the way to Bowman’s Beach on the far west end. Bowman’s Beach Park has parking and facilities. This beach is isolated and rarely crowded, and one of the best for shelling. Be sure to bring a bag with you for sea shells! There’s also a nice beach near the lighthouse, with plenty of parking, a fishing pier and facilities.
When exploring Sanibel Island by bike (or by car, if you must), here are some other highlights to watch for along the way between the lighthouse and Bowman’s Beach:
Periwinkle Way
Periwinkle Way is Sanibel’s “main street,” lined with shops, motels, and restaurants. Thanks to strict development codes, Periwinkle Way isn’t your typical center of commerce. There are no gawdy large signs, no tacky strip shopping centers, and only a couple of fast-food restaurants (a DQ and a Subway). Instead, the architecture of the shops and restaurants has a pleasant island look, with lots of outdoor cafe seating. Even if it is the main drag, Periwinkle Way is still green and natural, with large oak trees and native palms.
The shops and restaurants here are nearly all local and one-of-a-kind establishments, which makes them a delight to visit. If traveling by bike, you will be pleased to know that at least three bike rental and service firms are situated along Periwinkle Way. They have bikes to rent for anywhere from two hours to a week or more, in all shapes and sizes. If you’re bringing the grandkids with you, they have children’s-size bikes or trailers that attach to your bike and will carry one or two small children. We rented our bikes at Finnimore’s, but the other two places to rent bikes are Billy’s Rentals and Billy’s Bike Shop. You can also rent segways and other cool stuff at these stores.
Dining is one of the favorite off-beach activities at Sanibel, and the local establishments won’t disappoint you. To check out the choices and pick your favorites before arrival, visit this list on TripAdvisor.
Sanibel’s restaurants are typically locally owned and many offer outdoor cafe seating.
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
This 6,400-acre refuge is one of the true gems that makes Sanibel Island so special. The bike path takes you right through the park, and it’s a shady and scenic ride you won’t forget. J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is home to more than 270 types of birds, 35 species of mammals, and 60 different reptiles and amphibians. It is widely known for its large migratory bird population. By the way, if you prefer not to bike or walk through the refuge, there’s a 90-minute tram ride. You can learn about it here.
Make it a priority to visit this beautiful spot during your time on Sanibel Island.
Gulf Drive: Beaches and Sea Shells
The bike/walk trails also take you to Sanibel Island’s beautiful white-sand beaches, brimming with colorful shells waiting to be picked. The trail follows Gulf Drive past a few motels and some residential areas. This section of the trail is sunny, so make sure to wear sunscreen. A nice thing about exploring by bike is you can access the beach at points not accessible by car, so take your time and do some exploring.
For a more detailed story about bike riding on Sanibel Island, see this story from Florida Rambler.
When to Visit Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is far enough south along the Florida Gulf Coast that the weather stays warm most of the year. There really isn’t a bad season on Sanibel. Winter is the “high season,” so expect higher prices and lines at some of the more popular restaurants. Summer is busy for vacationing families, and of course, it’s hot and humid like all of Florida in the long summer months. If you have the flexibility, the best times to visit Sanibel Island are spring and fall. Crowds are smaller and lodging is less expensive, plus the weather is still great. We visited in early November and daytime highs were still in the 80s.
Nearby Attractions
You may never want to leave the island while visiting Sanibel, but if you do, there’s a world of other opportunities just across the causeway on the mainland. Sanibel Island is part of Southwest Florida, and immediately off the coast from the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area. The area is served by Southwest Florida International Airport, one of our favorite airports. There’s much to see and do in the Greater Fort Myers area, but a must-see attraction is the winter estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. You will learn a lot about the genius of these two industrial pioneers, whose inventions have changed the lives of everyone.
Day trips to Naples, Marco Island, or Sarasota are all within reach. Even popular East Coast destinations like Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale are less than three hours away. You can have breakfast on Sanibel and drive to Miami’s famed South Beach for lunch, should you wish to do so. Closer to home, don’t forget the huge Everglades National Park, which lies between Fort Myers and the East Coast.
Want one more interesting day trip (or longer)? Try the Key West Express, a plushly equipped ship which departs in the morning from Fort Myers Beach and arrives in Key West in time for lunch. You’ll enjoy the experience. Kathy and I have done this trip in the past, and in our opinion, it’s the best way to travel to Key West. While you can do a round trip in a single day, we recommend staying over in Key West for at least a day or two. One of the great things about taking the boat to Key West is that the island is easy to get around without a car. We literally walked to our lodging and walked to most of the attractions. You can also rent bikes, street-legal golf carts, and other forms of transport.
Put Sanibel Island on Your Travel Bucket List Now
We seniors love to travel. We highly recommend adding Sanibel Island to your travel bucket list. It’s a place everyone should visit at least once, and you just may find yourself coming back again and again.
(Note: This article does not include any sponsored or affiliate links. The views expressed are the author’s only and are included for informational purposes for the benefit of our readers.)
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While in the area, you must visit the Fort Myers Edison Ford Museum and Edison and Ford Winter Estates.
Outstanding and amazing and only 20 miles from Sanibel Island.
https://www.edisonfordwinterestates.org/
Thanks, Michael. I not only agree, but thanks to your suggestion I am going to edit the story and include a reference to this. It’s a great place to visit, one that Fort Myers is well known for.
Dave, no houses less than $800, 000.00, and most that are for sale are bought by people planning to rent them. The island is overwhelmed by tourists for 7 months of the year and all popular venues (beaches, fishing holes, fishing pier, blind pass) are jammed with people. All winter there are daily traffic advisory, which cause 1-2 mile backups on and off island daily.. The famous 22 MILES OF SHARED USE PATH, IS IN terrible condition and so crowded with tourist who bring their own illegal ebikes ( class I ebikes only by city code, but not enforced) that locals fear for their life when using it). The only time sanibel is not crowded is July (after July 4) thru August, but then it is so hot and humid no human can go outside. So I suggest that you stick to writing things that you know something about. Just now saw your ebike credentials so will go there now. L. Haas
Thanks for your comments, Michael. I don’t disagree with you about the high prices and congestion. The seasonal crowding and traffic jams you describe aren’t unique to Sanibel Island. Nearly every popular beach community in Florida experiences the same phenomenon to one degree or another. It’s a problem that is hard to escape. Ditto for the real estate prices. I’ve been going to nearby Marco Island for more than 30 years and the prices there are also through the roof.