Sanibel Island Highlights
Sanibel Island, located on the Gulf coast of Florida within Lee County, is connected to Ft. Myers by a 3-mile-long causeway which runs across the Intracoastal Waterway. Sanibel is a barrier island—a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream.
- The island is less than 5 miles long and half a mile wide. Its crescent shape forms Tarpon Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south.
- A small bridge across a narrow slice of water (also known as Blind Pass) links Sanibel to Captiva.
- More than 70 per cent of the island is permanently preserved.
Bicycle Paths
- There are 22 miles of cycling paths on Sanibel.
Museums and Points of Interest
- Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a nearly 7,000-acre wonder. It's home to 291 species of birds, more than 50 types of reptiles and at least 32 different mammals.
- The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is devoted exclusively to seashells. It features an introductory video on mollusks, answering such questions as how they reproduce (very slowly), along with displays of shells from around the world.
- Sanibel Historical Village and Museum. The village gives a glimpse into "old Florida" days before there was a causeway when ferry boats were the only access to the. The old houses turned into museums include 1898 Burnap Cottage with artifacts dating back to the early settlers the Calusa Indians, old Bailey's General Store, Miss Charlotte's Tea Room, old schoolhouse, a 1926 post office and a home once ordered from a Sears Roebuck catalog.
- Sanibel Lighthouse (also known as the Point Ybel Light) is located at the east end of Periwinkle Way. It was first lit in 1884. A path, called the Lighthouse Keeper's Trail, wanders through the property now a wildlife refuge maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard.
- The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation maintains 1,500 acres around the Sanibel Island area. It has an observation tower overlooking four miles of nature trails. Guided tours and nature field trips to the local beaches and wetlands are offered. The Nature Center houses a marine-life touch tank and a Butterfly House.