Sanibel Island
Have you ever strolled down a white sand beach, stopping to bury your toes in the warm sand, feeling the warm breeze off the ocean? Or watched in amazement as dolphins cavort in the waves, and brown pelicans plunge into the water to catch an unsuspecting fish below. If you haven’t, then Sanibel is waiting for you.
Once you’ve been here, you’ll want to come back — come back to its warm sun, and tropical beauty. You’ll feel drawn as well by Sanibel’s inviting shops and boutiques, gourmet cuisine, and lively arts community, all offered in that famous laid-back, casual “island” atmosphere. And for the naturalist in you, 1/2 of the island is set aside in perpetuity as a wildlife refuge. J. N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge is a truly unique sanctuary, drawing thousands of visitors yearly. On a given day, you can walk, bike, canoe or drive through it’s acreage, seeing alligators, egrets, turtles, herons, spoonbills, pelicans and much, much more. Drive anywhere on Sanibel and you’ll not see a single traffic light or skyscraper. If it’s shelling you enjoy, there are few places in the world that compare. It is common to find a pailful of lovely specimens during a casual stroll along the beach. If you’re a biking enthusiast, 23 miles of bike trail await you, taking you all over the island.
