Sanibel
Island is a barrier island just off the southwest coast of
Florida by Fort Myers. It is located within Lee County but
in 1974 became incorporated. Sanibel Island is about a forty-five
minute car ride from Southwest Florida International Airport.
There is a causeway road that leads onto the island with a
toll of $6.00
Sanibel Island is about 12 miles long and
4 miles wide. Sanibel is known around the world for its fabulous
shelling beaches. Due to Sanibel Island's unique geographical
orientation, lying east to west instead of North to South,
it acts as a scoop and gathers seashells along its beaches.
With a decidedly environmental attitude, the residents of
Sanibel Island require that the beaches be left in a natural
state. As a result shells that accumulate on the beaches –
and Sanibel Island is widely regarded as the "Shelling
Capital of the Western Hemisphere" – are allowed
to stay until the Gulf of Mexico surf reclaims them. This
makes a bountiful harvest for shell collectors and those who
just want a souvenir from the sea to take home with them.
Throughout the year, thousands of visitors come to enjoy Sanibel's
beaches and hunt for that special seashell.
Sanibel's population is around 5600 people;
however these numbers can quadruple during the winter when
it is Sanibel Island's prime tourist season. With an average
temperature of around 75 degrees, it is easy to see why Sanibel
gets many so called "snowbirds" (tourists from the
north that come to Sanibel to escape the cold weather)
The beaches of Captiva Island are similarly
generous in their offerings of shells from the Gulf Mexico.
They also tend to be groomed more regularly for vacationers.
When you choose to stay on Sanibel Island, you have access
to all the beaches on both islands.
Islands are teaming with wildlife besides
the beaches; however, both Sanibel Island and Captiva Island
have many more way to make your vacation both restful and
memorable. Start with J. N. "Ding" Darling National
Wildlife Refuge. This pristine preserve occupies almost half
of Sanibel Island’s land area and includes hiking, biking,
driving and paddling trails. This is part of the pro-environment
heritage of the islands where there are no traffic lights,
no road wider than two lanes, no fast food formula restaurants
and no high-rise buildings.
Fundamentally, though, Sanibel Island and
Captiva Island are places to relax. The laid-back attitude
of the residents is reflected in people who say "hello"
with a smile, hold the door for you and pause to let you enter
Periwinkle Way from driveways and side streets. So, bring
your casual clothes and a casual attitude, both of which will
suit you perfectly on Captiva Island and Sanibel Island.
|
