Florida

Take your bike, slow down and explore nature on beautiful Sanibel Island.

Visit the mangroves at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge and see flocks of shorebirds in their natural environment and maybe some reptiles too. The island’s other wildlife preserves also welcome visitors. 

Visit the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum then try your hand at shelling on Sanibel’s beaches, the best shelling on the continent.

Sanibel Island One Day Itinerary

• J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
• Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum
• Sanibel Wildlife Refuges
• Sanibel Beaches

This itinerary can easily be done by car, but another great way to see the natural beauty of Sanibel Island is on a bike.

Ditch the car.  Bring your bike or rent one.  Cycling the island is a great way to cover the island’s must-sees. 

Best Bike Route of Sanibel Island

Begin your day at the “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the jewel of Sanibel Island.  Start at the Visitor Center and then walk the Education Boardwalk. Get back on your bike and cycle the Wildlife Drive, stopping at the many wilderness pull offs.  After “Ding” Darling, escape the midday heat and head indoors to view the shells at the Sanibel Shell Museum. 

Refreshed and ready to experience more birds and wildlife, continue on to one of the many other wildlife refuges on the island.

If you still have the legs, cycle to the western side of the island.  With less traffic and fewer people, the cycling is relaxing.  Explore the beautiful beaches on the west coast.  End your day by watching a perfect sunset at Bowman Beach.

Here are the Best Things To Do on Sanibel Island.

J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

“Ding” Darling is definitely at the top of the list of best things to do on Sanibel Island. With over 6,400 acres, it is one of the largest protected areas of wetlands and mangroves in Florida.  Visitors come here for the beauty of the preserve and the many bird watching opportunities.

Visitor Education Center

The various educational displays at the visitor center provide a great introduction to Sanibel Island’s natural environment.  There are 90-minute naturalist-led guided tram tours available.

Wildlife Education Boardwalk

Just outside the visitor center, take the Indigo Trail to the Wildlife Education Boardwalk.  There’s a two-story observation pavilion and interpretive signs to learn more about Sanibel Island’s birds.

Wildlife Drive

This is a 4-mile one-way road starting at the visitor center. It is both car and bike friendly. It has many pull offs, allowing you to stop, meander and take photos.

The Mangroves

From the Drive, walk through the delicate mangrove ecosystem to the Mangrove Overlook.  See lots of wading birds that utilize these mangroves as roosting and nesting sites.  As I was leaving the mangroves, I was startled (but not surprised) to see a snake among the mangrove roots.

You can also kayak through these mangroves. Ding Darling has two designated kayak/canoe launch sites, located off of Wildlife Drive.  Paddling a kayak is another great way to experience the mangrove ecosystem up close.

Observation Tower

The observation tower is the best place to see the flocks of birds that either live here or stop here on their migratory path.  A large variety of waterbirds and shorebirds enjoy the shoreline and wetlands of Ding Darling.  They have classified 245 species of birds that visit or inhabit these wetlands.  Winter is the best time to see many birds.

Wulfert Keys Trail

This worthwhile side trail offers the chance to see more birds, such as the White Ibis.  The Wulfert Keys Trail ends at Pine Island Sound, where I was lucky enough to spot a pair of dolphins just off the shore.

Calusa Shell Mound Trail

This is an educational trail that tells the story of the Calusa shell mounds.  These ancient mounds contain the shells and fish bones discarded by the local Calusa tribe.  The mounds are difficult to see today, as they have become overgrown with trees and shrubs over time.  This area has intentionally been left undisturbed to return to nature.  The boardwalk includes interpretive signs that describe the former village, the Kesson site, and the Calusa Indian way of life.

Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

The Shell Museum houses an immense collection of seashells, including a display of some world-record sized shells. You’ll learn about the cycle of shells.  Exhibits explain their creation, the animals that live in the sea and how the shells end up on Sanibel Island.  You’ll also learn how the local Calusa Indians utilized shells as tools in their day-to-day life.

Sanibel Wildlife Reserves

More than half of Sanibel Island is made up of wildlife reserves.  Ding Darling is by far the largest.  There are several other reserves worth a visit scattered across the island.

Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) Preserves

The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation and the citizens of Sanibel had the foresight and diligence to protect the island’s interior freshwater wetlands.  In the 1970’s they bought back properties that were originally zoned for housing development.  These areas are the natural preserves we see today.

The SCCF Nature Center, on Saniblel-Captiva Road, is a great place to visit.  Along with seeing the center’s exhibits, you can hike the Sanibel Slough Trails located directly behind the building. (Bikes are not allowed on this trail.) These short trails lead to an observation tower, where you can view the Sanibel River.

On my visit to Sanibel, I toured the Sanibel Garden Preserve. Biking was allowed on these trails.

Bailey Tract

Another great wildlife refuge to visit, Bailey Tract’s 100-acre inland reserve is dominated by freshwater plants and wildlife (which differs from “Ding” Darling’s mainly saltwater reserve).

Walking along the 1.75 miles of man-made dikes and trails, your first impression might be that Bailey isn’t as eye-catching as “Ding” Darling.  However, this tract serves a very important purpose. 

The man-made dikes and freshwater lakes were built to attract waterfowl.  The hope is that over time, nature will return this tract to its original marsh state dominated by spartina grass. 

This tract is rarely visited.  I visited during high tourist season and had the whole place to myself. It was very peaceful so you’ll see lots of waterfowl, such as herons and egrets.  And yes, there are alligators too.

The Beaches of Sanibel Island

Sanibel is known as one of the best shelling areas in North America.

What is Shelling?
Very simply, shelling is the search for seashells. With more than 400 species of multi-colored shells, you can spend hours in your quest.  Be forewarned, you might get a sore back from doing the ‘Sanibel Stoop’ all day.

Bowman’s Beach and Blind Pass are considered the best beaches.  Located on the western side, and being further away from the hotels/resorts, these beaches are much less busy.  Parking at all beaches is limited. Get there early.  There are lots of places to park your bike.

Here’s a ranking of Sanibel’s best beaches.

1. Bowman’s Beach
   This pristine white sand beach is considered one of the best beaches in the Fort Myers – Sanibel area.  With wide expanses and plenty of area to spread out, this beach is great for families with kids.
2. Blind Pass Beach Park
   You’ll find great fishing and shelling at Blind Pass.  The Mad Hatter restaurant, with its innovative cuisine, is located nearby.
3. Sanibel Island Lighthouse Beach Park
   This beach and fishing pier can get very busy during high season.  The local landmark, the Sanibel lighthouse, is here too.  Sorry you can’t climb the lighthouse.
4. Sanibel Causeway Beaches
   The causeway beaches are another good option when the main island beaches are too busy.  The pull offs are fine spots for fishing and a picnic.  They’re also a good spot for water sports such as paddle boarding and windsurfing.
5. Gulfside City Park (Algiers Beach)
6. Tarpon Bay Beach
   
   There are also two nice beaches located on neighboring Captiva Island that are worth a visit.
7. Captiva Beach
   This beach is located near the Captiva restaurants, such as the Mucky Duck.  Captiva Beach is perfect for couples.  Enjoy your dinner and then head to the beach for a romantic sunset.  When Captive Beach gets busy during high season, a better option is Turner Beach to the south.
8. Turner Beach
   This wide beach is also one of the best places to view the sunset.

Best Things to Do for Families

For families, collecting shells and relaxing at the beach is a great way to spend your day on Sanibel Island.  If you have more than one day, here are more interesting places that you and the kids will enjoy.

Know Before You Go

Sanibel Island Attractions Map

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