Provided by:
White Sands #13
2311 West Gulf Drive,
Sanibel Island, Florida
* Activities and Things To Do on Sanibel and Captiva Islands *
Here's activities for you to try while staying on Sanibel Island where our Gulf front
condo is in the White Sands
building on West Gulf Drive. Our condo is available for rent by the week, so please click
here to get to that page for more information.
Overview of Things to Do:
Sanibel and Captiva are known for their beaches and preservation of nature. The mid 1900's movement by political cartoonist
Jay "Ding" Darling
to preserve part of the island as a migratory bird sanctuary was the foundation of the conservation and preservation
that has guided the Islands to develop in graceful harmony with nature, rather than as wall to wall high rises on canals
as other nearby beachfront areas have developed.
Many of the nature related activities on Sanibel are unique to Sanibel, and you should not miss the opportunity to experience them.
The following topics are covered in the guide below:
- Beaches
- Nature Preservation
- Historical Preservation
- Cultural
- Shopping
- Golfing
- Dining
- Nightlife
- Activities off Sanibel Island in the Ft. Myers area
- Activities in other parts of Florida
The Beach
- Walk the beach. - The White Sands Condominiuum is between beach mileposts 4 and 4.5, which starts at the
lighthouse. There is a total of 15.5 miles of wide and unobstructed beach running the length of the island. When
you go on your first walk, make sure to take a good look at our condo and the ones nearby. After you
walk for awhile you'll realize that the building setbacks and vegetation don't allow you to see more than
the couple of condos you are directly infront of and it is easy to lose track of where you are. The mileposts are good references to
use, and are located every half mile at the edge of the vegetation. They are typical green highway mileposts, so
they blend in with the vegetation and you have to look for them.
- Experience the beach at both the high tide and low tide since the look of it is very
different at the two. The tide tables are published in the local paper or on our website.
- Collect shells but don't save any that are alive - it is illegal because they are endangered. The best shelling
is when the tide is low (usually twice a day), and after storms. Though the whole island is good, Bowman's Beach near the west
end of the island and and Turner Beach between Sanibel and Captiva are known for exceptionaly shelling. Also great
shelling on Cayo Costa, an island only reachable by boat.
http://www.sanibelisland.com/shelling.html
- Get a suntan - but please use some UV protection because the sun is reflected off the sand and
water and can burn you quickly, even on an overcast day.
- Build a sandcastle.
- Watch for dolphins. They will often be just a couple of hundred feet off the beach. Look for their triangular fin
as it arches out of the water for a second or two. Follow with your eyes the direction it was going and the relative speed,
and you may see it surface again in 30 seconds or so. They usually travel in small groups, so you will probably see two to five
if you see one. In a week you may see them a couple of times if you are looking.
Nature Preservation
- Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve or
Ding Darling Wildlife Society
- 5,000-acre sanctuary offers hiking, biking and canoe trails. See 200 species of birds, alligators,
turtles, river otters, armadillos. Take a canoe trip right past the gators! The best way to see it is
to start with the two-hour tram tour. The tour is very informative and will help you understand what is really out there.
Once you've done that, then choose between bicyle, car tour at different time of day, or canoe tour of the sanctuary. If you go back on your own, consider
seeing it early in the morning when the park opens, or during a storm as these events bring out the wildlife.
Tarpon Bay Explorers runs the tram and canoe tours.
Admission to the five mile long wildlife drive is $5 for cars, $1 for bikers and hikers.
One Wildlife Drive (off San-Cap Road). Open daily 9am to sunset, closed Fridays to give the wildlife time without people intruding on them.
- Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Their main center is located at mile marker 1, San-Cap Road.
Hours: 8:30am-3pm Mon-Fri during the summer, 8:30am-4pm Mon-Sat during winter
months. A not-for-profit organization dedicated to conserving the island's
natural resources. Walking trails, exhibits, marine touch tank, native plant
nursery, nature store. Nominal admission fee.
- Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum One of a kind museum with exhibits devoted to shells in
art and history, shell habitats, rare specimens, fossil shells. 3075 San-Cap Road.
- C.R.O.W. -- Care and Rehabilitation of Wildlife Veterinary hospital for
rehabilitation of ill, injured and orphaned native wildlife. Tours 11am Mon-Fri, 1pm Sunday, no tours Saturday. $3. 3883 San-Cap Road.
Historical Preservation
- Sanibel Lighthouse First lit in August 1884. Since 1950, the U.S. Coast
Guard property at the lighthouse has been a wildlife refuge. Though you can walk around the lighthouse,
the interior is not open to the public. There is a small parking charge to park there. To get there, follow Periwinkle
to the east and it will dead end at the light house.
- Sanibel Historical Village & Museum This is a wonderfully
done preserved village of about ten buildings from the early times on Sanibel. All are original to the island, and were moved to this site for preservation and display.
Knowledgable docents are more than ready to answer your questions about early life on the islands.
- Historic markers along the bike paths will tell you about old buildings or graves along the path.
Cultural
- Schoolhouse Theatre - A local playhouse billed as Sanibel's
only professional musical theater.
- Island Cinema at Bailey's plaza is a modern movie theatre. It has small screens, but there is easy
parking and no lines. 535 Tarpon Bay Rd, Sanibel (239) 472-1701
- Big arts(Barrier Island Group for the Arts) - A variety of offerings: Music, Art, Dance, Theatre, Lecture
- Sanibel Music Festival- Held in early March. Check their website for details.
Shopping
- There aren't any chain stores on the island, but countless small boutique type stores. Almost all are on Periwinkle
between the causeway and Bailey's shopping center. There's a few stores elsewhere, but generally within a block of
Periwinkle so you'll see them if you cruise up and down Periwinkle.
Shops are open from 10am until 6pm-8pm
- Groceries are available at two stores. Between the two of them you should be able to find everything you need. Both offer a shopping service
so you can contact them before you arrive, and they will stock the condo with your requested food before you arrive.
Prices are higher than on the mainland, but it's not worth the time and toll to go to the mainland. Both are an easy bike ride from the condo.
- Bailey's General Store This has been the Island's General store since 1899. Groceries, deli,
hardware, liquor. Turn left out of the condo parking lot, turn right on Tarpon Bay Rd, and Bailey's General Store
is at the intersection of Tarpon Bay Rd. and Periwinkle. (239) 472-1516
- Jerry's A full service grocery and restaurant. Talk with the tropical
talking birds in the courtyard as you enter the store. Turn right out of the condo parking lot, following West Gulf Drive as it turns
into Casa Ybel Rd., and follow it until it dead ensds at Periwinkle. Jerry's is at the intersection on the opposite side of Periwinkle.
- Tanger Outlet Mall This typical outlet mall with the name brand stores is within
a mile of the causeway on the mainland.
- If your shopping needs are larger than what is available on the island, you can go back onto the mainland. US Hwy 19, the Tamiami Trail,
is about 25 minutes from the condo. Starting at that intersection you'll find a Wal*Mart, and then going north on US 19 you will find many
of the big box stores common accross the country. A few miles up is the Edison Shopping Mall, your typical indor mall with all the usual chain stores.
Golfing
There are three golf courses on Sanibel and one on Capitiva:
Dining
Please see our Sanibel/Captiva Islands Restaurant Guide
for a listing and reviews of restaurants.
Here are some restaurants that are more than just places to eat:
- Doc Ford's - a small souvenier area has shirts, mugs, books, etc. based on the popular novels, and author Randy White stops
in sometimes to mingle and sign his books.
- The Bubble Room - named after the old style bubbling Christmas lights that adorn the inside, you can stop in before or
after lunch or dinner hour and tour the restaurant (folks do it all the time) and buy some desserts on your way out to take back to your own
place and eat.
Nightlife
There aren't any wild night spots on the island, in fact the locals sometimes refer to 9pm as "Sanibel Midnight" because by then
the island is as quiet as you'd expect other places to be at midnight. If you're looking for a bar or night club with live
entertainment, dancing, etc, here are your options:
Activities off Sanibel Island in the Ft. Myers area
- Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Winter Estates - These two great industrialists from the
early 1900's built their winter homes side by side on the river in Ft. Myers. Thomas Edison also had a laboratory here that is also part
of the tour. This is well worth visiting.
- Tanger Outlet Mall - This typical outlet mall with the name brand stores is within
a mile of the causeway on the mainland.
- Everglades City - Take an airboat ride. Eat lunch. A historic little city.
Activites in other parts of Florida
These attractions are far enough north in the state that it does not make sense to visit them while staying on Sanibel. The better option is to visit
them on the way to or from Sanibel. If you are driving to Sanibel from the north you will come relatively close to all of these attractions
and could easily spend a day or two at them coming or going. If you are flying you could plan to fly in to Tampa or Orlando, stay a night or two
there to take in those parks, then drive to Sanibel, and fly home out of Ft. Myers.
Other Thoughts
- Watch the sunset from: Grandma Dots on Sanibel, Tween Waters Inn from the Crow's Nest bar
and the restaurant, the Old Captiva House and then out on South Seas Plantation.
- Adventure Tour's Snorkeling and Shelling Excursion. Use snorkle gear on to find great
shells. Go to Caya Costa for snorkeling and Barnacle Phil's on North Captiva
for lunch. See dolphins. $55 from 9-3pm. Lunch extra. The boat leaves from Port Sanibel Marina in Ft. Myers.
- Things to do: Shelling, bicycling, swimming, tennis, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, fitness club, art galleries,
nature hiking, and just plain relaxing.
- Ride bicycles on Sanibel's 26 miles of bike paths.
- There is little parking for beach access. The only four places on Sanibel are: (available for $1 per hour)
Lighthouse and Fishing Pier, Gulfside City Park, Tarpon Bay Road Parking Lot and Bowman's Beach. Turner's Beach on Captiva Island
is free.
- Boating aboard the Ms. Captiva with Captain Dennis, a real sea captain and
naturalist and knew every dolphin, tarpon, egret, heron, shell, etc. in the area
and even given swim with manatees if the season is right.
- Everglades ecotour of bird watching and wildlife photography of alligators, panthers, manatees, reptiles in southwest
Florida's Big Cypress preserve and Everglades outback . Full day of nature by
riverboat, hiking, airboats and van exploration with highly trained guides.
Departs daily from Sanibel, Ft. Myers Beach and Naples/Marco
- Take a boat ride - go to Cabbage Key, Useppa, and watch for dolphins
- Sanibel Library http://www.sanlib.org/
- http://www.sanibelisland.com/recreation.html - boat rentals
- ride bikes - we've got three in our storage closet on the first floor
- City of Sanibel website http://www.mysanibel.com/
- Captiva Cruises http://www.captivacruises.com/
- Sanibel Recreation Center http://www.mysanibel.com/Parks&Recreation/2007/Recreation%20Center/Membership%20Kit.pdf
- Sanibel Fitness Center http://www.sanibelfitnesscenter.com/index.htm
Call us at (614) 792-2593 to rent our beautiful Gulf front
condo in the White Sands building on Sanibel Island.
Other Helpful Links:
To contact us -
Please call us at (614) 792-2593 or at (614) 792-2523.
If we do not answer, please leave a message.
David Ulstad
E-mail: dculstad@aol.com
Last Modified: March 30, 2008
copyright 2006,2007,2008 David Ulstad