Sanibel Island | The Jewel of SWFL
Sanibel Island | The Jewel of SWFL
Mel C
What to see, do, and eat on sunny Sanibel
Island, Florida - and beyond! 🌴🍹🌺
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There’s no place better than idyllic Southwest Florida. There’s something for everyone on Sanibel and Captiva Islands and the surrounding areas. Dive right in!
Arrival
Southwest Florida International Airport
@melaniee
Book your flight into Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW).
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Use Uber, Lyft, or book the Sanibel Taxi in advance of your visit. There is a toll to cross the causeway onto the island. The drive from the airport is about 30 minutes.
See & Do
Billy's Bike Shop
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The entire island is bikeable, so stop by Billy’s and rent bikes for the duration of your stay. It’s a great way to get out and see the island.
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Bowman's Beach
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Known as one of the best beaches on the island. There are plenty of beaches to choose from.
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Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum
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Visit the largest shell museum in the U.S. Sanibel is known for the unique and rare shells that wash up on the barrier island shores.
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J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
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Drive, bike, or take a tram ride around the wildlife refuge, which covers more than half of the island. There are plenty of birds and other animals to spot from observation towers along the road.
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Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) - Wildlife Hospital
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Sanibel cares deeply about its wild inhabitants. CROW is a hospital for wild animals and helps save the lives of injured birds, turtles and more with their expert vet care and rehabilitation services.
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Sanibel Island Farmers Market
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An adorable Sunday market with sellers with various foods and goods. There are cuisines from multiple countries and delicious BBQ.
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Tarpon Bay Explorers
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Rent kayaks and expore the mangroves that anchor the island to the sea.
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Eat
Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille
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Inspired by the tales of Doc Ford, a book series about a Sanibel Island dweller.
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Gramma Dot's Restaurant
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For delicious seafood and massive yachts, check out Gramma Dot’s at the Marina.
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Blue Giraffe Restaurant
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The original Blue Giraffe location. Their revamped menu is delicious and milkshakes are top notch.
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Timbers Restaurant
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A classic Sanibel establishment serving up seafood for over 40 years. They have the best house-made dill ranch dressing.
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MudBugs Cajun Kitchen
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New Orleans themed restaurant with huge portion sizes and fun flavors.
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Cheeburger Cheeburger
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Fun for kids and families. You can eat a 1 pound burger and get your photo on the wall of fame.
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The Island Cow
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Arguably the most famous establishment on the island, the Island Cow is in the process of rebuilding from the ground up following Hurricane Ian.
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The Pecking Order Fried Chicken & Pies
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DELICIOUS entrees, sides, and pies. Reopening soon following Hurricane Ian.
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For Dessert
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Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream
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Love Boat Ice Cream
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For Drinks
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Delicious drinks I enjoyed at Turtle’s Tiki Bar, pictured above.
Great White Grill
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Bar known for being the meeting place of Sanibel Steelers fans during football season for game watch parties.
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For the Chefs
Jerry's Foods
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If you’d rather cook your own food, buy your groceries at local Jerry’s and get cooking!
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Shopping
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SWF Mango Bay Sanibel
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Captiva Island
The Mucky Duck Restaurant
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The absolute best sunset views are from the beach in front of thr Mucky Duck. Grab a beerrita and listen to some live music on the beachfront patio while the sun sinks down.
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YOLO Watersports, Inc.
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An incredible crew will take you parasailing, among other adventure activites. Book in advance if possible, and it can be pricey.
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The Green Flash Restaurant
@melaniee
A bit more upscale and catering to an older crowd, but this was my Grandma’s favorite spot and she loved Sanibel more than anyone, so I couldn’t leave it out.
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Beyond
Just outside of or a short drive away from the Island, you can discover some of Southwest Florida’s best.
Naples Botanical Garden
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Beautiful garden with a spectacular yearly Holiday light walkthrough.
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Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens
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Variety of well-cared-for animals to see, and an opportunity to feed giraffes for an extra fee.
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Castle Golf
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A whimsicle mini-golf course that I have played since childhood and strongly recommend on the way to or from the airport.
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Lake Park Diner
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An absolutely out of this world upscale diner. Reservations not required but it gets crowded at peak times. A bit expensive but worth every penny. The original location is on 7th Ave in Naples.
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Everglades National Park
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A further drive still, the gateway to the Everglades is a managable day trip away.
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More Information
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mel C
Sharing my love of travel and recommendations with the world 🌎
17 countries | 41 U.S. States
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