Lee County, Florida has about 52 miles of sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico that are some of the most beautiful and romantic places in the United States. The 12 miles of world class public beaches on Sanibel Island are not only spectacular to look at, but are a living testament of how progress and the environment can successfully coexist.
Here are some tips to help you appreciate the magnificent Sanibel beaches as well as what makes each beach unique. These public Sanibel beaches are all accessible by car and you won’t need a special permit to enjoy them.
All five of the public Sanibel beaches are open from sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year. Parking at the four Gulf-side public Sanibel beaches costs $2 per hour. You pay as you enter and are given a tag for your dash. You can pay with coins, bills or credit card. Parking at the Causeway beaches is free.
A Few Small Caveats Before You Go:
· After Hurricane Charley came through, Sanibel increased the Causeway Toll from $3 to $6. That was to pay for a new bridge, but I suspect it’s also a way to keep the riff-raff out. Unless you go by boat, you have no choice but to use the Causeway to get to the Sanibel beaches.
·. The island seems to have a plethora of them.
·.
·. On the other Sanibel beaches, alcohol is banned one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise from December 15 through May 15.
· While actual dates of Tourist Season vary, November through March or April will see a HUGE influx of people, especially at the Sanibel beaches. Traffic jams can last for hours; grocery stores are packed so tight one can’t maneuver a grocery cart and long waits at restaurants.
Rules for Enjoying “The Sanibel Beaches Experience”:
1) Respect the water. There are no lifeguards on any of the Sanibel beaches. Be aware that the rip tides are treacherous. Know your limits and watch your children.
2) Respect the sun. Apply the highest rated sun block available. Continue to reapply every hour throughout the day and again after swimming. Even the mild December sun reflecting off the white sand of the Sanibel beaches, can fry you like an egg. Monitor your little ones or you could end up in the emergency room.
3) Respect the Flora. Florida has over 421 species of endangered plants, and another 113 that are threatened. If you pick them you can be fined. For some reason, the sea oats found on most of the Sanibel beaches are particularly enticing. Resist the urge to pluck them.
4) Respect the Fauna. On some of the Sanibel beaches, birds far outnumber the human visitors. Birds will eat your food. It is against the law to feed the birds, even if they just help themselves to your sandwich when you’re taking a dip.
Don’t chase the wild life.
Observe your surroundings as you walk along the paths from parking lots to the Sanibel beaches. Florida has six species of venomous snakes, four of which can be found in southwest Florida. Coral snakes, cotton mouths, Eastern diamond back rattlers, and the dusky pigmy rattlesnakes are not as rare as you would hope.
Practically every year, some tourist is attacked by an alligator. Do not feed the alligators. It’s against the law and very dangerous.
As you traverse the water’s edge on any of the Sanibel beaches, shuffle your feet. It will scare off any stingrays that may be lollygagging in the sun, close to shore. If you’re stung, you may require medical attention in the form of a tetanus shot and antibiotics.
5) Respect others. The Sanibel beaches do allow dogs on the beach. Your pooch must remain on its leash and don’t forget to scoop their poop.
Speaking of poop, don’t leave used disposable diapers lying on the beach. Please leave the Sanibel beaches as perfect as you found them.
6) Keep your music to yourself, even in the parking lots.
7) Bring a camera. You might see something on the Sanibel beaches that you won’t see anywhere else in the world.
Shelling on Sanibel Beaches:
· The best time to shell is early.
· If you’re lucky enough to be on Sanibel in the summer, go after a storm. From June to September, one can expect rain every day between 2 – 5 pm.
· Bring a bucket or container to put your shells in.
· Protect yourself with: sun block (don’t forget the back of the neck), a hat, shoes, sunglasses.
· Live shelling is illegal. You can be fined.
· Rinse your shells off. When you get them home, you might want to soak them in a mild bleach/water solution to remove any odor.
The Causeway Beaches of SanibelIsland: As you soar over the Causeway Bridge, you’ll know you’re not in Kansas anymore. The Causeway runs over three man-made islands. Both sides of the road have free parking areas, restrooms and picnic tables. Just like the Gulf side Sanibel beaches; you can enjoy yourself from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week. This is a great place to swim, fish, kayak and sail, sunbathe or have lunch.
The water is shallow and the waves are usually gentle. The Causeway beaches are a popular place for dolphin sightings. While lazing on the Sanibel beaches, you’ll feel like you’re in one of those famous Florida postcards.
Lighthouse Beach: Located on the east end of Sanibel, it’s the easiest beach to get to, which could also explain why it’s the most popular beach. The tide is swift there, so keep an eye on your children. The experts consider it to have the best shelling of all the public Sanibel beaches.
While there is ample parking, during tourist season you will need to get there before 9:30 if you want any chance of getting a spot.
Boardwalks will lead you through the mangroves to the beach. There are restrooms as well as concessions and picnic tables available
Lighthouse Beach is a popular place for beach weddings. On 07-07-07 ceremonies were being performed all over the beach at 20 minute intervals, from sunrise to sunset.
An added feature is the Sanibel Lighthouse. Built in 1884, it’s still a working light house. Your can walk up to it, and take pictures, however it’s not open to the public. There is also a public pier.
Algiers Beach (Gulfside City Park)
Many of the locals feel that Algiers Beach is the jewel of the Sanibel beaches. Located at the end of Algiers Lane it can be difficult to find, which makes it worth the trouble. From Periwinkle Way, go south on Casa Ybel Road then west on Algiers Lane. Stop when you get to the ocean.
There is a long, shady picnic area. Any shaded beach areas are choice real estate for families with children and some of the older folks who don’t want blistering sun and heat. One can often find parking at Algiers Beach when all of the other Sanibel beaches are jam packed. Restrooms are available.
Tarpon Bay Road Beach.
If you’re heading west on Periwinkle Way (the main drag through the center of Sanibel) you’ll run into Tarpon Bay Road, then turn left which (which is south).
For some, Tarpon Bay Road Beach is THE beach on Sanibel. The beach is wide and has more than it’s share of critters. You’ll find plenty of parking, a water fountain, restrooms and showers.
In praise of showers, nothing feels better than washing the salt and sand off before leaving the beach. While most visitors love the sugar sand found on most of the Sanibel beaches, they really don’t want it in every body crevice or all over their cars.
Algiers Beach and Tarpon Bay Road Beach are the Sanibel beaches closest to the center of Sanibel Island and that means closer to stores and restaurants.
Bowman’s Beach
This beach is the best kept secret of Sanibel Island. It’s the very best of the Sanibel beaches, and so superior, that we prefer to keep the secret and not share it with the tourists. It’s MY favorite beach, and I’m reluctant to share it But I know there are some real aficionados out there that crave, the perfect beach experience and will appreciate the opportunity.
Bowman’s Beach is the last public beach before Captiva Island. There are no condos, apartments or developments nearby. The beach is so wide and so long, it never feels crowded, even in the middle of tourist season.
In 2002 the Travel Channel named Bowman’s Beach as one of Florida’s Top 10 Beaches.
Plenty of parking is available. There are restrooms, changing booths and outdoor showers. The paths to the beach meander through trees so that even in the heat of an August afternoon, the trek from vehicle to beach is cool and pleasant. After you cross over the footbridge, you’ll find grills and picnic tables. There is plenty of space between each picnic area, so you never feel that other beach goers are infringing on your privacy.
Depending on the time of day, you might spot a ‘gator lolling in the shallows of Old Blind Pass. There are over 230 species of wild birds on Sanibel Island, many who call Bowman’s Beach home. There are several varieties of herons and egrets: most are listed as a Florida Species of Special Concern. And keep your eyes open for the white ibis, the roseate spoonbill as well as the wood stork, an endangered species.
There are three types of gulls in residence, and all of them will scold you and eye your food. A favorite resident of the Sanibel beaches are the two types of pelicans (brown and white) that hang motionless over the water’s edge. Find sandpipers, terns and plovers close to the water, dancing erratically in and out of the sea foam. While walking down the paths amidst the trees, look for eagles and hawks. If you’re quiet you might hear a cacophony of coots, cuckoos and woodpeckers.
The beach is long and slopes gradually out into the Gulf. There are distinctive paths that allow you to move over the low dunes and vegetation on to the water itself.
Experts agree that the great shelling can be found on any of the Sanibel beaches, but the locals favor Lighthouse Beach. However, the tranquility and pristine beauty of Bowman’s Beach far outweighs the slightly smaller variety of shells available.
There are always enough shells washed ashore to keep you busy collecting most of the day. You’ll find shells of every shape and color as well as sand dollars, star fish and maybe even a sea horse. Finding a rare junonia shell on one of the Sanibel beaches you could get your picture in one of the island newspapers.
And if all that beach walking, wading, stooping and swimming isn’t enough activity for you, there is a designated exercise path. After you cross over the footbridge, look for the path that veers to the right. You’ll find individual work out stations with posted instructions for both adults and children. The path is approximately one mile long.
While the sunsets from any of the Sanibel beaches are memorable, the ones on Bowman’s Beach are spectacular. As the sun slides into the Gulf and you stroll back to your car, sun kissed and wind tussled, take a few minutes to reflect on how lucky you were to experience heaven on earth.
Ya’ll come back
