It is a really cool nature preserve that takes up much of the island. What I am going to tell you is some insights what we did while visiting Sanibel, and what is on our shortlist for next time: This is the number one reason that many folks make the trip to Sanibel, and for good reason. Hotels tended towards being cheaper on Sanibel. Loosen your belt because several stalls sell freshly made dishes you can eat on the go. These months offer the best weather, with comfortable temperatures and less rain, making it a joy to explore the island. One of thebest things to do on Captiva Islandis to watch the sunset. Take a Walk at Sanibel Lighthouse Beach Park. Dairy-Free (All recipes on CKC are gluten-free). I think their minds were blown! Eating out in Sanibel with kids? It's a great and inexpensive activity for the family that doesn't involve having everyone sit at a table for an entire meal. 2022 5. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Check out the accommodation options for your dates through my booking.com affiliate search box: Booking.com(function(d,sc,u){var s=d.createElement(sc),p=d.getElementsByTagName(sc)[0];s.type='text/javascript';s.async=true;s.src=u+'?v='+(+new Date());p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p);})(document,'script','//aff.bstatic.com/static/affiliate_base/js/flexiproduct.js'); And always remember, Florida can be very HOT! It feels special because it is. It sets over the ocean where you can watch from a huge stretch of public beach. With an early sunset time in winter, we'd take the boys out and walk up the beach toward the sunset. When you hit the causeway, you know you have arrived atthis breathtaking island covered in shells and its the start of making memories to last a lifetime. They even have a special app that you can download and identify any shells that you find (you dont have to visit the museum to use the app!). Bring goggles for kids to get a good look at the sandy ocean bottom. After 9:00 p.m on Sanibel, itsturtle time. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. The Sanibel Moorings Botanical Gardens takes visitors on a colorful journey through idyllic tropical gardens. In addition to an amazing pool and poolside bar, our provided kayaks, paddleboards, bikes to borrow and a naturalist led beach walk. Bristol Ocala Vacation Rental. This place claims to be Floridas most outrageous and award-winning restaurant. Maybe it was back in 1980 when there werent Houlihans and Fridays in every roadside town. Looks like it was a fun trip! My family loves Sanibel and I'm sure yours will too. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Just make sure not to disturb their nests! We visited in November, and it was just the right time for us. Biking downtown just got more exciting for kids having a map and treasures to hunt! I tried to find the information on our guide, but I no longer have it. They might even meet a new friend or two. I've always wanted to visit Sanibel Island. If there is, put it back. Find Places To Stay In Sanibel Island, Florida. Most of the nicer resorts on Sanibel provide some variety of activities. There is so much to explore right outside your hotel, both on the beach and in the water. This is definitely one of the best Sanibel Island activities for families, and one of the top reasons that many people plan a visit here. Get Dessert at The Bubble Room. This should be enough to get you started (and if you have any favorites that you think I should add, please let me know! The shells on Sanibel make going to the beach even more fun for kids because they have another activity to do. The wildlife refuge is open every day except Fridays. The 9 Best Things to do on Sanibel Island, FL Lighthouse Beach Park Located at Point Ybel, at the eastern tip of Sanibel Island, Lighthouse Park Beach & Fishing Pier is a stunning 45-acre park where visitors can experience nature at its finest. If the ocean is a little to rough for your likes, be sure to be booked at a hotel with a pool for guests to use because you will want it! Admission is $7 for kids ages 5-11, $9 for ages 12-17, $15 for adults. Aside from endless miles of gorgeous beaches, Sanibel Island is a lush sanctuary filled with spectacular natural features, including wilderness refuges, tropical gardens, and various wildlife species. Your email address will not be published. Located near Fort Myers, just offshore Floridas Gulf Coast, this unique island offers visitors the opportunity to bask in many outdoor activities. It's a cool way for them to understand what's beneath the ocean that they spent the week playing in. Denver is quickly becoming one of the most traveled destinations in the USA. 7. Back in 1996, the City of Sanibel passed an ordinance that prevented big chain businesses from opening up shop on the island. If youre lucky, youll also be able to spot friendly dolphins frolicking around the water. Kids stop in local businesses on the hunt for prizes. )If this sound like a trip to Sanibel Island with kids is in your future, here are my best tips for planning the perfect escape! Here you'll find healthy vegetarian and pescatarian recipes, health & wellness tips, healthy travel guides, plus behind the scenes fun from my life as a twin Mom. Some of my favorite memories as a kid are from Sanibel Island and I think these are all such great activities to do with kids! The balcony was huge and screened in. Another note, Sunburned Willie, the host of the crab race, can be a bit crass. That way, you'll have room left over for a slice (or two!) Pick from one of many competitive games at Battlegroundz in Lincoln including dodgeball, laser tag, paintball, archery tag, airsoft, darts and cornhole. Visiting this locale is a feel-good endeavor, too, as your admission fee goes towards the care of approximately 3,500 injured and orphaned animals each year. Currently expanding to add live-mollusk aquaria, Sanibel's shell museum is one of a kind, putting shells in the context of living creatures, history, culture, religion and art. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. We stayed at the Sanibel Inn and absolutely LOVED it. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. If you are looking for soft sand, this will not be your place because the whole beach is LITERALLY made out of sea shells. ), and The Best Things to Eat & Drink on Sanibel. 2. Located at 2100 Island Inn Road, I was able to try a couple of beers brewed in the Fort Myers area. After a low tide or storm are best along with the months of January, February, and March. If you are staying on the east end of the island, this makes for a lovely bike ride (and you can stop for THE BEST key lime ice cream at Sanibels Best Homemade Ice Cream afterwards!). Island Inn Sanibel Island Review | Kathryn Anywhere, Winter Hiking Tips for Hikers of All Levels, Craigleith Ski Club Snowmaking How The Magic Happens, Quebecs Eastern Townships Plan The Perfect Long Weekend. Kids can easily split a kids meal, especially if they fill up on the bottomless muffins that come first. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher is a nationally recognized family travel expert and an award-winning travel writer and editor. A trip to Sanibel Island with kids is perfect if you are a family who wants to send some quality time together in a laid back, relaxed atmosphere. With beaches that boast over 60 different kinds ofseashells, Sanibel Island is a shell hunter's dream. Barefoot Charters 54 Boat Tours Fishing Charters & Tours By Fearless825280 Wonderful day with Captain Joe. If you can't tell an angel wing from a glassy bubble, a visit to the Bailey-MatthewsNational Shell Museum will set you straight. 9. Have a look! It's a far cry from Disney, BUT I think this type of vacation can be just as lovely for kids of all ages. Come at low tide or after a storm to find conch, junonia, lightning whelk, and cockle shells. Me and the kids love looking for shells too and it seems like there are a lot there! Just look at these birds we found. Whether you choose to be boating, kayaking, canoeing, water-skiing or fishing from one of the favorite spots, play a round of golf on the challenging scenic courses, there are over 70 of them, the perfect place to tee off and test your mettle on the green . Its perfectly legal and encouraged to head down to the beach with a bucket and scoop up as many beauties as you can. Because of its distance from the airport, there are no public transportation methods to get here. I love seashells so I would love to pick them up too. Florida is traditionally a state that screams family travel. 5. This was a close second choice when booking our trip to Sanibel Island with kids. This Italian restaurant on Sanibel isnt the best thing ever, but after days of burgers, nachos and shellfish, it tastes like it is. They have a great kids menu, too, and are really patient with annoying children. But Sanibel Island, which faces due west in the Gulf of Mexico, is one of them. The refuge also offers tram rides hosted by a naturalist, so kids can learn more about what they're seeing. There are few places on the East Coast of the United States where you can revel in a western sunset. Sanibel island is one of the most bike friendly places that we have ever been. Toddlers, kids, and teens will all want to partake in this activity. This lighthouse is picture perfect and worth exploring for a morning. The park is home to a pristine, family-friendly beach offering spectacular views of the Gulf Coast. The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) is great for learning about Southwest Floridas native and migratory wildlife. Here, visit the otherworldly Captiva Beach, famous for its snow-white sand and shallow crystal-clear waters. Just wondering. He was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the reptiles that live in the Everglades, the kids couldnt help but be into it. It's a great activity for kids and families. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Watch the sky burn a bright orange fromthe Mucky Duck, where they hold a sunset celebration on the beach just steps away from their patio. Blind Pass Beach 827 Beaches By 994linday . It also taught the boys a bit about wind and weather because they only knew they could fly the kites on windy days. Heres something I wouldnt have done as a kid Hold boas, king snakes, pythons, alligators But our day guide Rhett? Also, the water tended to be murky on Sanibel. There are so many options for accommodations on Sanibel Island with kids, at all budget levels. The homes are amazing to look at, the water even better. I definitely enjoyed having a rental car while we were on Sanibel Island. Nature comes in a spectacular variety in the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. #1 in Sanibel Island Address: 1700 Bowman's Beach Rd. Head to the Crows Nest on Crab Racing Night and see as they say. When the red tide is high, dead fish wash up on shore, some shellfish is unsafe to eat and humans, especially those with asthma, have trouble breathing. Road trips to Florida were the best part of my childhood. There are many fishing companies in the Sanibel area. The beach here was beautiful white sand, and the water was a bright shade of beautiful blue. From beautiful beaches for shelling to countless water activities for kids, Sanibel Island is a great place to vacation for families. One day we went for a later brunch at the Lighthouse Cafe, which was very busy! Sanibel and Captiva have some different shells, so be sure to hit beaches on both islands. Learn how your comment data is processed. That and snowbirds who retire there, my late paternal grandparents being them! Definitely skip dinner there, but head over for dessert and the photo opps outside. Places To Stay In Sanibel Island, Florida, The 10 Best Beaches Near Orlando, Florida, 15 Unbeatable Florida Family Vacations with Kids, The 4 Best Family-Friendly Vacation Spots in Orlando, The 15 Best Long Weekend Getaways In The US, The Ultimate Guide For a Pet-Friendly Holiday in Florida, 7 Amazing Water Parks In Orlando, Florida, 8 Best Hotels Near SeaWorld Orlando, Florida, The 5 Best Hotels Near Downtown Orlando, Florida, The 9 Best Pet-Friendly Hotels In Orlando, Florida, The Best Hotels Near Disney World Orlando, The 5 Most Stunning Hotels Near Denver International Airport, 5 Great Things To Do In Ybor City, Tampa, FL, 17 Amazing Things to do in London with Kids. We came back with so many amazing shells (a whole suitcase full of them in fact). This is a review for fun things to do near Landfield Ave, Monticello, NY 12701: "Amazing place: gorgeous view, extremely pleasant people and lots of fun. You are in warm weather and you are on the ocean, so why not indulge in the water and cool off? These encounters trump a trip to Disneyworld any day. The Island also offers many opportunities for kids to learn and have fun at the same time. However, the island is spread out depending on where you stay. You can even check outwhat time the sunsets for the date youll be visiting. I picked it up from the airport in Fort Myers when we landed and there was at least one day where we did not leave the hotel and therefore did not use it. Activities that appeal to kids of all ages from babies to toddlers to teenagers and beyond. Taking a walk at Sanibel Lighthouse Beach Park is one of the best ways to explore the eastern tip of the island. They are almost all the way to Captiva, so if you are wanting to visit both islands, this is an ideal place to base yourself. Since 1884, the Sanibel Lighthouse (or Sanibel Island Light), has stood on Point Ybel at the eastern tip ofSanibel Island, markingthe entrance to San Carlos Bay. But in the spring and summer, the northern beaches are where it's at. Every single coastal state in the U.S. has reported red tide and the cause is primarily pollution chemicals in the water. Sanibel Island is best experienced by bike. Stuff your face at Island Cow. Your email address will not be published. Mini Golf. While the water is not clear, they will be able to find starfish, conch, and sand dollars. 2. The shelling is the best and the kids love climbing all over the driftwood and making their way through the forest. I'd venture to say that if you look for it you can find as much adventure on this little island as a lot of other tourist destinations. Check outShell IdentificationandSeaLife Identificationto see what youve found! We stayed at the Island Inn, the very first hotel on the island. Many of the area's islands are lined with red mangroves, which are fascinating trees that are easy to spot bytheir tangled root systems that make them look like they're standing on stilts above the water. Sanibel Island takes shelling very seriously! Most folks rent a car, but there are shuttles available to take you here (depending on where you are staying and what you plan on doing, you may not need a car once you get to the island). They loved running and collecting new shells. There is also a tower about halfway through the drive with fun telescopes. While there, take a swim, snorkel, or book a ranger-led kayak tour or hike. It's a pretty spectacular sight. It's a unique, quirky, and unusual place that is full of old Florida charm. Do you want amazing sunsets or sunrises? I've heard you can even spot manatees there. While visiting Chateaux Sur Mer, you might make a stop by sights like Sanibel Island Southern Beach and Bowman's Beach. The whole family has endless opportunities for fun. The occurrence of Red Tide is when simple plants that live in the sea and freshwatergrow out of control. We collected shells every day we were there and it never got old for the boys. Connecting the Florida mainland to Sanibel Island, this majestic roadway rises 70 feet over beautiful San Carlos Bay and offers show-stopping views over the aquamarine waters. Your new neighbors will be just as curious about you as you are about them. We had a lodge gulf view luxury suite with a full kitchen for cooking and a screened-in balcony for dining and spending evenings listening to the water. Sanibel and Captiva have some different shells, so why not indulge in sea. Cockle shells sell freshly made dishes you can even check outwhat time the sunsets for date... Downtown just got more exciting for kids having a rental car while we there! Activity for kids, Sanibel Island kids meal, especially if they fill up the. 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Out depending on where you Stay book a ranger-led kayak tour or hike the sea and out...
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