Fl Beach Resort Islands: The beaches of Sanibel & Captiva

The Fl Beach resort islands of  SANIBEL, CAPTIVA, GASPARILLA AND CAYO COSTA are located in Lee County, which is home to Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs.  Lee County is the most populous county in Southwest Florida, but when you cross the bridge onto Sanibel and Captiva Islands, you are in another world. 

Captiva Island hotels include the ‘Tween Waters Inn Island Resort with its fabulous fine dining restaurant, the Old Captiva House. And, no visit to Captiva is complete without going to the Mucky Duck for sunset watching, island music and great food.  Sanibel Island resorts offer fabulous Sanibel vacations and there are numerous Sanibel Island vacation rentals to choose from.  The Mad Hatter restaurant on Sanibel is a fine dining tradition and a must visit!

On to the beaches!  We’re featuring 6 of the 12 in this article.

Natural Florida beach sand and warm waters invite you to relax, read or

partake in a favorite beach activity – shelling. Each beach has a

personality all its own.  Families will find soft, white sand great for kids. Couples

can experience solitude and exceptional sunsets. And active types

can enjoy volleyball, picnicking, shelling, cycling and skim boarding.

• Lee County offers annual parking stickers for $60 per year.

• Sanibel Island beaches have metered parking. Property

owners and long term visitors may obtain A & B parking permits;

A/property owners/$12/year; B/ visitors/$90/year.

• On Sanibel, the police will arrange for delivery of a

handicapped wheelchair for 4 hours at no charge. Call 239-472-

3111.

Causeway Islands

Location: SR/CR 867, from mainland traveling to Sanibel, pass

through the Toll Booth, cross over “sky” bridge to first island.

Continue over “flat” bridge to second island.

Phone: 239-533-7275 Lee County Parks and Recreation

Hours: sunrise to ½ hour past sunset

Parking: free

Amenities: accessible from water, restrooms, drinking fountains,

picnic tables

Activities: fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, wind surfing, kite

boarding, shelling

Pets: yes, on 6’ leashes

Lighthouse Beach Park

Location: 112 Periwinkle Way, east end of Sanibel Island

Phone: 239-472-3700 City of Sanibel

Hours: sunrise to sunset

Parking: $2/hour, 195 spaces

Amenities: restrooms, handicapped accessible, shell display,

drinking fountains, bike racks, fishing pier on bayside

Activities: sunbathing, shelling, fishing, walking

Pets: yes, on 8’ leashes

Of Special Interest: 32 acres on eastern tip of island. Strong

currents make swimming inadvisable, especially for children.

Tarpon Bay Road Park

Location: East End of Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel Island

Phone: 239-472-3700 City of Sanibel

Hours: sunrise to sunset

Parking: $2/hour, 75 spaces (use Trost Parking Lot)

Amenities: restrooms, outside showers, handicapped accessible

Activities: swimming, sunbathing, shelling, walking, fishing

Pets: yes, on 8’ leashes

Of Special Interest: .9 acres on midsection of island

Bowman’s Beach

Location: 1700 Bowman’s Beach Road, off San-Cap Road, Sanibel

Island

Phone: 239-472-3700 City of Sanibel

Hours: sunrise to sunset

Parking: $2/hour, 214 spaces

Amenities: changing room, showers, drinking fountains, soda

machine, grills, restrooms, picnic tables, handicapped accessible

Activities: swimming, fishing, known for great shelling, walking,

sunbathing

Pets: yes, on 8’ leashes

Of Special Interest: One of the best beaches in Florida, it’s a

quarter mile walk from the parking lot to the beach (over a bridge)

through beach grasses and wetlands. Bowman’s is located on the

west end of the island and is the most remote of the beaches on

Sanibel.

Cayo Costa State Park

Location: directly south of Boca Grande and West of Pine Island,

Cayo Costa Island

Phone: 941-964-0375

Hours: 8 AM to sunset

Parking: Accessible only by passenger ferry or private boat. Ferry

departs from Pine Island; 239-283-0015. Park fees: $2/person

Amenities: bike rentals, day boat slips, cabins, campfire circles,

kayak and canoe rentals, restrooms, interpretive programs, nature

trails, pavilions, tent camping sites, picnic tables and grills, showers

Activities: biking, swimming, boating, camping, canoeing,

kayaking, fishing, walking, hiking, scuba, snorkeling, wildlife

viewing, campfire programs

Pets: Yes, on 6’ leashes. State parks do not permit pets on beaches

or playgrounds, or in bathing areas, cabins, park buildings or

concession facilities.

Of Special Interest: The island is 7 miles long and has 9.5 miles of

pristine beach on the Gulf. Its 256 acres look much like they did 500

years ago, when the first Europeans arrived here.

Gasparilla Island State Park

Location: a barrier island on Florida’s southwest coast, access is

via Boca Grande Causeway at C.R. 775 and Placida

Phone: 941-964-0375

Hours: 8 AM to sunset

Parking: $3/vehicle

Amenities: 2 miles of beach, hiking/nature trails, restrooms,

interpretive exhibits, picnic areas, showers, visitors center

Activities: swimming, snorkeling, canoeing, kayaking, shelling,

biking, fishing, wildlife viewing

Pets: Yes, on 6’ leashes. State parks do not permit pets on

beaches or playgrounds, or in bathing areas, cabins, park

buildings or concession facilities.

Of Special Interest: The beaches are the Park’s greatest asset.

They end at Boca Grande Pass, famous for its deep waters and

tarpon fishing. The circa-1890 lighthouse once marked the pass

for mariners. It is now a museum that explores the island’s

fishing and railroad heritage.

There are some full fledged resorts on the islands, but generally speaking you feel that the entire island, whether it’s Sanibel or Captiva, is your FL beach resort!