 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sanibel Island is a quiet 12-mile long barrier island off the Southwestern coast of Florida. The west end of the island is joined to the much smaller Captiva Island by Blind Pass bridge. The Castaways lies on either side of Sanibel-Captiva Road right before the Blind Pass Bridge. Click on any of the links below to learn more or simply scroll down to soak it all in! Sanibel Facts |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SANIBEL FACTS - Sanibel and Captiva islands are connected to the mainland by the three-mile long Sanibel Causeway. The Gulf of Mexico lies on the west side while peaceful Pine Island Sound lies on the east. There are only three main roads on Sanibel, each running East-West. There's Periwinkle Way, which runs down the middle of the island; Sanibel-Captiva Road, which is called "San-Cap" by locals and runs out toward Captiva; and Gulf Drive, which runs parallel to the Gulf of Mexico along the beach side. The maximum speed limit anywhere on Sanibel is 35 m.p.h. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BICYCLING - The island is a bicylist's paradise, with 25 miles of paved bicycle paths. These paths run alongside many of the paved roads and often meander off through beautiful wilderness areas. You can rent a bicycle at The Castaways and enjoy Sanibel Island the way locals do. For those who wish to in-line skate or jog, the bike paths are multi-functional. Of course, there's always the 16 miles of beaches for a truly unique "jogging path." To add to the charm of the island, you won't find any of the typical gaudy neon signs that populate many of Florida's beaches. Sanibel Island banned neon signs, stop lights and four-lane roads in the 1970s. A Victorian-era lighthouse at the eastern end of the island is one of the tallest structures. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Gulf of Mexico is perfect for swimming year round. Sea kayaks, sailboats, speedboats, windsurfing and jet skiing are all popular activities. The average temperature of the Gulf is: 71 degrees Fahrenheit in the Winter 84 degrees Fahrenheit in the Summer The Gulf is calm and relaxing, and is not known for big waves and dangerous riptides, like some Atlantic beaches. Instead, it's known for safe swimming, great shelling and abundant wildlife. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
WILDLIFE - One interesting fact about Sanibel that many visitors find surprising is that there are restrictions regarding beach lighting for most of the year. The reason behind these restrictions are baby sea turtles. These restrictions help save the endangered sea turtles who make their nests on Sanibel's beaches. All beach lighting is prohibited during turtle nesting season so that turtle hatchlings don't get confused when they hatch late at night. Newborn sea turtles always hatch during a full moon and follow the light of the moon toward the water. A single lightbulb left shining on a beachfront patio could confuse the hatchlings and lead to many unfortunate deaths. Plenty of other wildlife also inhabits Sanibel Island. Some of our local residents include: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SHELLING - Along with being one of the world's safest beaches, Sanibel Island is known as the best shelling spot in the Western Hemisphere. Locals call the bent-at-the-waist shuffle required for shelling, "The Sanibel Stoop." The rare Junonia shell (pictured right) has been found on our beaches, usually after a good storm. The Junonia shell is so rare and prized among local shellers, that anyone lucky enough to find one gets their picture in the local newspaper. In addition to the Junonia, hundreds of other more common shells can be found on our beaches. Some estimates claim almost a 1/4 million different types of shells wash up along Sanibel's peaceful shores. The best time to go shelling is early in the morning before the best shells have been taken by shellers on their morning walk. Many unique shells also wash ashore after a storm. You can also choose to take a trip with one of the local shelling guides available at Castaways Marina to visit more out-of-the way shelling areas that only locals know. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ENTERTAINMENT - There's so much to do on Sanibel that we've dedicated an entire page of our website to it. Visit our Things To Do page for a complete listing of ways to entertain you and your family while on your tropical island getaway. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
