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Sanibel + Captiva Islands: Florida's Best Family-Friendly Nature-Loving Escapes

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The sister islands of Sanibel and Captiva are something of a special breed in Florida. You won’t find bustling theme parks, water parks or alligator attractions on these islands. There won’t be long lines of sweaty tourists or beaches thronged with sunbathers either. In fact, these islands with their fertile unspoiled habitats seduce visitors without even trying.

The islanders like to think the appeal is in the numbers: 15 miles of beaches, 25 miles of bike paths, 50 kinds of fish, 230 kinds of birds, 250 kinds of shells and their favorite number of all---zero traffic lights. Sanibel alone is home to 6,400 acres of mangrove wilderness, which is almost half of the total island. Many visitors just come to spend time in the J. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge---a birders paradise, but also an ideal place for nature hikes and the occasional alligator spotting.

Sanibel and Captiva (which are connected by a short causeway) also have a few simple guidelines in place that keep this wildlife-rich paradise as pristine as it was when I first visited as a young girl almost 40 years ago. The island allows no weekly home rentals (although smaller condominiums can be rented weekly) and no developer, no matter how deep the pockets, is permitted to build a structure higher than three stories.

Yet, most people really don’t care about the rules; they come for the uncrowded beaches and unparalleled shelling. During my first visit as a child, my father and I decided to go shelling in the rain. We discovered the most magical things on that gloomy day--lighting whelks, king conch, shark eyes--even the occasional fish or horseshoe crab washed ashore by storm tide. Our pockets bulged with loot. I felt like an explorer, alone in the beachy wilderness. The adventure remains one of my most treasured memories with my dad to this day.

In the following years I’ve taken my own babies down those beaches---each walk its own treasure hunt. Shelling on Sanibel is a rewarding pursuit simply because it yields intact shells—the ones with critters have to go back—but the empties are yours to keep. Of course you can sunbathe, or just drift in the gentle waves, but busy bees like me find the shelling hard to ignore.

The island is threaded with bike trails and it’s a great way to get around or just explore sections you haven’t yet seen. I prefer biking through the wildlife refuge to driving---one always sees more when you slow down—and see you will. You can also take a guided tour by kayak through the refuge or through the mangrove forest. (Tarpon Bay Explorers offer several options led by naturalists). Expect to see a wide range of wildlife including dolphins, manatees, alligators, anhinga, pelican, and more.

Fishing on the "crowded" beaches of Sanibel.

Shoppers won’t be disappointed, nor will those who just eat out every meal…Sanibel and Captiva have enough of both options to keep visitors busy for weeks without ever having to return to the dreary “mainland”.

Today I go for different reasons—my mother, who lives there now, is aging and we spend more time shuttling her to the hospitals in Ft. Myers than shelling or kayaking. But, on each trip the wildlife still give--I’ll spy an anhinga drying its wings, or a pelican diving for dinner, and shells still wash ashore. Maybe that’s why people come back year after year—the island never changes--and you can feel, if only for a while, that you haven’t changed either.

When to Go:

Summer is certainly hottest---but the islands are quieter during this season. Once November hits (through late April) you’ll be competing with the high season in terms of pricing. There are never any lines or crowded beaches here—just traffic getting off and on the island. So year-round it’s still a pleasure to visit.

Where to Stay:

West Wind Inn—Sanibel, is a classic, old school motel styled destination with wonderful gulf front accommodations at a great price.

Tween Waters Inn—Captiva, has a full-service marina which is appealing for boaters and kayakers.

Home rentals are offered on a monthly basis, but a perfect way to really settle into the island’s easy-going habitat.

More Info--and you can enjoy the flavors of the Beaches of Ft. Myers and Sanibel at EXPO Milan 2015, if you happen to stop at the food trucks in the USA Pavilion.

The USA Food Truck Nation at Milan's EXPO 2015 featuring Sanibel/Captiva and Ft. Myers.