The island is home to many burrowing gopher turtles and lush plantlife grows wild here giving the island an old Florida feel. Offering free cancellations and no added fees, our {31 fun activities in South Plainfield fun activities in South Plainfield } are also worth a look. This is a fantastic place for viewing Florida manatees. See alligators, raccoons, otters, and hundreds of different kinds ofbirds in this 6,300-acre wilderness. This sounds like a great island to visit. The shelling is the best and the kids love climbing all over the driftwood and making their way through the forest. Road trips to Florida were the best part of my childhood. Joe is a great teacher, and storyteller. Sanibel Island is best experienced by bike. The kitschy shop at the east end of Sanibel is legendary for its delicious homemade Italian gelato. The tour price covers the rental of all gear, including a PDF, leash, tie-downs, and fresh drinking water for each person. Celebrate Women's History Month and commemorate pioneering figures in science, technology, arts & design, and mathematics. Another note, Sunburned Willie, the host of the crab race, can be a bit crass. By foot or bike would be my preference, but you can also drive, or take a 90-minute tram tour with Tarpon Bay Explorers. The beach here was beautiful white sand, and the water was a bright shade of beautiful blue. Make sure to bike to the east end of the island to see the Sanibel Lighthouse, and if you get hungry for some ice cream while you there, Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream is right there for you on the way back. Find 2023's best things to do with kids. The park is home to a pristine, family-friendly beach offering spectacular views of the Gulf Coast. As a visitor, that attitude is somewhat concerning to me and in the future, Id like to see some efforts in place and real discussion about red tide and the time of year when its low and high, and how to prevent it from happening. Definitely skip dinner there, but head over for dessert and the photo opps outside. Take them to the shopping center with Jerry's, which is one of the local grocery stores on the island. The gator viewing wasnt plentiful, there were a few eyes popping up here and there, but it certainly was exciting to try to see them! This is the first lighthouse north of the Keys. A great time. Unsure of the treasure found on Sanibel Island? After a low tide or storm are best along with the months of January, February, and March. Less restaurants and shopping. If we had to drive over and visit just for the day, it would not have been at all the same experience. My goal with Running in a Skirt is to help YOU live a happier, healthier life! It is located in Lee County and the easiest way to get there from Toronto is to fly to Fort Myers, rent a car and go. There are activities that appeal to all age groups and makes for a really nice family vacation. A good day on the water promises dolphins, manatee, and other sea life sightings. Denver is quickly becoming one of the most traveled destinations in the USA. Your email address will not be published. Time seems to move differently on Sanibel. We had a fun morning riding out to see the Sanibel lighthouse. Convinced to travel to Sanibel Island and check out the cool things to do in there? 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. Not a single person I spoke to in the area seems to be concerned about Red Tide and carried on with business as usual. Sanibel Island in Florida offers a breathtaking reprieve for families who want to get away from the hustle-bustle of everyday life. It connects by bridge to Captiva Island. Captiva Cruises offers three kinds of sunset cruise: the Sunset Serenade with live music and cocktails, the Wildlife Sunset cruise with views of birds and dolphins and the Sunset Sail on a 40-foot catamaran. My three-year-olds have been flying them for over a year. Sanibel and the surrounding islands are home to a myriad of different animals. I have never heard of this place, but it sounds like a fun place to eat and drink around. The whole family has endless opportunities for fun. 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. 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. Things To Do In Sanibel Island's Lighthouse Beach The Best Gift: Making Memories At South Seas Island Resort Beaches in Guatemala: Dramatic And Beautiful Volcanic Black Sand A Family Weekend In Florida's Space Coast With Holiday Inn The Best Things to do in Fort Myers Beach for Families Things To Do With Kids In The Upper And Middle Florida Keys The kids and I did an Everglades Gator and bird spotting tour withEverglades Day Safari Fort Myers in an airboat. With beaches that boast over 60 different kinds ofseashells, Sanibel Island is a shell hunter's dream. Its a nice place to stay, but the spa is especially wonderful. It sets over the ocean where you can watch from a huge stretch of public beach. It turns out, there are plenty of things to do on Sanibel Island with kids. Your whole family will enjoy spending hours exploring all the creatures they find! Fully Equipped with an upgraded kitchen featuring stainless steel, Sunzero Wolf appliances, and quartz countertops. More shops and restaurants and better choice of hotels and resorts. I have to include this. The Best Things to Eat & Drink in Sanibel, Weekly Happenings - More Snow, Sick & Sick. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Watch the sunset on the beach. At the parks northern end, youll find a fishing pier, a prime spot for catching redfish, snook, sheepshead, black drum, snapper, and other species. This is Tampa's Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District. Kids stop in local businesses on the hunt for prizes. 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. There are several ways to explore the refuge. 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. Sign up for Scary Mommy's daily newsletter for more stories from the trenches. Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Most nights there is live music along lots of games for the kids to play. Take a Walk at Sanibel Lighthouse Beach Park. And the "lighthouse" isn't really a house at all but is actually a tower. The must-try local favourite is the Orange Crunch cake, but you'll also want to consider the French Chocolate Torte or Tropical Breeze cake, which are both too tasty to pass up. The best times for shelling were at low tide and early in the morning (even better if these coincide). Their learning lab is a great place for children to engage in hands-on play with displays, games, a tank with indigenous mollusks, and continuously-playing children's videos. For more shopping fun, check out the shops in Times Square at the nearby Fort Myers Beach Pier. The island is relatively compact and very bike friendly and many people get around by bike! I tried to find the information on our guide, but I no longer have it. Besides relaxing and playing on the beaches, there are kid-friendly restaurants, museums, and historical sites to enjoy with your family. Join Little Learners for a Seuss-a-Bration at Once Upon a Treetop. The island has a curved shape that causes it to as a shovel, scooping up shells from the Gulf of Mexico. The kids were told that if they waited and were quiet, theres a good chance they could spot a manatee somewhere in the wildlife refuge. While you can't exactly access the light,the site itself features agreat shelling beach, a fishing pier, and a nature trail. Be sure also to visit the family-friendly Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, the only one in the United States devoted solely to shells and mollusks. The island acts like a big scoop and because of the way that the ocean currents flow, the shells just wash up on the beach. Take a dolphin sight-seeing boat ride. There are no big mega resorts. It is a really cool nature preserve that takes up much of the island. We've found lots of fun ways to spend our days on the island and I'm sure we'll continue to do that as the kids grow older. Unfortunately for me, there are no craft breweries on the island. Back in 1996, the City of Sanibel passed an ordinance that prevented big chain businesses from opening up shop on the island. 9. We stayed at the Island Inn, the very first hotel on the island. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. 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. The Sanibel Inn offered the use of paddleboards, kayaks and bikes free of charge for their guests. The balcony was huge and screened in. Here are a few that seem to welcome and appreciate kids. Sanibel Island is a barrier island located on the Gulf Side of Florida, about 30 minutes from the Fort Myers. Each time, we had to walk around and see the parrots (the naughty one on the end kept throwing his toys out of the cage and pouting as passersby to pick them upshe thought it was hilarious!) Looking for things to do in Sanibel Island with kids? As someone who doesnt have kids, I still love all the suggestions. You can shell without the extra things, but we thought it was a fun addition to the trip. We collected shells every day we were there and it never got old for the boys. Bring a bottle of wine and let the kids get their feet wet. 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 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!). Sprinkled in youll find family travel inspiration. My kids spent hours walking up and down the beach from our hotel doing shelling. Our guide, but we thought it was a fun place to stay, it. Head over for dessert and the photo opps outside Ybor City is a shell hunter 's dream which. Home to many burrowing gopher turtles and lush plantlife grows wild here giving the island is compact. Are using or switch them off in settings best and the photo opps outside the east of. Is home to many burrowing gopher turtles and lush plantlife grows wild here giving the is! 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