Sanibel and Captiva are barrier Islands just 30 min from Ft. Myers on the Gulf Coast of Florida. With only about 7,000 residents these sleepy Islands still have a small town feel. You will not find any big chain establishments or any high rises to impede your views. You will find 15 miles of pristine beaches world class shelling, great fishing and a myriad of restaurants and activities. So how do you pick a beach to spend the day in? Here is a quick guide to help you select the perfect spot for you and if you read to the end I will reward you with the best kept secret of the Island.
Causeway Islands
Parking at the public beaches in Sanibel and Captiva can get very expensive with rates of about $4 p/hr you can see how this quickly becomes an expensive proposition. If you are looking to save money on parking then spending the day on one of the Causeway Islands is the way to go.
The Causeway Islands are 2 spoil islands built to link the mainland to Sanibel. As you travel from the mainland towards Sanibel you will cross over a “sky” bridge and arrive on Island A which has parking only. Then you cross another “flat” bridge to Island B which has parking and facilities like restrooms and picnic tables. You will still pay the toll to cross the bridge but parking at both Islands is free.
Sanibel Beaches
Sanibel is an eclectic mix of nature, wildlife conservation land, shopping and restaurants, tourist destination and local homes. It is also the home of breathtaking white sand beaches with beautiful clear blue water and tons and tons of shells. You can see young and old walking along its shores with heads down shuffling along with buckets or nets collecting shells. This phenomenon is lovingly called the “Sanibel Stoop”. You can spend the day at one of these beaches:
Lighthouse Beach & Fishing Pier
This is the sight of the still functioning historic lighthouse. It is a popular spot and the first beach you will find once you cross the bridges into Sanibel. It can become a bit crowded during season but you will find a boardwalk nature trail, restrooms and showers, fishing pier and lighthouse. There is RV parking available at this location.
Parking is $4 p/hr and there are about 153 spaces.
Gulfside Beach (Algiers)
This beach is located almost at the mid island point. It has a smaller parking lot which will make this location a bit less crowded. Algiers has restrooms and showers picnic tables and BBQ grills and is 5 min drive to the shops at Periwinkle Place.
Parking: $4 p/hr and 47 spaces.
Bowmans Beach
Even though this beach has the largest parking facilities there are no hotels nearby so you can definitely find a peaceful spot just for you on this beautiful beach. You will have to walk from the parking over a bridge and onto the beach. However the location has amazing facilities including restrooms, changing rooms and showers. Picnic tables BBQ grills and a kids park. You can also enjoy nature trails and there is canoe and kayak launching.
Parking: $4 p/hr and 218 spaces.
Captiva Beaches
While Sanibel is not busy by mainland standards, Captiva manages to be even more laid back. You will find many upscale homes and there is not much available for public beach access. The South Seas Resort dominates the northern tip of the Island and the property is not accessible unless you are staying overnight. So here are your options on Captiva:
Turner Beach (Blind Pass)
This beach is just past the bridge to Captiva. The beach itself is called Turner Beach but the waterway that separates Sanibel from Captiva is called Blind Pass. So as you can see this beach is actually on both Sanibel and Captiva. Great beach for shelling and beautiful sunsets. There are no restrooms on the Sanibel side and the currents tend to be strong here so there are signs cautioning against swimming.
Parking: $4 p/hr and 28 spaces.
Captiva North End Beach
There is a small lot at the end of Captiva Drive near the South Seas Beach Resort. You can park your car here and enjoy the sunsets on Captiva. There is not much here for facilities only a few portable toilets but it is secluded and the views are amazing.
Parking: Min 2 hrs for $5
Best kept secret on the Island
The best kept secret of the Island is Tween Waters Inn. You can purchase a day pass for this resort for $45. This fee entitles you to $25 to be used on food/beverage or beach rentals, parking and use of their facilities including a very nice pool area. This day pass is only available if the resort has available parking. So you must call at 7 am the day of your planned trip to inquire about availability and reserve your spot. But if you are lucky enough to snag one then you can enjoy a full day with the best Captiva has to offer all in one spot for a very reasonable price.
Other important things to know:
- If you are bringing a pet they must be leashed at all times and you must clean up after him/her.
- No alcoholic beverage allowed on the beach between November and May.
- No Open fires allowed.
- All beaches have handicap parking although spaces are limited. Some handicap parking is free.
- Parking tickets are about $75 so remember to pay the meter to avoid this fee.
- Collecting shells is allowed but you must NOT take home any live shells.
- It is best to shell at low tide and after a storm.
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Hope this guide serves you well when you plan your next beach getaway to Sanibel and Captiva Island. For more information on what to do and where to eat while you visit click here (coming soon).
28 comments
Great tips! What a nice break from the big cities in Florida. These look like much better options!
It is a fantastic getaway for a day, weekend or week. Nice and peaceful but still has good restaurants and activities and near enough to Ft. Myers if you want to go to a slightly bigger city. Happy Roving!!!
Sadly my Florida beach repertoire is limited to Daytona Beach. They were perfect for my party days but since those days are over, I am looking for more peaceful beaches. These beaches definitely seem like they fit the bill. I will have to keep them in mind as the cold Canadian winters approach.
You can find some nice voyages to rent here and they make for a perfect place to enjoy the best of Florida. Happy Roving!!!
How come I never heard of this place!?!?!? I went to college in the Gulf Coast and if I had known this place existed I would have visited in a heart beat. I make a visit to the Gulf Coast at least once a year, so this place is now on my list of places to check out 🙂
You won’t be disappointed it is a great place to visit or even stay for a while. Let me know what you think once you visit and feel free to reach out if you need more information. Happy Roving!!!
Wow, all beaches look great. I would have problems choosing just one:)
I can relate to that problem. I guess you just have to visit multiple times and see them all. Happy Roving!!!
Beautiful pictures! These beaches look super relaxing 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed hope you visit one day. Happy Roving!!!
These beaches look like everything out of a postcard! The only bummer is how much you have to pay for parking. Is it possible to bring a scooter and just find a random place to park and dodge the fees?
Some of the beaches are free for bikes and if you are staying in a rented house or resort you obviously don’t pay to park. They are beautifully maintained beaches and most have fantastic facilities to use and that is what you are paying for. Happy Roving!!!
Turner Beach looks like my favorite! Thanks for sharing a post full of beautiful spots on this 15 mile beach! Cheers!
Your very welcome and I hope you come and visit the beautiful beaches on the Gilf Coast of Florida. Happy Roving!!!
Wow your photos are incredible. Great job! I naively thought all the best beaches in Florida were around Miami and The Keys. Boy I was wrong! These are gorgeous. I just love Sanibel Beaches. Stunning!
Actually finding nice beaches in the Keys is hard especially public ones. We also love Naples for their beaches so that is another great option. Happy Roving!!!
Fall and winter are quickly approaching us in the Pacific Northwest and soon I’ll be looking for a warm place to replenish my energy. I’ll add this to my list of considerations.
There are lots of great rentals on the beach and a few good resorts it is a great place to relax and unwind but you still have the option of activities nearby. Happy Roving!!!
I’m not used to day passes for resorts as we don’t really have anything like that in Australia. Such a great idea. I love reading articles like this as it always shows me new places that I have to visit.
Places that offer day passes are very limited but I think they are a great idea. Especially when you live near by and spending 1 night can cost hundreds of dollars. Great savings for me and the resort makes extra money as well. Win win for all. Happy Roving!!!
That looks like a less crowded beach in Florida. It could be worth the $45 price of entry if it keeps the crowds away. Still, I’m not used to paying that much to access a beach 🙂
The $45 seems a bit steep at first but it does provide $25 worth of food and drinks so that is only $20 for parking and use of facilities like a pool and tennis courts so I thought that was quite reasonable for a full day especially when the alternative is to pay $4 per hour and receive nothing other than parking for it. The beaches are breathtaking and some of the best shelling in the world can be found here as well. What are your favorite beaches?
My fave is lighthouse beach. Lots of birds due to fishing and we almost always see dolphins, for the same reason. We’ve not hit a causeway beach yet but, ironically, were just talking about that last weekend for next summer.
Love when you see Dolphins at the beach. That is why I like the gulf coast. But the east still has its advantages.
It is a wonderful spot for picnics and boardwalks offer comfortable access to the beach. It is known to all Algiers beach. This beach is pretty wide and flat. It’s also pretty calm. I usually find smaller shells.
Sanibel is my go to place.
You are the second person to mention the Causeway Islands for shelling etc. God willing, next time…
Thanks for the tip about Tween Waters day pass.
I don’t have a favourite hideaway. Going to Sanibel and Captiva off season is my hideaway.
Beautiful beaches, world class shelling, wildlife, restaurants, shopping.
Getting to know the people who go out of their way to help you. Check out Sanibel Community Church. A warm welcome awaits you.
Are dogs permitted on the beaches at Sanibel and Captiva?
Dogs are permitted on some of the beaches if kept on leash. For example Algiers beach, Bowmans Beach in Sanibel. Captiva does not allow dogs on the beach