Originally a Spanish port, Sanibel Island has quickly become a much frequented tourist destination thanks to its beautiful beaches, subtropical climate and expansive wildlife refuges.
Sitting quietly off the coast, Sanibel runs 12 miles long and is three miles across at its broadest.
Each year, tourists flock to this serene island in sunny southwest Florida to get away from crowds and enjoy the natural beauty that it has to offer.
Sanibel went through periods of colonization, but was not permanently populated until the Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged people to settle the island once more.
The population remained very small until the completion of the first causeway connected it to the mainland in 1963.
In a move of environmentally-conscious forethought, the community established the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 1974 in order to promote the conservation of the island's natural beauty.
Today, visitors to Sanibel Island can enjoy the effects of this plan as they explore the thousands of acres of beaches and wildlife refuges.
How to get there Sanibel lies just 20 miles from Ft.
Myers, and is accessible by the Sanibel Causeway.
The toll is $6 per car, and there is no charge to return to the mainland.
If air travel is required, the Southwest Florida International Airport is less than 25 miles away, and serves many national and international carriers.
Times of Year to visit Owing to its placement in the Gulf, Sanibel has a humid subtropical climate, with temperatures almost always falling between 60°F and 90°F.
Tourists vacation to enjoy these balmy temperatures primarily between the months of January and April, and during these months rain is minimal.
In June, however, the rainy season begins and the island averages nearly 9" of rainfall through September.
Rainfall again decreases in October.
Popular attractions Wildlife Sanibel Island is well known for its dedication to ecology.
Many of the visitors that come to the island do so in order to enjoy its many wildlife refuges.
The largest refuge on Sanibel Island is the J.
N.
"Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
Established in 1976, this 6,300 acre refuge (named for Pulitzer-Prize winning cartoonist Jay "Ding" Norwood Darling) is home to one of the largest mangrove ecosystems in the United States, and also hosts a large population of migratory birds.
A diverse animal population is observed on Sanibel, with alligators, crocodiles, pelicans, and many other animal species residing in and around the island.
Beaches As well as being rich in animal life, Sanibel's location and island type result in a great abundance of shells that wash up on the shore.
Because it is a barrier island with an east-west orientation instead of the normal north-south orientation, many shells are driven by the currents onto the shore.
Visitors can enjoy the great number and variety of shells that are scattered colorfully across the beaches.
Museums Along with nature, visitors may enjoy taking a look at the various museums they have on the island in order to more fully understand and appreciate Sanibel.
Several notable establishments include the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, which offers a unique look at shells through many different perspectives, and the Sanibel historical Museum and Village, which gives visitors the chance to see how Sanibel life was during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Although it is small island, Sanibel has much to offer and is very accessible.
Combine these attributes with its natural beauty and you have more than enough excuses for a weekend trip or an extended stay!