This past weekend I spent time in Sanibel and remembered how
awesome it is there.
It’s only about
three hours from West Palm Beach, Tampa, Miami, and Orlando, making Sanibel Island (and its close neighbor,
Captiva) the perfect spot to spend 24 hours without forking over too much cash. Here's a rundown of your perfect day there.
8:00am – Breakfast at
Over Easy Café
You’ll want to get a pretty early start on your day
considering there’s so much to do in this area.
The best breakfast is at Over Easy Café.
 |
| We are delighted to have such delicious hangover food! |
I like the Cheese Scrambler ($7.99), but the breakfast list
is quite extensive, check it out
here.
9:00am – Biking Around
the Island
There are a plethora of places to rent bikes on Sanibel.
 |
And if you're lucky, you might even look as cute
as my friend, Rachael, while on two wheels! |
I’ve stayed a few different places on Sanibel that actually
have bikes for you to ride FOR FREE, but if that’s not the case for you,
here
is a good list of places.
I’ve heard
very good things about Billy’s Rentals and their website shows you can get a
bike there for just $15 a day.
Once you have your hog, your choices are endless.
 |
"In the summertime, when the weather is high..." We could
not get this song out of our heads! |
One popular choice to pedal is to, and then through, the J.N. “Ding” Darling
National Wildlife Refuge (there is a $1 charge per person to enter the refuge
via bicycle. We opted to bike along the
main road, which is Periwinkle Way, until we got to one of the best beaches.
11:00am – Lighthouse
Beach
This beach is on the easternmost point of the island,
adorned by a beautiful, what else, lighthouse.
Sanibel is known for its abundance of shells and Lighthouse
Beach is no exception.
Oddly enough, there are places with better shells in
Sanibel, so stay tuned.
1:00pm – Lunch at
Island Cow
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the entire
world. Not only is the food great, but
the atmosphere is fun.
 |
This photo courtesy of my good friend, Annette... she's the one
in the cow! |
But most importantly, instead of the usual, run-of-the-mill
bread that most eateries offer, this
is what you get at Island Cow.
 |
| MUFFINS! Be still my heart. |
The entrees are reasonably priced, especially considering
the size of the meals.
 |
| Amy is quite shocked at the size of her salad! |
I like the po’ boys the best ($11.99), as there are several
different kinds, but you really can’t go wrong with anything on the
menu.
2:00pm – Shelling at
Blind Pass
This is by far the best shelling location in the
Sanibel/Captiva area. As my friend Amy
put it, “I don’t know if I really want to tell you about this because the
shelling is so good.” It’s so good, you
could die.
 |
| I could die here, right on some shells, a very happy girl! |
It’s also called Turner Beach, and it’s about at the point
where Sanibel Island becomes Captiva Island.
Though there is a parking lot just for this area, I usually
like to go to other beaches nearby and walk to Blind Pass so I can cover a lot
of ground on my search for shells.
4:00pm – Bowman’s
Beach
Bowman’s Beach is not too far from Blind Pass and is my
absolute favorite beach in the world.
It’s completely untouched by man, and is so nature-y, you need bug spray
at night.
 |
Anyone who knows me knows I have a love-hate relationship
with nature. I love nature, I hate bugs. |
While I love to spend the day there playing in the sand,
maybe even enjoying a snack on the picnic tables, it’s what happens when night
falls that really makes the beauty of Bowman’s Beach unforgettable.
8:00pm – Dinner at
the Bubble Room
The Bubble Room is another restaurant that has not only
great food, but also a fun ambience to back it up.
Bubble Room is known for their bubble bread, creative dishes
and their mouth-watering cakes.
You have
to order an entrée in order to get the cake, unless you order a cake to
go.
To find out more and see pictures of
all of their awesome food, click
here.
10:00pm – After
dinner drinks at the Jacaranda
Sanibel is not exactly known for its bar scene. However, after much hard research, my friends
and I discovered the most happening late-night spot on the island is The Jacaranda.
In fact, I think The Jacaranda is the only late-night spot, but we did meet someone awesome there who
claimed she was “Kathleen the Real Estate Queen.” She also asked my friends and
I, who she just met, if we smoked weed.
Friendly folks there on Sanibel.
11:00pm – Crash at
Tween Waters Inn
If you pick the right time of year, and the right deal,
staying on Sanibel is quite economical.
My friend Amy (who was reluctant to tell me about Blind Pass) found a
deal in December where residents could book three nights at Tween Waters Inn
for just $300. That’s $100 a night, for
a hotel that’s normally a lot more!
In fact, I went to their
website (which was not very easy to navigate, by the way) and I see if you stay
three, five, or seven nights from now until the end of the year, you get
special deals like dining credits and free bike rentals!
If you are staying a few days in Sanibel, check out this
post about
not getting a hotel.
I tried it once and it worked out great!
Total cost: About $250 for two people
Best Deal: Biking around the island lets you save on parking,
which can get pretty pricey at the
beaches ($2/hour!). Also, here’s the not best deal: you have to pay $6 just
to cross the bridge to get to Sanibel – but I promise, it’s well worth it!
What's your favorite spot in Sanibel?
