FLORIDA PLACES AND DESTINATIONS - SANIBEL
Sanibel Island and its little sister, Captiva Island, are connected to the mainland by an alluring three-mile-long causeway and, to each other, by a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bridge at Blind Pass. They are both part of the Sunshine State known as Florida’s tropical island getaway.
They have over 15 miles of beautiful Florida shelling beaches, each with its own unique character.
Referred to as the “Sanibel Stoop.” Some fanatics attach flashlights to their heads, in an effort to be first in the daily search for top picks of the more than 400 varieties of shells found littering the beaches, particularly after an especially high or low tide. For most visitors, however, shelling is merely a delightful excuse to enjoy hours of sun worshipping along some of the finest shoreline in North America.
Sanibel’s main thoroughfare, Periwinkle Way, is Sunday-drive picturesque, lush with foliage and framed by a canopy of Australian pines. Interesting shops and restaurants dot the road from Sanibel Lighthouse to Tarpon Bay Road, making it difficult to complete the distance without a half dozen sight-seeking stops at the boutiques and art galleries.
Sanibel Historical Village and Museum is dedicated to the pioneer families of Sanibel and Captiva and includes “Uncle” Clarence Rutland’s home, Bailey’s General Store, “Morning Glories” (a Sears/Roebuck catalog home), Miss Charlotta’s Tea Room, the 1926 Post Office, and the Burnap Cottage and the 1895 Sanibel School. All the buildings are furnished with items from the early 1900s.
A handicapped-accessible boardwalk and shell paths take visitors past a pioneer garden, antique Model T truck, surrey (fringe included), and a replica of a packinghouse with farm equipment. The Village relates the history of the islands beginning with the days of the Calusa Indians up to the mid-1900s.
Photo: Visit Florida
