Sanibel Island with Captiva Island, which extends it in a north-westerly direction, are two magnificent barrier islands of warm white sand bordering the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico. Located a short drive from Fort Myers on the mainland, they have, since 2007 thanks to a drawbridge, become a very popular tourist and summer destination.
Sanibel is world famous not only for the seashells that can be picked up on the beaches, but also for its museums, its lighthouse, its historic village, and its sunsets, in addition to its wildlife refuges which occupy more than half of the island.
The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum showcases unique and wonderful seashells collected mainly from beaches of Sanibel and Captiva. Apart from the numerous temporary exhibits, there are more than 30 permanent exhibits, lectures, workshops and guided beach walks from Island Inn, Sanibel. The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is open each day for visits from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Several professional companies offer visitors magnificent outings on the high seas. Whether to admire fantastic sunsets at the end of the day, discover wildlife or even fish. There is something for all budgets.
The Sanibel Lighthouse is located at the end of Periwinkle way in 670 acres of parkland surrounded by vacant and unused old Floridian style cottages. Erected in 1884, the lighthouse, which is not open to the public, is a metal frame structure 98 feet high with a staircase of 127 steps.
The Sanibel Historic Museum and Village, founded in 1984, its mission is to preserve and share the history of Sanibel through the ages. You can see the original headlight lens. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.