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Sanibel & Captiva Islands
Sanibel & Captiva Islands are the perfect choice for your vacation whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, a family trip, or just to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.
These islands offer some of Florida's most beautiful beaches all with plenty of resorts, restaurants & activities to keep you busy.
According to US News & World Report, Sanibel Island is the #3 beach destination in the entire United States.
Sanibel Island is known for being a quiet, peaceful & natural wonderland.
Crossing over the second bridge (Blind Pass) over to Captiva Island, visitors tend to consider Captiva Island as more "upscale" with fancier resorts & more upscale resteraunts.
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Beaches are listed from closest to farthest from Fort Myers
Causeway Beaches
Enjoy one of the only FREE parking beach access locations on Sanibel & Captiva.
Activities include fishing, swimming, picnicking, kayaking, paddle boarding, wind surfing, kite boarding and shelling.
Address: 19931 Sanibel Causeway Rd Sanibel, FL 33957
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: FREE
Amenities:
Restroom
Grills
Fishing
Leashed pets are welcome.
No launching or retrieval of vessels, to include aerial and water crafts.
No ground fires permitted.
No alcoholic beverages allowed.
Additional Info:
Pet Friendly
Island "A" located just after the toll bridge offers parking only.Island "B" located after the second bridge offers restrooms, drinking fountains and picnic tables.
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Read Insider Tips from Locals
- "Enjoy it before the city paves it & starts charging to park!" - Tommy M 😂
- "Summer is the offseason. High season is winter." - Michael B
- "Wear swim shoes as the ground can be pretty rocky "- Chris T
- "East side, super large rocks, West side, calm & seagrass. We use the East side for surfing, not sure if I would put my jet ski in there though." - Captain Martin
- "Sanibel bridge has easy access, you don't have to walk far to the water. There are no vendors so bring your own beer & food!" - Steven B
Lighthouse Beach
Lighthouse Beach Park is the perfect spot for fishing, shelling, wading in the warm water, kayaking, and more. It's best to visit early if possible because it's a very popular location and the parking lot fills up quickly!
Located on Sanibel Island's southern tip, just as you cross the causeway bridge, visitors will find the historic lighthouse built in 1884, and a beautiful beach park.
Address: 110 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, Florida 33957
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $5/hr
Amenities:
Restrooms
Picnic Areas
Sheltered Pavillion
Fishing
Showers
Charcoal Grills
Hiking Trails
Pet Friendly - On Leash
Pier/Dock
ADA - Accessable
Additional Info:
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Read Insider Tips from Locals
- "Lighthouse beach is one of our favorites.. but you have to get there before 8-830 or you will never find parking.. the parking area is small which is good in a way as it keeps the beach less crowded.. if you get there after 9 you could spend a good deal of time waiting for a parking spot." - Michael J
- "Make sure you have snacks and water handy. Last time we headed out there it took us almost two hours, then trying to find a place to park is crazy." - Kathy H
- "Make sure you pay the parking and don’t lose track of time it’s easy to do when your having fun because you will get a $100 ticket" - Zenda G
Gulfside / Algiers Beach
Known locally as Algiers Beach, this stretch of Sanibel Island has many different options to explore.
A loop trail offers an interpretive nature walk where leashed pets are allowed to play.
It is a wonderful spot for picnics and the boardwalks offer comfortable access to the beach.
Address: 2001 Algiers Lane Sanibel Island, FL 33957
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $5 / hour
Amenities:
Restrooms
Pavillions
fishing
Showers
Charcoal Grills
Pet Friendly - on leash
ADA Designation
Additional Info:
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Tarpon Bay Beach
This is one of the better beaches on Sanibel island for shelling but it is also great for swimming.
It is centrally located which makes it incredibly convenient. Tarpon Bay Beach is a short walk from plenty of parking including space for recreational vehicles.
Address: 111 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel Island, FL 33957
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $5/hr
Amenities:
Restrooms
Picnic Area
Fishing
Showers
Pet friendly - On leash
ADA Accessable
Additional Info:
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Bowman's Beach
Bowman's Beach is a hot spot for shellers. The parking is close to the beach. The Beach area is quite wide which means that although it is a very popular beach, there is plenty of space to spread out.
For families, there is also a playground!
Address: 1700 Bowman’s Beach Rd, Sanibel, FL 33957
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $5 / hour
Amenities:
Restrooms
Picnic Area
Sheltered Pavillion
Fishing
Paddlecraft launch/landing
Showers
Charcoal Grills
Hiking Trails
Playground
ADA Accessable
Additional Info:
No Pets
Provides great access to the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail.
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Silver Key Beach
Silver Key Beach is a hidden gem & part of the Silver Key Preserve. The preserve is home to many of the island’s unique species of wildlife including Sea Turtles, and the Snowy Plover, beautiful vegetation and, a secret beach that is often empty and peaceful.
Silver Key Beach is nestled between Bowmans Beach and Blind Pass. It is about a 30 minute hike however, Blind Pass is probably a little closer. Silver Key Beach is only accessible by foot and there are no amenities.
Address: To get to Silver Key Beach, walk for 30 minutes east from Blind Pass, or 30 minutes west from Bowman's Beach.
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $5/hr at either Silver Key Beach or Bowman's Beach
Amenities:
None
Additional Info:
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Blind Pass Beach
Blind Pass Beach has the unique advantage of both the gulf side and bayside.
This means that on the bayside, you can find beautiful wildlife sightings while on the gulf side, you can stay busy with plenty of water activities.
Blind Pass Beach is a popular shelling beach as well as a popular fishing beach.
Swimmers should be careful of the current.
Restroom facilities are located an easy walk across the bridge at Turner Beach.
Address: 6491-6499 Sanibel Captiva Rd, Sanibel, FL 33957
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $5 / hour (very limited parking, only 27 spots)
Amenities:
Restroom (available across the bridge at Turner Beach)
Showers (available across the bridge at Turner Beach)
Additional Info:
Pet Friendy (on leash)
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Turner Beach
Turner Beach is located just across the bridge between Sanibel & Captiva Islands.
Turner Beach is great for sunsets, romantic walks, shelling & fishing.
Swimmers should stay away from the bridge area.
Address: 17200 Captiva Dr, Sanibel, FL
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $5/hr (limited availability)
Amenities:
Restrooms
Paddlecraft landing/launch
Additional Info:
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
Captiva Beach
Captiva Beach has been called "one of the most romantic beaches." It also has some of the most amazing sunset views.
Dolphin sitings are common.
Address: 4790 Captiva Drive, Captiva, FL 33924
Hours: Dawn to Dusk
Parking: $25 for 2 hours, $40 for all day (only 40 parking spots!)
Amenities:
Portable Toilets
Additional Info:
A Saltwater Fishing License is required to saltwater fish from shore. There is no fee for Florida residents.
