I picked it up from the airport in Fort Myers when we landed and there was at least one day where we did not leave the hotel and therefore did not use it. Convinced to travel to Sanibel Island and check out the cool things to do in there? Corrie P./CROW - Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Inc. At the Crow Clinic Animal Rehab, kids can interact with animal ambassadors for a remarkable learning experience. Registered dietitian & mom behind Create Kids Club an online kitchen where feeding kids gluten-free is made easier with simple recipes & kids cooking ideas. Dairy-Free (All recipes on CKC are gluten-free). The ferry terminal is located on neighboring Captiva Island and accessed via a short drive over the bridge. It sets over the ocean where you can watch from a huge stretch of public beach. Read more: Sanibel Island is an island on the west of the Florida panhandle. Reach out to me using this form and lets start brainstorming and planning your next amazing escapebecause to me it is more than just a vacation. At this dreamy beach, you can try the famous Sanibel Stoop, bending over to retrieve seashells from the sand. The boys learned some of the real names of the shells and also made up some of their own. Nature comes in a spectacular variety in the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. I would also be remiss to not mention Red Tide. We definitely suggest sharing plates, since each dinner portion is huge and comes with a sticky bun, garlic bread and a side salad. And why wouldnt they do that? It was a day of ribbons and confetti cannons, hugs and back-slapping as two more island business emerged from . However, the island is spread out depending on where you stay. There was a mild red tide when we visited. Check out the accommodation options for your dates through my booking.com affiliate search box: Booking.com(function(d,sc,u){var s=d.createElement(sc),p=d.getElementsByTagName(sc)[0];s.type='text/javascript';s.async=true;s.src=u+'?v='+(+new Date());p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p);})(document,'script','//aff.bstatic.com/static/affiliate_base/js/flexiproduct.js'); And always remember, Florida can be very HOT! Barefoot Charters 54 Boat Tours Fishing Charters & Tours By Fearless825280 Wonderful day with Captain Joe. The options are endless but here are a few of the activities my kids enjoyed the most on our recent trip. But Sanibel Island, which faces due west in the Gulf of Mexico, is one of them. We had a lodge gulf view luxury suite with a full kitchen for cooking and a screened-in balcony for dining and spending evenings listening to the water. With older kids, you can also bike the entire path, which I think would be a lovely way to see it. Learn how your comment data is processed. As Sanibel, Captiva reopen, businesses hope visitors get causeway access soon. Some bucket-list experiences here are sunbathing, kayaking, bird watching, and exploring idyllic parks like the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge. Don't miss theJ.N. I definitely want to go back and explore and this sounds like an amazing place to do just that. There is so much to explore right outside your hotel, both on the beach and in the water. The kids and I did an Everglades Gator and bird spotting tour withEverglades Day Safari Fort Myers in an airboat. And the "lighthouse" isn't really a house at all but is actually a tower. Whether you choose to be boating, kayaking, canoeing, water-skiing or fishing from one of the favorite spots, play a round of golf on the challenging scenic courses, there are over 70 of them, the perfect place to tee off and test your mettle on the green . The Best, Most Unique Places to Stay In Hawaii on a Budget, Universal Studios for Kids What We Learned on our First Visit, Essential Travel Gear 10 Seemingly Random Things that I Wont Travel Without, The Ultimate Guide to Eating Cheaply in Paris, How We Spent 3 Days in Amsterdam with Kids. Their learning lab is a great place for children to engage in hands-on play with displays, games, a tank with indigenous mollusks, and continuously-playing children's videos. There arent really any great public transportation on Sanibel Island, so unless you are planning to take an Uber to and from the airport (expensive given the distance) you will need a car to get around. A trip to Sanibel Island with kids is perfect if you are a family who wants to send some quality time together in a laid back, relaxed atmosphere. Be sure also to visit the family-friendly Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, the only one in the United States devoted solely to shells and mollusks. If you're looking for untouched beaches, hop a ferry to Cayo Costa State Park with its nine miles of pristine sand, pine forests, oak-palmhammocks,and mangrove swamps. What are your favorite spots? Get there early, as parking spaces fill up. In my personal experience, most family travel has been to the area where an infamous mouse hangs out. Located near Fort Myers, just offshore Floridas Gulf Coast, this unique island offers visitors the opportunity to bask in many outdoor activities. This was a close second choice when booking our trip to Sanibel Island with kids. By foot or bike would be my preference, but you can also drive, or take a 90-minute tram tour with Tarpon Bay Explorers. That's the tagline for the Captiva Island Crab Races, which are held twice a week in the Crow's Nest restaurant at'Tween Waters Island Resort. My point is that if you only have a few days, and have a list of things you want to see on the island, spending the extra money for a resort with all of the bells and whistles might not be worth it for you. Go straight to the beach. We belive strongly that travel benefits kids in SO MANY ways. This wildlife refuge is a great place to check out the local flora and fauna. Any suggestions on the beat and least expensive fishing guide? Leave the kids with your husband and get a massage at the Tween Waters Inn. Really glad Ive been there now! My boys have spent hours in pools next to our rentals and I'm sure yours will too. Here are the activities they have for kids! We had a ton of fun just playing in the water. Made to order, this is one of thebest restaurants on Sanibel Islandfor kids and adults. This is what I know about the best time to visit Sanibel Island. And Lord knows youll need an hour of relaxation being away with your family. Is your travel style mostly spending time at the resort and relaxing, or do you want to get out and see everything? Everyone on the island gets to help protect sea turtles. I found in my time there that Sanibel Island is like a magical place with tropical overgrown brush, no street lights and rumours of manatee sighting abound. We got to one area and a couple said they had heard one there and were waiting. Bikes, kayaks, tennis and paddle boards are all at your disposal. Things To Do In Sanibel Island's Lighthouse Beach The Best Gift: Making Memories At South Seas Island Resort Beaches in Guatemala: Dramatic And Beautiful Volcanic Black Sand A Family Weekend In Florida's Space Coast With Holiday Inn The Best Things to do in Fort Myers Beach for Families Things To Do With Kids In The Upper And Middle Florida Keys We might have to visit one day. The lighthouse dates back to 1884. In addition to an amazing pool and poolside bar, our provided kayaks, paddleboards, bikes to borrow and a naturalist led beach walk. Located at Point Ybel, at the eastern tip of Sanibel Island, Lighthouse Park Beach & Fishing Pier is a stunning 45-acre park where visitors can experience nature at its finest. Island Inn Sanibel Island Review | Kathryn Anywhere, Winter Hiking Tips for Hikers of All Levels, Craigleith Ski Club Snowmaking How The Magic Happens, Quebecs Eastern Townships Plan The Perfect Long Weekend. The balcony was huge and screened in. Unique Experiences and Travel Inspiration. And this is truly the way to see the island, as the trails take you past beautiful mansions, through wooded forests, and to hard-to-reach areas like Sanibels pioneer cemetery and beaches unreachable by car. While there, take a swim, snorkel, or book a ranger-led kayak tour or hike. Note you will have to head back into Fort Myers to get picked up by there van for this excursion. Its always a good sign when a place is packed on a weekday. Fun Things to Do in Sanibel Island with Kids: Family-friendly activities and fun things to do. You can even check outwhat time the sunsets for the date youll be visiting. Road trips to Florida were the best part of my childhood. Food shopping on the islands is ridiculously expensive and youll kick yourself if you end up having to buy a weeks worth of food there. Your email address will not be published. As I mentioned above, many resorts loan out bikes to their guests. Part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the USA, this staggering park protects an array of threatened species, aside from providing habitat for fascinating migratory birds. Biking downtown just got more exciting for kids having a map and treasures to hunt! With time spent on the beach looking for shells, we barely had time to get out and see what the rest of the island had to offer! Next time we go, I might choose a simpler place, or an Airbnb with a kitchen where we can cook, because the resort was lovely, but Sanibel has some really great things that we want to get out and see! It's a great and inexpensive activity for the family that doesn't involve having everyone sit at a table for an entire meal. This is Tampa's Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District. My twins started collecting shells from the beach on our first trip but this year they really got into it! Book family tours. Thats awesome. It's a unique, quirky, and unusual place that is full of old Florida charm. Smaller dead fish washed up and we had mild coughs when spending extended periods of time on the beach and shore area. Captiva Island is a wonderful day trip from Sanibel Island. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Fort Myers & Sanibel Island with kids. This family-friendly island has lots of activities for kids of all ages most of them free! Additionally, after undergoing several renovations to the main halls and exhibits in 2018 and 2019, the Shell Museum will fully reopen on July 5, 2019, with tons of new features. Your email address will not be published. This is a review for fun things to do near Landfield Ave, Monticello, NY 12701: "Amazing place: gorgeous view, extremely pleasant people and lots of fun. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. The beach here was beautiful white sand, and the water was a bright shade of beautiful blue. Watch the sunset on the beach. We were gifted our accommodations at the Island Inn on Sanibel Island and with excursions while there. You might spot a dolphin or two from there. If you're lucky you may even spot a gator! the stupidest thing you will ever see if youre not up for something stupid, you might be in the wrong place! There are several places for bike rentals on Sanibel Island, and 25 miles of trails to enjoy. 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