Sanibel's famous beach is not its only attraction.

For some observers, the gently-sloping, shell-laden beach is reason enough to come to Sanibel Island.

Even the local county tourism authority brands the entire county as, "The Beaches of Sanibel and Fort Myers."

In a way, the quiet, laid-back character of the beach is an apt metaphor for the entire ambiance of the island. The pace is slower. The atmosphere quieter, more romantic, more natural than just about anywhere else in Florida.

Consider: There is not one traffic signal on the island. All the roadways are two lane. Fast food formula restaurants have not found an encouraging footing here. Not a single building towers above three stories or 35 feet.

The broad beaches are open, with long stretches where only beachcombers or shell collectors stroll. With some of the best shelling in the Northern or Western Hemispheres, beach visitors have adopted what is known as the "Sanibel Stoop" to describe the crouch they assume while searching the sands.

Now, a knowledgable Sanibelian is blogging about collecting seashells. If you love seashells, you might love her blog at http://iloveshelling.com/blog/ The author is Pam Rambo, an old friend.

Island Beaches and Parking.

Okay. Let's get the beaches out of the way. There are 14 distinct beach areas along the Sanibel shore (and more on neighboring Captiva). Yes, parking can be a problem. To help out, the City of Sanibel offers three different kinds of parking permits.

• The A permit is only available to Sanibel residents.
  
  
• The B permit is sold at the Sanibel police station. It will set you back $80 if you don't own property on Sanibel ($10, if you do). The B permit allows you park in public lots without - for the most part - paying any additional parking fees. It's a good deal if you are going to be on the island for an extended stay. Pay-as-you-park parking fees can add up.
  
  
• There also is an $80 C permit that allows parking without fees on certain beaches and at the boat ramp. Of course all this is subject to change. A good place to find out the latest is at the City of Sanibel Web site (This is a pdf page and, if you don't already have Acrobat, you will have to download it.).

Another good site for Sanibel Island beach information is here.

One of Sanibel's greatest beach parking bargains, however, isn't even on Sanibel island. It's on the causeway.* The beach areas between the toll plaza and the Sanibel Island landfall belong to the county. Not only is it free parking but you can actually pull your vehicle, even an RV, up on the sand and park. You can't park overnight. But you're there for the sun anyway, right?.

Caution: The Sanibel sun is relentless. It can burn you before you know it. Always put on sunscreen before going to the beach. And don't sit out there too long. We think your vacation should be "well done", but not you.

Also, we hate to have to say so, but periodically, all islands along the Florida Gulf Coast experience sea conditions that can be troubling for people with breathing problems. If you are even the least bit concerned, be sure to call the people you are staying with before you leave for Sanibel and ask them for any reports on red tide.

Biking and Hiking

27 miles of bike paths (purists call them 'multi-use' paths, because you can walk on them too) run from one end the island to the other, with spurs to accesspoints of interest. Rent bikes and mopeds (mopeds must stay on the street) is easy. One of our favorite island places to rent bikes and stuff is Billy's Bikes on Periwinkle Way. Billy also runs tours by Seqways, those two-wheel stand-up personal transporters. Unfortunately, the city fathers don't think you are qualified to to take a Segway out on your own. Other bike rental firms include Finnimore's.

The Sanibel paths run along the road in most places but have been diverted into adjacent property at other places, providing a safety buffer from vehicle traffic and the shade of overhanging trees.. Shade is critical on a long ride in the summer when the sun can dehydrate a rider. If you decide to make the long trek to, say, Captiva Island, be sure to bring extra water and wear a top and hat. Be very careful if you continue to Captiva, where bikes share the roadway with cars. Safety can be an issue when there are no separate paths.

If you want to cross the roadway with your bike, or even on foot, Sanibel drivers are very accommodating for the most part. Just dismount and stand by your bike, preferably at a crosswalk, and before you know it drivers will stop and signal you to cross. Always, check, however, to be certain drivers in both directions see you and are prepared to yield.

Golfing and tennis

Golfin on Sanibel is limited. There are only two golf courses available to the public. But there are more tennis courts and swimming pools than one can count. Golfers should reserve tee times at the Beachview Golf & Tennis Club or at the Dunes. Check with the pro by phone to be sure There also are a 'zillion' private, semi-private and public golf courses just a few minutes back over the causeway on the mainland. For a slightly dated but largely accurate discussion of golf courses in Lee County check out this article.

Fishing charters and boat rentals are available at various marinas such as Jensen's Marina and 'Tween Waters Marina, both on Captiva Island, and Sanibel Marina. There's also Adventures in Paradise just off island before you enter the causeway to Sanibel. Whether you are a sailor or a power boater, you are just yards from the open waters of San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. (If you want to learn to sail, one of the foremost sailing schools in country, Offshore Sailing School, sails out of South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island.

If you fish, you will have your line in the water before you can open a beverage. One of our favorite fishing spots is off the Sanibel pier at the lighthouse end of the island. Venture into the Gulf and you may find tarpon that will give you a good fight or some of grouper that visit the artificial reefs. There's even diving to get a look at the schools that teem around sunken barges, old bridge spans and even railroad cars that have been dropped in the deep to attract reef dwellers.

Nature lovers love Sanibel

Almost half of the island is nature preserve, including 5,000 acres known as the world famous J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. You can tour it by car or by kayak, or you can ride the tram around its five-mile nature drive.

Try Tarpon Bay Explorers for canoe and kayak rentals with access to the refuge. To learn more about "Ding" Darling, visit dingdarling.org. If your travels bring you here in October, set aside time for Ding Darling Days. It's a week of concentrated nature study and celebration in this extraordinarily pristine wildlife setting. You've missed the 2008 event. But there always is next year. The web site is updated annually.

The kayak trails in Tarpon Bay are part of the Great Calusa Blueway, a markered kayak trail maintained by the county tourism organization. It stretches from the Imperial River in Bonita Springs all the way north past Matlacha to Charlotte Harbor. A spur to the west runs along the causeway, Sanibel Island and Captiva Island. Keep an eye open for the annual Calusa Blueway Festival.

Restaurants range from friendly and funky to white table cloth formal, although there are more of the former than the latter. We like breakfast at the Island Cow on Periwinkle Way and the Lighthouse Cafe at the lighthouse end of the island. Gramma Dot's is fun for lunch, especially if you like hanging around boats. It's at the Sanibel Marina. Dinner is a hoot at the Lazy Flamingo. For something more formal, we like The Sanibel Steakhouse, Trader's or the Twilight Cafe. Want to watch the Gulf while you dine? Try the Thistle Lodge. For mid-island Sanibel dining, there are the Mermaid Kitchen and Cake Factory and the Blue Giraffe in Periwinkle Place. On Captiva, there are the very islandy, Key Lime Bistro, very funky is the nearby R.C. Otters, the more sedate Sunshine Seafood Cafe, and the Mexi-Western menu of Cantina Captiva , all under the same Captiva Island Inn management. Then there is the venerable Mucky Duck, with great sunsets daily.

Bring money - please - and take home a treasure

For shopping, Sanibel Island and its sister island, Captiva, offer several chic shopping centers and some down-right funky free-standing shops. Everything from art by island artists to T-shirts and souvenirs are available for you to takehome something to kindle memoriesof your visit. Since these change from season to season, you might want to check out the Chamber of Commerce web page. A crass commercial announcement - past visitors to Sanibel Island may look for the gallery, Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, which was located in the Village. It has closed it's physical gallery but still can be reached online at one of these links: TribalWorks, ZuniLink, Native-PotteryLink or Native-JewelryLink.

For other things to do, check out the Shell Museum, the only museum in North America devoted exclusively to seashells. BIG Arts is an island arts organization that presents concerts, lectures, performances, visual arts exhibits, classes and workshops. Another interesting visit is to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (aka CROW). It's interesting to see them care for injured wildlife, with the intention of returning them to the wild.

The historic village is a quaint reminder of what Sanibel once lived like. And don't miss that island landmark, the old Sanibel lighthouse.

Nightlife

Sanibel also has a playhouse that stages high-quality theatrical events. Musical reviews at The Schoolhouse Theater are sure to keep you humming and happy. There's even a cinema. Jazz lovers can find an oasis of entertainment at Ellington's Restaurant at the Sanibel Inn. Music starts at 7:00PM but meals start at 4:30 PM.

So, even though you are laid back and relaxed, there is plenty to do, if that is your inclination. One of the big nighttime attractions for some people is to go outside and stare at the heavens. With its "dark skies" policy, Sanibel is the perfect place to wish upon a star on a clear night.

Many visitors just move into their rental condos, put their feet up on the screened lanai and watch the day go by. Rental condos are one of the best ways to stay on Sanibel. There are many privately owned condos for rent. Personally, we like the reassurance of renting through a company that also manages the condos for absentee owners. It means tht the unit will be clean, freshly serviced and, if there is problem, you don't have to call Ohio to get it fixed.

We may be biased, but our favorite condo management and rental firm is Royal Shell Vacations. They offer more than 350 one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom privately owned and furnished suites. Many are right on the beach. Others are steps from the beach with unencumbered beach access.

One of the principal advantages of Royal Shell is that they have an on-island check-in facility - just like a hotel reception - so you are not dealing with some distant off-island company. To preview Royal Shell's complete inventory of properties, visit RoyalShell.com.

Oh yes, Royal Shell also represents private homes, from cottages to estates, on luxurious Captiva Island, which for many is the crowning glory of the Sanibel-Captiva barrier island combination. For information about Captiva island, go to About Captiva.com.

For more accommodations choices, click this line.

Enjoy your stay on Sanibel. Sanibelians will enjoy having you share it with us.

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