Getting around Sanibel: Let us count the Ways

How difficult is it to travel a 12 mile long tropical island?

When it comes to Sanibel, it is as easy as one could imagine.

With no street lights and few stop signs, going "the distance" by car is quite simple, and nearly fool proof when it comes to getting lost.  No matter what direction you head in, when you come to the water, you know you have reached the end of your path.

The same holds true for biking the island.  And the safe, flat surfaces of the 25 miles of Sanibel bike paths are among the reasons the Island has once again garnered an award.  The national Bike Friendly Community program has now given the island its "silver status" recognition.  Only three other cities in the state of Florida hold the title. And Sanibel celebrated with opening up a new bike trail.

But if you don't want to drive the island, and prefer not to rent a bike to see it, we have a cute and colorful trolley at your call.

Offering a free pick up and return, our turquoise and yellow minibus makes dozens of stops where you can get off and shop, eat or simply look.  Operating on a Monday to Friday basis, you do call and schedule your pick up.

One of the nicest ways to see the island is by water.  And the island has many options open for those inclined to make the Gulf, bay and estuaries their sight seeing path.  You can rent your own boat, you can kayak or canoe and you can hire a boat and captain and take one of several tours that will take you around Sanibel..... or to neighboring islands. One of the best kayaking trails is Commodore Creek Trail. It  is a 2.5 kayaking trail located in J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

While we like all the options above, we prefer going on your own special power.

And your two legs can carry you far on such a small isle.

You need not see the Island all at once, but view it in smaller bites.

For example , The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) offers a trail on their property that is a nice appetizer for a larger island meal of walking.

SCCF has 4 miles of trails at the Nature Center on Sanibel-Captiva Road, a .6-mile trail in the Periwinkle/Blue Skies Preserves on Periwinkle Way and two short (around 500 feet) trails on the Bob Wigley Preserve that are open to the public. There are also trails in the Sanibel Gardens Preserve, managed by SCCF and the City of Sanibel, which are accessible from Island Inn Road. 

And there are several nice options for walking within Ding Darling.
 
There are three trails that can be accessed from Wildlife Drive. The 4 mile, round-trip Indigo Trail leaves from the Education Center parking lot and ends at the cross-dike, which extends from the Drive. Along the trail, visitors often spot wildlife such as alligators, night herons, and white ibis. The Wulfert Keys Trail off the Drive is a 1/4 mile trail leading to a view of Pine Island Sound. The Shell Mound Trail is a 1/4 mile, universally accessible, interpretive boardwalk. The vegetation along the trail sustained a lot of damage in 2004 from Hurricane Charley, but visitors can still learn about the ancient Calusa Indian and the native vegetation while reading interpretive panels along the boardwalk.

The Bailey Tract is located off Tarpon Bay Rd. This 100 acre parcel is a unique area of the refuge with its interior wetland where freshwater plants and wildlife dominate. The trails can be accessed by walking or biking at any time.

But for the best lay of the entire island by foot, there is an excellent map showing various legs that can be walked on this link: http://www.mapmywalk.com/us/sanibel-fl/