Getting to , from and through Sanibel Island

Though Sanibel Island is a small, warm and inviting place; like anywhere in the world it also has some wonderful surprises and even a few challenges.

We mentioned a couple of posts ago how there have been some rare visitors, even for those of us who know the Island well.

So anyone with Sanibel in mind should be aware that there are a few aids available to help equip the vacationer for any eventuality.

As one example, if you are a shell collector, you might want to be aware of timing.  If you want to find the best seashells on Sanibel Island, get to the beaches well before dawn. In addition to competing with other avid shellers, you need to arrive early before the tide washes some of the potentially best finds back out to sea. Local parks and recreation departments comb the beaches with rakes on the backs of tractors quite early in the morning, burying or crushing seashells that could have become treasured finds.


And if you are a bird watcher coming to see migratory birds, there are now several good resources that will show you live the routes of bird migration. In addition, during the winter months, the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation – in cooperation with the Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society -- conducts birding tours on Foundation Preserves that are normally not open to the public. Birding tip: During the fall, winter and spring, serious Sanibel birders know to visit Lighthouse point in the early morning, when large numbers of migrating birds can be found resting in the trees.  Like the Island itself, the Light House is a special place and worth the visit even if no migrants are in evidence.

 
And visitors who make their journeys to the Island  in high season know quite well that patience is some times needed to get to and through the Island....and off the island as well.   Now, the City of Sanibel has created a web cam view of not only the Sanibel Causeway, but of the major intersections and lanes on island where there might be congestion in winter months.  Want to look ahead and see what you can expect? Access the webcam views on the City of Sanibel website and you will see in real time what your path looks like.

No matter your reasons or purpose for coming to Sanibel, the opportunities to discover are endless and additional help on most anything you are interested in is just a phone call or web click away.