Located offshore from Fort Myers, this barrier island off the Gulf coast of Florida is an excellent vacation getaway. The island itself is only 12 miles long and three miles across at its widest point.
Sanibel Island is known for its great bird watching and, like its neighbor Captiva Island, also for the variety of seashells that wash up onto its beaches. Many types of birds, from common gulls and sandpipers to nesting Bald Eagles and Roseate Spoonbills, can be seen at any of the islands numerous wildlife reserves, including the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Cycling may be the best way to really see the island due to the more than 22 miles of cycling paths.