I am not going to post about EVERYTHING to do on Sanibel Island for kids. 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. I definitely want to go back and explore and this sounds like an amazing place to do just that. Once youre there, walk down the dock and see if the local fisherman are having any luck. Copyright 2022 - There and Back Again Travel / Shanna Schultz, Things to Consider When Planning a Trip to Sanibel Island with Kids, saw these cottages at the far end of Sanibel Island. My boys had never had REAL ice cream before so we splurged and let them have some. They were a lot cheaper than similar resorts on Sanibel. If you can't tell an angel wing from a glassy bubble, a visit to the Bailey-MatthewsNational Shell Museum will set you straight. If youre lucky, youll also be able to spot friendly dolphins frolicking around the water. Here, visit the otherworldly Captiva Beach, famous for its snow-white sand and shallow crystal-clear waters. Photo: Courtesy of The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel 1. Don't miss theJ.N. Along the way, a naturalist will point out local sights and landmarks while answering questions about wildlife and island history. Bonus: Shelling is freeas long as you clean and dry the shells before you leave, they make the perfect souvenirs. The Best Things to Do on Sanibel Island with Kids, Top Things to Do on Sanibel Island with Kids. Be sure to snap a pic of walls of the island's restaurant, which are covered in about $70,000 worth of one-dollar bills signed by past customers. Here are a few that seem to welcome and appreciate kids. We ate breakfast in the room. Read More: The Best Hawaii Resorts for Families on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Here are 12 must-do activities for your Sanibel Island family vacation to make planning your Florida beach vacation a little easier. Denver is quickly becoming one of the most traveled destinations in the USA. The island has a curved shape that causes it to as a shovel, scooping up shells from the Gulf of Mexico. This is a review for things to do near Monticello, NY 12701: "Susan's Pleasant Pheasant Farm is an absolute great place to do fun outdoorsy activities! It's a cool way for them to understand what's beneath the ocean that they spent the week playing in. It has an authentic, old Florida vibe. Check out the nearby learning centre at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife(CROW) where kids can watch as animals are nursed back to health at the animal hospital and perform their own pretend rehabilitations on stuffed versions of their favourite critters. I've heard you can spot Alligators, otters, and turtles on the property. That night in bed? By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. 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Your kids will be able to touch sea creatures in touch tanks and you can book a shell walk with a naturalist. The homes are amazing to look at, the water even better. 74. Every Sunday from October to May, the Sanibel Island Farmers Market is the ultimate destination for shopping locally grown products. Your email address will not be published. This is a great thing to do in Jekyll Island with kids. My goal with Running in a Skirt is to help YOU live a happier, healthier life! Here is my short list of family friendly restaurants on Sanibel Island. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Sunrise AND Sunset walks are some of my favorite things to do in Sanibel with kids. You will not find chain restaurants, high rises, or traffic lights here. My family loves Sanibel and I'm sure yours will too. Shelling is one of the best things to do on Sanibel Island, so plan to spend lots of time at the beach! Turner Beach, in particular, is known for itsspectacularsunsets. These months offer the best weather, with comfortable temperatures and less rain, making it a joy to explore the island. I am going to be honest. Your email address will not be published. The burgers are amazing, I highly recommend the turkey burger. Ever been to Captiva or Sanibel? There are activities and family friendly places to visit for families of any size and children of any age. Made to order, this is one of thebest restaurants on Sanibel Islandfor kids and adults. The Visitor and Education Centre offers free admission and is open every day except holidays from 9:00 am-4:00 pm year-round. Come over and. Here, youll get the chance to see the giant Pacific octopus, some 550,000 shells, colorful corals, giant clams, cuttlefish, queen conch, seahorses, and other creatures. After 9:00 p.m on Sanibel, itsturtle time. 7 Reasons to Visit Harrisonburg Virginia! At this dreamy beach, you can try the famous Sanibel Stoop, bending over to retrieve seashells from the sand. Convinced to travel to Sanibel Island and check out the cool things to do in there? 10 things to do with kids in Miami If you are staying on the east end of the island, this makes for a lovely bike ride (and you can stop for THE BEST key lime ice cream at Sanibels Best Homemade Ice Cream afterwards!). Once I heard of it, I wanted to know what there was to do on Sanibel Island with kids. You can also rent them. You to get to the beach by boat, and its simply amazing. There's a safe designated bike path to pedal the length and width of the island, and you can even beat the traffic when it slows to a crawl during season. Kids stop in local businesses on the hunt for prizes. Smaller dead fish washed up and we had mild coughs when spending extended periods of time on the beach and shore area. Mini Golf. A quick drive from Fort Myers, Florida will take you to a tropical island getaway with so much family-friendly fun to explore. 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. Sanibel Island Rentals: Billy's Bike : 1509 Periwinkle Way (239) 472-3620 Finnimore's Bike & Beach Shop: 2353 Periwinkle Wa (239) 472-5577 3. Look up and see if you can observe some ospreys or pelicans. These cottages are on the western end of the island, so you are guaranteed some beautiful sunsets right from your front porch! There are a great deal of things to do on Sanibel Island when traveling with a family. Florida sunsets are truly like none other in existence. Friday, March 3. Lounge on a Fort Myers Beach. Sanibel Island with kids is lovely! Copyright 2023 St. Joseph Communications. One of our favoritethings to do at night in Sanibel islandis to come back for a delicious milkshake. This is one of the best things to do on Sanibel with kids. 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! We had a ton of fun just playing in the water. Learn how your comment data is processed. Heres a guide to the top 9 things to do in Sanibel. We opted to drive ourselves. Anyone who has visited Sanibel Island will tell you the JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge is tops on a Sanibel Island things-to-do list. Just wondering. 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If budget were a consideration, I would happily advocate for cheaper accommodation (even if it was away from the beach) on Sanibel before staying at a moderate resort on the beach in Fort Myers. Sanibel is a beautiful and well-protected Gulf Coast barrier island. The Best Things to Eat & Drink in Sanibel, Weekly Happenings - More Snow, Sick & Sick. You can shell without the extra things, but we thought it was a fun addition to the trip. You wont regret taking a drive up to Captiva. The ferry terminal is located on neighboring Captiva Island and accessed via a short drive over the bridge. The park is home to a pristine, family-friendly beach offering spectacular views of the Gulf Coast. But in the spring and summer, the northern beaches are where it's at. You can even check outwhat time the sunsets for the date youll be visiting. Here you can learn all sorts of stuff about the animals and nature. Sunrise AND Sunset walks are some of my favorite things to do in Sanibel with kids. There isfree entryinto the Visitor & Education Center that includes ahands-on area for children. (Plus, if you didn't happen upon a coveted shell while strolling on the beach, you can easily find intact specimens available for purchase in many different stores.) I offer tools, guides and resources to help you through all of the steps of planning meaningful, memorable family vacations. Sign up in advance because space is limited to24 students per day. We spend a ton of time on North Captiva and always make trips over to Sanibel truly a beautiful spot. Just ask! As the kids are flying down the waterslides enjoy a nice slow ride in the lazy river. Fun Things to Do in Sanibel Island with Kids: Family-friendly activities and fun things to do. Do some research and pick a guide that suits your family. One person mentioned that it comes from Alabama. Looking for a fun activity for the kids that's free and not the beach? By: Jodi/Updated on: February 15, 2023/3 Comments. They loved running and collecting new shells. Sanibel is a pristine island with beautiful beaches, nature preserves, and tropical lush gardens. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. Sanibel Island isworld-renownedfor its abundance of seashells. The refuge also offers tram rides hosted by a naturalist, so kids can learn more about what they're seeing. This was my daughters favorite part of the trip! Here are the Top Things to Do with Kids on Sanibel Island, Florida. It's a great and inexpensive activity for the family that doesn't involve having everyone sit at a table for an entire meal. With an early sunset time in winter, we'd take the boys out and walk up the beach toward the sunset. Paddle throughmangrove swamps and winding waterways, and then keep your kayak for free for the remainder of the day. Sanibel Island (and the neighbouring Captiva Island) is loaded with fun, family-friendly things to do proving it's worth broadening your vacay horizons beyond Orlando. We stayed at the Sanibel Inn and absolutely LOVED it. This is for sure at least worth a stop for ice cream (or a place to leave the kids and hubby so you can go in and grocery shop BY YOURSELF!). We've taken the twins twice and both times they loved running out on the boardwalk and spotting animals. I've heard you can even spot manatees there. Get there early, as parking spaces fill up. The balcony was huge and screened in. I would be honored to help you co-create your next family travel adventure! Captiva And Sanibel Islands are just over an hour from Ft. Myers and relatively easy to get to, but feel like a tropical paradise. We belive strongly that travel benefits kids in SO MANY ways. 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. It was nice to be able to sit out there when the bugs came out later in the evening, and to be able to leave the balcony door open to soak up that lovely sea air. From national historic sites to beautiful beaches, there are many fun things to do on the Kohala Coast. Always make sure to bring plenty of water in your backpack or day bag, wear sunscreen, please wear hats, apply bug spray, and wear comfortable walking shoes when doing day trips or walking about. There was a mild red tide when we visited. The Sanibel Causeway Bridge is a nearly 3-mile road along the west coast, near the beaches overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. It was my first time, hopefully not the last. Because of this, the island is home to a ton of locally-owned boutiques where you can buy bathing suits, sun hats or souvenirs to take home. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. It is laid back, friendly and has a lovely old Florida charm. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. A naturalist accompanies you and points out wildlife that you would likely wouldnt have seen otherwise and gives you background on them, all without having to walk and listen to, Mom, Im tired!. The island's east-west orientation situates it perfectly to catch over 250 types of shells out of the Gulf of Mexico tides. Sanibel Island with kids is the perfect place to spend a family vacation! 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Skip the line at Bowman's Beach, Sanibel Sea School Day Program + Captiva Watersports. This Italian restaurant on Sanibel isnt the best thing ever, but after days of burgers, nachos and shellfish, it tastes like it is. It was tempting. Fully Equipped with an upgraded kitchen featuring stainless steel, Sunzero Wolf appliances, and quartz countertops. I had the Key Lime Ice Cream and my daughter had something called Unicorn poop. This is definitely one of the best Sanibel Island activities for families, and one of the top reasons that many people plan a visit here. See Tripadvisor's 128,735 traveller reviews and photos of kid friendly Sanibel Island attractions Bricks 4 Kidz - Piscataway. Included with admission: $16; $13 seniors and visitors with disabilities. I'd highly these smaller trucks and this bigger dump truck and excavator. Watching the sun dip into the Gulf of Mexico is magic. 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. I looked carefully at the hotels and resorts just across the bay in nearby Fort Myers. As always, opinions and fun times are always mine and those of my kids. 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. We saw these cottages at the far end of Sanibel Island whilst viewing one of the most spectacular sunsets that we have ever seen. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Sanibel Island is located off the coast of southwest Florida, just west of Fort Myers. Join Little Learners for a Seuss-a-Bration at Once Upon a Treetop. Indulge in the Signature Arabian Rose treatment, an all-over body scrub, or a deep tissue massage at the spa. Question, why have they never had real ice cream before? Best experience on our website, with comfortable temperatures and less rain, making it joy... With kids, Top things to do in Jekyll Island with kids from National historic sites beautiful! Rain, making it a joy to explore the Island has a lovely old Florida charm your Sanibel Farmers. To start filling their bags when we got there a Sanibel Island and check out cool... 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