Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food and Recipes
  • Culture and Lifestyle
  • Style
  • Holidays & Occasions
  • Home
  • Gardening Ideas
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      The Best New Haircuts to Try in 2022

      Here are the haircuts you'll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More
    • 50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      50 Thoughtful Messages for a Meaningful Thank You Note

      Not sure what to write in a thank you card? Here's how to show your gratitude with a handwritten note. Read More
  • Food and Recipes

    Food and Recipes

    See All Food and Recipes
    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    4 Easy Ways to Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad

    It’s not all in the senses, but they sure can help.
    • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy Dinner
    • Kitchen Assistant
    • Casserole
    • Holiday and Occasion Food
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Healthy and Light
    • Side Dishes
    • Party Food and Drink
    • Appetizers
    • Meat
    • Breakfast
    • BBQ
    • Drinks
    • What's Cooking
  • Culture and Lifestyle

    Culture and Lifestyle

    See All Culture and Lifestyle
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Quotes and Sayings
    • Biscuits and Jam Podcast
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Healthy Living
    • Coastal Living
  • Style

    Style

    See All Style
    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The Coziest Winter Nail Colors for January 2022

    The beginning of a new year often has us all feeling like starting off fresh by taking on better habits, getting rid of old ones, and—most commonly—changing up our look. While others are hitting the squats and going into the salon for a pixie cut, why not start slow and steady with a cozy winter manicure in a color that feels new to you? It takes only a little courage to step outside your usual OPI Lincoln Park After Dark or Essie Bordeaux, which is all you need to kick 2022 off on a fanciful foot.  From new wintry takes on classic dark nail colors to unique pops of color that'll have you feeling the opposite of boring, these are the best nail colors to try this January and tick off all the way into spring. 
    • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Fashion
    • Short Hairstyles
    • Nails
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Skincare
    • Long Hairstyles
  • Holidays & Occasions

    Holidays & Occasions

    See All Holidays & Occasions
    • Thanksgiving
    • Gifts
    • Christmas
    • Mother's Day
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Easter
    • Mardi Gras
    • 4th of July
    • Weddings
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    16 Kitchen Design Trends Southern Designers Predict Will Be Everywhere in 2022

    There's no denying how the pandemic fundamentally changed the world—including how we live (and work) inside our homes. An overall trend toward celebrating the history and originality of our homes is displacing ultramodern aesthetics and sharp lines as we all look to create cozier, colorful, more personalized spaces that better suit our lifestyles. We're turning away from big-box stores and toward vintage items—first, out of necessity due to supply-chain issues, and now, for design reasons—to add charm and character to every room in the house, including the kitchen. Here, interior designers from around the South share their predictions for what's trending in kitchen design for 2022 and beyond.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Kitchen Design
    • Before & After Photos
    • Bathroom Design
    • Curb Appeal
    • Bedroom Design
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Color Palettes & Paint
    • House Plans & Builders
    • Inspired Communities
  • Gardening Ideas

    Gardening Ideas

    See All Gardening Ideas
    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    If You Keep Finding Ladybugs in Your House, Here's What You Need to Know

    Plus a few strategies for keeping them out-of-doors
    • Container Gardening
    • Gardening Flowers
    • Fruit, Vegetable & Herb Gardens
    • Garden Pests
    • Plant Guides A-Z
    • Indoor Plants
    • Fall Plants
    • Landscaping Ideas
    • The Grumpy Gardener
  • News

    News

    See All News
    • Celebrities
    • Local News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. Travel
  3. Florida
  4. 8 Reasons We Love Sanibel Island, Florida

8 Reasons We Love Sanibel Island, Florida

By Kara Corridan Updated July 10, 2020
Skip gallery slides
FB
The very act of arriving on Sanibel Island, off Florida's southern Gulf coast, feels like a beautiful escape. The only way to get on the isle, 20 miles southwest of Fort Myers, is to drive across a three-mile causeway that is surrounded by a sparkling bay
Credit: David Hillegas

A little adventure—plus the promise of doing nothing at all—draws us to this famous Florida isle.

Start Slideshow

1 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Secret Sanibel

The very act of arriving on Sanibel Island, off Florida's southern Gulf coast, feels like a beautiful escape. The only way to get on the isle, 20 miles southwest of Fort Myers, is to drive across a three-mile causeway that is surrounded by a sparkling bay
Credit: David Hillegas

The very act of arriving on Sanibel Island, off Florida's southern Gulf coast, feels like a beautiful escape. The only way to get on the isle, 20 miles southwest of Fort Myers, is to drive across a three-mile causeway that is surrounded by a sparkling bay. The view from all sides is an expanse of water and blue sky—until the causeway narrows and you're gradually funneled onto a two-lane country road. The speed limit goes down, the guardrails disappear, and the water makes way for pines and palm trees that stand tall enough to create a canopy shielding you from the rest of the world. Ordinances ban high-rises, stoplights, and national chain restaurants (though three exceptions, among them a very retro-looking Dairy Queen, were grandfathered in years ago).

1 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Where to Stay

Arguably the island's most luxurious property, Casa Ybel Resort provides an historic, beachfront experience along the Gulf of Mexico. Each of the 114 luxurious bedroom suites includes a huge kitchen and screened balcony or lanai.
Credit: David Hillegas

Arguably the island's most luxurious property, Casa Ybel Resort provides an historic, beachfront experience along the Gulf of Mexico. Each of the 114 luxurious bedroom suites includes a huge kitchen and screened balcony or lanai. 

2 of 9

3 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Where to Drink

Coconuts Poolside Bar and Grill at Casa Ybel Resort is the place to go for relaxing after a day of fun in the sun. Order the Frozen Alligator—a frosty cocktail made from coconut rum, Midori melon liqueur, piña colada mix, and vanilla ice cream.
Credit: David Hillegas

Coconuts Poolside Bar and Grill
This watering hole at Casa Ybel Resort is the place to go for relaxing after a day of fun in the sun. Order the Frozen Alligator (pictured here)—a frosty cocktail made from coconut rum, Midori melon liqueur, piña colada mix, and vanilla ice cream. 

Cip's Place
Tucked along Periwinkle Way is another of Sanibel's best happy hour hot spots. It's named after Jimmy Cipriani, a beloved local and former owner of the property who inspired the current proprietors to create a place where you're reminded of "the good old days of Sanibel." Here, the patrons are heavier on longtime residents and lighter on tourists.

3 of 9

Advertisement

4 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

Where to Eat & Drink

Singling out one restaurant is hard, but Traders Café and Store is a must-visit. It's far more sophisticated and special than its name might suggest.
Credit: David Hillegas

Traders Café and Store
Singling out one restaurant is hard, but this Sanibel gem is a must-visit. It's far more sophisticated and special than its name might suggest.

Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream
For dessert, an ice cream cone is the ticket. They are not messing around at this place. The Sanibel Krunch, made with toasted coconut, mixed nuts, chocolate, and a few secret ingredients is one of the shop's signature flavor options with good reason.

4 of 9

5 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

What to Do: Cruise the Bike Trails

Covering 25 miles of family-friendly neighborhoods, Sanibel’s bike trails are the best means for exploring the island.
Credit: David Hillegas

Covering 25 miles of family-friendly neighborhoods, Sanibel's bike trails are the best means for exploring the island. Rent a bike at Billy's Bikes and Rentals, (239-472-8717) or Finnimore's Bike and Beach Rentals (239-472-5577). 

5 of 9

6 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

What to Do: Hunt for Shells

Sanibel is widely known as "the shell capital of the world." The shelling is superior here because unlike other islands, which generally run from north to south, Sanibel lies east to west.
Credit: David Hillegas

Sanibel is widely known as "the shell capital of the world." The shelling is superior here because unlike other islands, which generally run from north to south, Sanibel lies east to west—it reaches like a finger beckoning into the Gulf, and scoops up shells that have made the voyage from the Caribbean and even farther south. There's even a term for the way these determined people sift through the sand, hunched over on a mission: the Sanibel Stoop. 

6 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

What to Do: Play Outside

Besides shells, Sanibel's other claim to fame is The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, known simply as Ding Darling.
Credit: David Hillegas

Besides shells, Sanibel's other claim to fame is The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, known simply as Ding Darling. It's the most popular attraction on the island; with 700,000 guests a year, it's also the busiest of the 561 wildlife refuges in the United States. During prime nesting season, May through October, fleets of locals walk the beaches at dawn, cordoning off turtle nests and looking for tracks.

7 of 9

8 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

What to Do: Watch the Sunset

The half hour or so just prior to sunset is unquestionably the most magical: The beach slowly begins to fill up again as spectators set up shop on beach chairs and blankets and wait for the show to begin.
Credit: David Hillegas

The half hour or so just prior to sunset is unquestionably the most magical: The beach slowly begins to fill up again as spectators set up shop on beach chairs and blankets and wait for the show to begin. The mix of colors that appears on the horizon is mindblowing—it's as if an artist blended drops of paint in colors of peach, dusty rose, coral, and salmon, and then brushed them across the sky. The goal for any sunset watcher is to spot the elusive Green Flash, which appears when the sun turns bright green at the absolute split second it slips below the horizon; the phenomenon occurs only on cloudless evenings.

8 of 9

9 of 9

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print

What to Do: Explore a Quiet Beach

On Sanibel it all comes back to the beach. There's no such thing as a sub-par stretch, but if looking for a secluded swath of sand, head toward the end of West Gulf Drive to "Beach Access #6."
Credit: David Hillegas

On Sanibel it all comes back to the beach. There's no such thing as a sub-par stretch, but if looking for a secluded swath of sand, head toward the end of West Gulf Drive to "Beach Access #6." In a place that already feels like a private hideaway, this beautiful, isolated beach seals the deal.

9 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Coastal Living Editors

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 9 Secret Sanibel
    2 of 9 Where to Stay
    3 of 9 Where to Drink
    4 of 9 Where to Eat & Drink
    5 of 9 What to Do: Cruise the Bike Trails
    6 of 9 What to Do: Hunt for Shells
    7 of 9 What to Do: Play Outside
    8 of 9 What to Do: Watch the Sunset
    9 of 9 What to Do: Explore a Quiet Beach

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message Print
    Southern Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Books from Southern Living
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    MeredithSouthern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Southern Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    8 Reasons We Love Sanibel Island, Florida
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.