Afamily vacation to Florida is usually synonymous with Disney, but it doesn't have to be. After 9:00 p.m on Sanibel, itsturtle time. Plan a stop for dinner or a drink outside at theMucky Duck. The kids waited for 5 minutes and wanted to go. Top 10 things to do on Sanibel Island with kids J.N. There are few places on the East Coast of the United States where you can revel in a western sunset. 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, 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. Sanibel Island with kids is lovely! 2. Relax on the beach, enjoy a picnic, go on a bike ride, or take a hike on one of the trails found . Your email address will not be published. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Come at low tide or after a storm to find conch, junonia, lightning whelk, and cockle shells. Summer Waves Water Park. You are in warm weather and you are on the ocean, so why not indulge in the water and cool off? My twins have been to the island three times starting at 13 months old (1st trip, 2nd trip, 3rd trip) and have loved spending time on the beaches and with nature. As a bonus for families, the captain usually invites kids to steer the boat and take a photo with him in his captain's cap. With beaches that boast over 60 different kinds ofseashells, Sanibel Island is a shell hunter's dream. We had a lodge gulf view luxury suite with a full kitchen for cooking and a screened-in balcony for dining and spending evenings listening to the water. I was blind to what else existed in the State. Ha I would not have done it at their age. Mom and Dad can also pick up a Starbucks Coffee from the grocery store. One of the first lighthouses on Floridas Gulf coast, this 98-foot tower offers showstopping views of the surrounding area and plenty of photo opportunities. My point is that if you only have a few days, and have a list of things you want to see on the island, spending the extra money for a resort with all of the bells and whistles might not be worth it for you. Why not try a different one each night? Find a Dunkin Donuts and you will be good. As the kids are flying down the waterslides enjoy a nice slow ride in the lazy river. There are bike lanes literally EVERYWHERE. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The best times for shelling were at low tide and early in the morning (even better if these coincide). Head to the Crows Nest on Crab Racing Night and see as they say. This sounds like a great island to visit. The beaches on this barrier island are covered in beautiful shells of different shapes, sizes and colours, so make sure to set aside a day at the beach where you and the kids can swim in the gulf, lounge in the sun and rifle through all the shells to find the perfect specimen. They might even meet a new friend or two. Kids Activities. Here, visit the otherworldly Captiva Beach, famous for its snow-white sand and shallow crystal-clear waters. Located off Sanibel-Captiva Road, Bowmans Beach has several miles of secluded white sand and gentle waters ideal for a refreshing swim. Sanibel island is one of the most bike friendly places that we have ever been. Each day the view was completely different and it made a wonderful activity with the entire family. There are paved bike paths that cross the island and 2 well-known bike shops that will deliver bikes to your hotel, ready when you arrive. 1.Rent A Convertable There's no better way to explore this tropical location with the roof down and the wind in your face. Sanibel is a beautiful and well-protected Gulf Coast barrier island. Bristol is a stunning five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath fully furnished home with a private pool. My kids spent hours walking up and down the beach from our hotel doing shelling. Things to Do in Sanibel Island with Kids Enter dates Filters 1 Attractions Traveler favorites All things to do Category types Attractions Tours Day Trips Outdoor Activities Concerts & Shows Food & Drink Shopping Transportation Traveler Resources Types of Attractions Boat Tours & Water Sports Nature & Parks Sights & Landmarks Museums Conditions are often mild and allow you to experience many of the island's activities no matter when you visit. Bring a bottle of wine and let the kids get their feet wet. It takes justone visittoSanibel Islandbefore youll start planning yournext trip back. We spend a ton of time on North Captiva and always make trips over to Sanibel truly a beautiful spot. If youre lucky, youll also be able to spot friendly dolphins frolicking around the water. Located at 2100 Island Inn Road, I was able to try a couple of beers brewed in the Fort Myers area. It has an authentic, old Florida vibe. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. For more shopping fun, check out the shops in Times Square at the nearby Fort Myers Beach Pier. I've tried to keep treats healthier at home too while they were super young, but always had the intentions of loosening that up a bit as they get older. Watch the sunset on the beach. Heres a guide to the top 9 things to do in Sanibel. Registered dietitian & mom behind Create Kids Club an online kitchen where feeding kids gluten-free is made easier with simple recipes & kids cooking ideas. The Island also offers many opportunities for kids to learn and have fun at the same time. Here are the Top Things to Do with Kids on Sanibel Island, Florida. Pick from one of many competitive games at Battlegroundz in Lincoln including dodgeball, laser tag, paintball, archery tag, airsoft, darts and cornhole. Looking for a fun activity for the kids that's free and not the beach? Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Also, check out the show-stopping Captiva Pass, which is the strait that separates North Captiva Island from La Costa Island. Kayaking through a mangrove swamp is a must-do activity while visiting this Florida island. Most folks rent a car, but there are shuttles available to take you here (depending on where you are staying and what you plan on doing, you may not need a car once you get to the island). Yolo Board Adventures Sanibel offers two-hour guided eco-tours for both adults and children 12 and older. Private tour guidesare also available to take your family around the islands in search of dolphins and manatees while sharing all kinds of tales about the islands' rich history. Sanibel Island takes shelling very seriously! On a regular day, the a.m. low tide will be better than the p.m. because if youre the first one out in the morning, youll be able to find the shells that have freshly washed ashore.Tip: My family has always gone to Sanibel Island in June and the beaches have always been filled with shells. I will also add that Red Coach buses are a great way to get around with kids. With time spent on the beach looking for shells, we barely had time to get out and see what the rest of the island had to offer! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Address: 1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel, FL 33957. Besides relaxing and playing on the beaches, there are kid-friendly restaurants, museums, and historical sites to enjoy with your family. Red Tide is a name given to an algae that are harmful to fish and humans. There are a great deal of things to do on Sanibel Island when traveling with a family. This sounds like a great place for a family vacation and so many activities! If your kids are particularly sensitive to teasing, maybe wait until they go to bed and come back for the adults-only late night race, which has even raunchier jokes. 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. Many of the area's islands are lined with red mangroves, which are fascinating trees that are easy to spot bytheir tangled root systems that make them look like they're standing on stilts above the water. The Sanibel Causeway Bridge is a nearly 3-mile road along the west coast, near the beaches overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. We booked the guide out of Fort Meyers. Required fields are marked *. Read More: The Best Hawaii Resorts for Families on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Eat at RC Otters. Make sure toget there earlyand plan on having dinner. It connects by bridge to Captiva Island. With an early sunset time in winter, we'd take the boys out and walk up the beach toward the sunset. It was my first time, hopefully not the last. Currently expanding to add live-mollusk aquaria, Sanibel's shell museum is one of a kind, putting shells in the context of living creatures, history, culture, religion and art. One of thebest things to do on Captiva Islandis to watch the sunset. We visited in November, and it was just the right time for us. Bristol Ocala Vacation Rental. Find unlimited travel inspiration on ourblogsandour social media channelsFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, The 10 Best Beaches Near Orlando, Florida15 Unbeatable Florida Family Vacations with KidsThe 4 Best Family-Friendly Vacation Spots in OrlandoThe 15 Best Long Weekend Getaways In The USThe Ultimate North America Travel Guide10 Best Day Trips From Naples, FloridaThe Ultimate Guide For a Pet-Friendly Holiday in FloridaThe Best Time To Visit Orlando, Florida7 Amazing Water Parks In Orlando, Florida8 Best Hotels Near SeaWorld Orlando, Florida9 Best Hotels In Orlando, FloridaThe 5 Best Hotels Near Downtown Orlando, FloridaThe 8 Best Hotels Near Orlando AirportThe 9 Best Pet-Friendly Hotels In Orlando, FloridaThe Best Hotels Near Disney World Orlando. Hotels tended towards being cheaper on Sanibel. Not so much. Florida sunsets are truly like none other in existence. This is a review for fun things to do near Landfield Ave, Monticello, NY 12701: "Amazing place: gorgeous view, extremely pleasant people and lots of fun. Admission is $7 for kids ages 5-11, $9 for ages 12-17, $15 for adults. When the red tide is high, dead fish wash up on shore, some shellfish is unsafe to eat and humans, especially those with asthma, have trouble breathing. Sanibel is known as the Shelling Capital of the World, and it's not hard to see why. Since 1884, the Sanibel Lighthouse (or Sanibel Island Light), has stood on Point Ybel at the eastern tip ofSanibel Island, markingthe entrance to San Carlos Bay. One of the most famous is the Wildlife and Education Boardwalk, which provides excellent views of freshwater areas inhabited by alligators and nesting birds. #1 in Sanibel Island Address: 1700 Bowman's Beach Rd. The shelling is the best and the kids love climbing all over the driftwood and making their way through the forest. 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