So, at this point, y’all probably think all I do is travel to Florida, but there’s a good reason I make the sunshine state my (almost) second home.
Florida is the closest destination from Philly to offer warm weather and an affordable price tag. Every time I go to a new Florida town, I fall in love with the state all over again. Each stop is unique and has so much to offer.
For my latest trip, my goal was to find a place to decompress after my trip to Hawaii was postponed for the 3rd time. Thanks, covid. It was so expensive to fly anywhere, even states that were closer to Philly, so a big factor that determined my decision was the price for airfare to Ft. Myers, which was less than $300 per person (which is still high, but post-pandemic travel and gas prices are partly to blame there).
And so my journey to plan a trip to Sanibel began.
I spent my time soaking up the sun, healing my soul, and exploring all the tiny island has to offer.
Sanibel was everything I hoped for and more. It is by no means a party town but instead is a quaint, laid-back beach town with a true island vibe. Everyone was SO friendly there and I don’t think one person passed by us without saying hello. We went before Memorial Day and it was a ghost town; every time we went out to eat there were only a few other people at the restaurant/bar. Apparently, had we chosen to visit a week later, that wouldn’t have been the case. Not surprisingly, according to the locals, the bridge to get to Sanibel in the summer months is packed with traffic and the island is bustling. If you are looking for a quieter time on the island, then I definitely recommend mid-May. I can’t vouch for other times of the year, but my May visit was nice and quiet. Locals say the winter is a bit busier too, due to travelers looking to escape the winter blues up north.
Getting to and around the Island
We flew into Ft. Myers and took an uber to our hotel. On our way home, our ride kept getting dropped even though we booked the night before, so I’d suggest booking a taxi instead, as I feel they are a bit more reliable. We did end up getting an uber ride to the airport from the island, but the driver told us it tends to be a turn-off for uber drivers to come to Sanibel, since most drivers come from Ft. Myers and it’s a long ride for them. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time for traffic if you are heading there in the busier months because the bridge can get really backed up. As it turned out, once we arrived and settled in, I didn’t feel the need for a car and we ended up biking or walking everywhere. We also saw people getting around with golf carts, so that’s a fun option too, especially if you visit during the hotter months of the year. If you plan to visit Captiva, the island next to Sanibel, a car would most likely be necessary unless you plan to uber.
Staying on track with fitness and healthy eating routines:
It’s important to me to stay on track with my health and fitness while away from home, and Sanibel made it such an easy task. Every restaurant had plenty of health-conscious seafood options, and we biked everywhere, so any vacation weight I may have gained, I biked right off. There are bike paths everywhere, tons of crosswalks, and commuting by bike is a cooler way to move about the island, since you get a nice breeze. Another plus? You also get to your destination quicker.
Thankfully, our hotel had a full kitchen, so I packed a box of Kodiak Cakes in my carry-on for a protein-rich breakfast, and brought some peanut butter in a squeezable, resealable pouch for easy, on-the-go travel. I also went out one morning for breakfast and that kept me full until happy hour time. Staying active and making healthy food choices throughout my visit made it easier to allow myself to indulge without the guilt. Vacation is definitely time to indulge! I’m all about striking a balance, which I’m not always able to achieve when I travel, but with this trip, I did!
Where to Stay
Short and sweet tip: Stay in Sanibel instead of Ft. Myers. It is the cheaper option to stay in Ft. Myers and commute over to the island each day, but during busy season, you will lose a lot of time sitting in traffic.
I stayed on Donax Street because I wanted to be close to the beach, and Palmview Inn advertised a 6 minute walk to the beach. It was a cute inn with cottages—a very small, intimate setting, which I loved. There was an outside grill, chairs to lounge on, and even a hammock. Our room also came with Tommy Bahama beach chairs, an umbrella, and beach towels. I stayed in Clearwater in a small inn last year for the same price and it didn’t include any of these perks, so I definitely think that this place is a steal, especially for only about $215 a night. The room had a bedroom with a large king bed and a separate room with a kitchen, dining table, and pull out couch. There were TVs in both rooms as well. Out front, we had a small porch with a table and Adirondack chairs, which was also covered—definitely loved this, as we watched a storm out here one night and listened to the rain with a drink in hand.
A 5 minute bike (included in your stay) ride down the road from Palmview will lead you to an ice cream shop, market/deli, liquor store, and the Tipsy Turtle, which happens to be one of the only bars/restaurants that stays open late on the island. Cielo is in the same area too if you are looking for a bit of a more modern place for dinner/drinks.
Happy Hour
So I did a lot of the guess work for y’all in regards to happy hours. A lot of places had happy hours on their online website, but when we called to confirm, they stated that they didn’t offer a happy hour. This is a quite common thing I run into post-pandemic, so don’t dock Sanibel points for this one! 🙂 HH is definitely the way to go on the island, since everything seems to die down between 8 and 9pm.
The Blue Giraffe – They have 2 locations. I went to the one on Periwinkle Way, so I cannot vouch for the other location, but this one is near a cute shopping district, so if you want to make a day of it, shop until you drop and then walk on over to happy hour. All the shops close around 6 pm during the week, so keep that in mind. There is an ice cream shop, Pinocchio’s, within the shopping district, that you must save room for after apps/drinks. They are pet friendly too if you are lucky enough to have your furry friend with you. 🙂
For happy hour, they had a few discounted apps, like nachos, chicken wings, squid, and a few others, as well as discounted beers/specialty cocktails. The patio had umbrellas at the tables to keep you cool and also a TV outside if you want to watch a sporting event. Happy hour is from 4-6.
Tipsy Turtle- Happy Hour from 4-8 with tons of discounted drinks as well as a happy hour food menu. We didn’t make it for happy hour but went for lunch our first day in town and the fish tacos were fresh and paired perfectly with my Mojito.
Cips- Another cute spot with outdoor seating was Cips. They had full meals on their happy hour, not just apps. I had salmon, veggies, and rice, all for $12! They offered $6 apps as well. For happy hour they had specialty cocktails (including a Mojito which is my go-to) martinis/etc. The happy hour was 3-5 for food specials and 3-6 for drinks.
Dinner
We technically only had one dinner while there and that was at The Fish House. I couldn’t go to the Fish House and not get fish, so I tried something new: grouper. It was offered about 4 or 5 different ways on the menu so I figured it must be good, and it was! This place was a bit pricey but the food and portions were good. They offer outdoor seating if that is your thing, like it is mine, but note that on off-season Sundays, it’s closed.
I never go somewhere without an adventure to share, so here is the adventure of the trip: We walked to Donax Street but left after dark. We did try to get an uber back, as it was a long, dark walk back, but our ride kept getting dropped so we decided to brave the wilderness and walk to the inn. It was our first night there before we discovered the wonder of the bikes of Sanibel, so we walked 15-20 minutes by flashlight on the bike path. Not going to lie, it was a bit creepy; it wasn’t lit and I was convinced a snake or alligator was going to sneak up and eat me, but luckily we made it through in one piece with no wildlife encounters (at least that we could see). Sanibel, we were told, is a very safe island in regards to crime, etc., but I’m not sure the wildlife count. 🙂 Moral of the story: if you need to walk/bike, I suggest limiting those activities to the day time hours, as it gets very desolate down near Donax Street. If you stay farther up Periwinkle, it is a bit more populated, so you’ll be fine, but our neck of the woods was pitch black and quiet.
My Go-to Coffee & Ice Cream Spot:
Sanibel Bean- A ton of options for coffee which includes iced coffee- not all coffee shops offered a cold brew so if that is your thing, this place will be your go-to like me. They had food and indoor/outdoor seating as well and the best saying I ever did see in their shop.
Pinnochios- Best. Ice cream. Ever. They have unique flavors, one of them being “Gator Tracks,” and that is exactly what I ordered 🙂
Things to do:
While it is a small, quaint beach town, we still found a ton to do on our 4 day/3 night trip. Of course, you need to spend some time on the beach and if you stayed where I did, it makes it easy to access and you have all your beach essentials with you.
If you ask me, beach-combing/sea shelling is considered a sport in Sanibel, so hit the beach and bring home some free souvenirs; just make sure there is nothing living in them as live shelling is not allowed. We did this at night to beat the heat and the crowds, plus who doesn’t love the Gulf views at dusk?
The Light House-bike down here and see it up close and personal. There is beach access, picnic benches in the shade, and great views of the main event, the Lighthouse. On your way there or on the way back, stop at The Light House Cafe and get the seafood omelet, so fresh!
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife- we also biked here from our place- it was a long, hot bike ride but it was worth it. $1 to get in if you are biking or walking the trail and $10 a car. If you are biking/walking, you have the option of doing a 4 mile vs 8 mile loop- it is one way only so you have to make a decision and no turning back. We oped for the 4 mile bike ride since we had already biked miles to get here. the refuge offers fishing spots, huge lakes, places for you to stop off and read about the wildlife etc, and pathways that lead to more scenic views/wildlife. We saw crabs, snakes (eeek not my favorite), birds, and a few fish as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are gators either but we did not encounter any along our journey.
CROW- Located across the way from the wildlife refuge trail, is an animal hospital that rehabs injured wildlife. For $12 you can walk through and receive a ton of info about the wildlife in Florida and their mission to rehab as many hurt animals as possible. The goal is to release but they do have some full time residents that weren’t able to be fully rehabbed and released back into the wild. CROW offers a behind the scenes tour of the actual animal hospital facility at 11 and 2 that includes a lecture on different topics regarding wildlife. You can look online for their schedule. It was booked up by the time we got there so book in advance if interested and if anyone has been, please let me know how it is as I would love to go back.
Biking- We spent a lot of our days biking around town. I really enjoyed this part. There are tons of shops, places to stop for food/coffee- so hop on your bike and go exploring! The earlier you start, the better it’ll be if the heat bothers you, esp in the summer months. We found our breakfast place this way- the trails make it easy to get around without having to share the roads with cars. Along the trails there is plenty of wildlife and little plaques with information the wildlife/nature. We saw tiny lizards (which are everywhere), a chipmunk, and an iguana in the treetops on our bike ride all in one day.
Short and sweet tip- It rains almost daily in Florida., The one day it said there was a 20% chance and we got caught in a storm on the way home from dinner. Luckily we made it home before the heavy downpour but just be aware of that. Can’t hurt to pack a poncho just in case! The storms usually don’t last long and it’s an excuse to stop for a drink or some ice cream. 🙂
Have you ever been to Sanibel? I’d love for you to comment below and share your favorite spots! If there is anything else you would like to know or questions that you would like me to answer, please feel free to comment below.
Until my next adventure…