Sanibel Island and Captiva Island enjoy a location which makes them convenient to visit. While the journey to these islands may require little more than a drive across the causeway they have the feel of being a million miles away from the mainland. Many individuals find that exploring the exotic environment is one of the best things to do on Sanibel Island. There is a lot of history to explore in this region, as well, and there are plenty of secluded and beautiful beaches on which to relax.
One of the most popular things to do in Sanibel Island is to go shelling. These islands both stand out as world-class shelling destinations. Exploring the islands beaches will likely result in visitors finding scallops, whelks and sand dollars galore. A related attraction, the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, is widely popular and considered by many to be one of the best things to do on Sanibel Island. This is the largest museum in the world dedicated to shells and contains over 30 exhibits. Since the mid-1990’s, it has been helping visitors to better understand the environment around them.
While Sanibel Island has plenty of things to do, there are also plenty of things to do on Captiva Island. Captiva is separated from Sanibel by a narrow strait called Blind Pass. It can be reached via the “San-Cap” road. About half of this island is private and the designation is very popular with successful individuals. Exploring “Millionaire’s Row” is one of the more popular things to do in Captiva Island. There are more historical sites to explore, as well. The original resident of this island was William Herbert Binder, an Austrian immigrant, and his grave is located at the Chapel by the Sea where modern visitors can still pay their respects.
Exploring the natural environment constitutes one of the most popular things to do on Sanibel Island. One of the island’s most well-known residents was J.N. “Ding” Darling and, today, the largest wildlife refuge on the island bears his name. The refuge is 2,619 acres and occupies the northern portion of the 5,000 acre plus wildlife refuge that takes up a full one-half of the island. The JN "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a mangrove ecosystem and a haven for all manner of birds. During the winter months, many of the avian residents, like the tourists, are vacationing in a warmer clime.
