Sanibel Island has enough beautiful beaches to keep you busy for days. Look up and see if you can observe some ospreys or pelicans. Children's Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd Street, Upper West Side. Sanibel Island Lighthouse 2,675 Lighthouses Open now By Anxsmomt The lighthouse is a public beach, plenty of parking. Sanibel Island takes shelling very seriously! Cue the tears. Activities that appeal to kids of all ages from babies to toddlers to teenagers and beyond. It's a pretty spectacular sight. 9. Having a car made getting to Fort Myers quick and easy as well. It was my first time, hopefully not the last. The island is relatively compact and very bike friendly and many people get around by bike! 8 reasons to take the kids to Kissimmee Your little ones are really brave for embracing boas and alligators. This is Tampa's Ybor City is a National Historic Landmark District. A quick drive from Fort Myers, Florida will take you to a tropical island getaway with so much family-friendly fun to explore. There are so many options for accommodations on Sanibel Island with kids, at all budget levels. And whether you order a cone or bowl, every servingis topped with an adorable little animal cracker. After your walk, you can enjoy a picnic lunch. Connecting the Florida mainland to Sanibel Island, this majestic roadway rises 70 feet over beautiful San Carlos Bay and offers show-stopping views over the aquamarine waters. Read More: The Best Hawaii Resorts for Families on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. On our first trip to Sanibel with took the twins to the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. With over 25 miles of paved, carless trails, Sanibel Island is a wonderful place for families to explore on two wheels. Bonus: Shelling is freeas long as you clean and dry the shells before you leave, they make the perfect souvenirs. This place claims to be Floridas most outrageous and award-winning restaurant. Maybe it was back in 1980 when there werent Houlihans and Fridays in every roadside town. Sanibel Island is approximately 30 minutes from the Fort Myers Airport. Watch the sunset on the beach. Find Places To Stay In Sanibel Island, Florida. We spend a ton of time on North Captiva and always make trips over to Sanibel truly a beautiful spot. While the water is not clear, they will be able to find starfish, conch, and sand dollars. If you have kids and have been considering a Florida vacation you'd be crazy to not visit Fort Myers & Sanibel Island. Your email address will not be published. If you like a bit of history in your travels, then be sure to pay a visit to the lighthouse on the eastern tip of Sanibel Island. Some bucket-list experiences here are sunbathing, kayaking, bird watching, and exploring idyllic parks like the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge. This should be enough to get you started (and if you have any favorites that you think I should add, please let me know! 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. My kids spent hours walking up and down the beach from our hotel doing shelling. Learn all about seashells and the animals that make them. So if there aren't traditional kids attractions what ARE the things to do with kids in Sanibel Island? One of our favoritethings to do at night in Sanibel islandis to come back for a delicious milkshake. Heres something I wouldnt have done as a kid Hold boas, king snakes, pythons, alligators But our day guide Rhett? Since the island is only 12 miles long, its not a far distance to get to any of these places from wherever you are staying. The Visitor and Education Centre offers free admission and is open every day except holidays from 9:00 am-4:00 pm year-round. The tour takes you across the flat waters of local estuaries and waterways and offers beginner instruction for those new to the sport. I am so glad that I chose to stay on Sanibel proper for our trip to Sanibel Island with kids, because it would have been a whole different trip if we hadnt been right here. We belive strongly that travel benefits kids in SO MANY ways. It is located in Lee County and the easiest way to get there from Toronto is to fly to Fort Myers, rent a car and go. Picnic tables are available when you want to enjoy snacks under the canopy of the trees. While visiting Chateaux Sur Mer, you might make a stop by sights like Sanibel Island Southern Beach and Bowman's Beach. Eating out in Sanibel with kids? Visiting this lighthouse is one of the more popular Sanibel things to do. Kids love being responsible for shutting curtains and blinds to help protect the turtles! It turns out, there are plenty of things to do on Sanibel Island with kids. Sign up for simple dinner ideas, easy step by step instructions, and fun recipes for kids. Also, the water tended to be murky on Sanibel. With themed activities and hands-on experiences, children ages 6 to 13 can foster their love and appreciation for the ocean. Eat at RC Otters. Registered dietitian & mom behind Create Kids Club an online kitchen where feeding kids is made easier with simple gluten-free recipes & kids cooking ideas. Celebrate Women's History Month and commemorate pioneering figures in science, technology, arts & design, and mathematics. Whether you choose to be boating, kayaking, canoeing, water-skiing or fishing from one of the favorite spots, play a round of golf on the challenging scenic courses, there are over 70 of them, the perfect place to tee off and test your mettle on the green . Sanibel is a pristine island with beautiful beaches, nature preserves, and tropical lush gardens. We had a ton of fun just playing in the water. Blind Pass Beach 827 Beaches By 994linday document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Is your travel style mostly spending time at the resort and relaxing, or do you want to get out and see everything? Stop in at theSanibel Chamber Commerceand ask for the treasure hunt map. Heres a guide to the top 9 things to do in Sanibel. Sprinkled in youll find family travel inspiration. Dr. Seuss-a-Bration at Once Upon a Treetop Plainview. Winters the weather can be hit or miss, and the months between December-February are busier with snowbirds escaping winter. Ever been to Captiva or Sanibel? We were also able to take advantage of a free daily tour of the beach with a naturalist guide during which we learned some really neat tidbits about the beach and its creatures. there is a wildlife refuge that you can either take a guided tram or drive yourself through. Every single coastal state in the U.S. has reported red tide and the cause is primarily pollution chemicals in the water. This is one of the best things to do on Sanibel with kids. Required fields are marked *. Recommended Read: The 10 Most Beautiful Islands in Florida. While there, take a swim, snorkel, or book a ranger-led kayak tour or hike. Bristol Ocala Vacation Rental. There are activities that appeal to all age groups and makes for a really nice family vacation. There are several places for bike rentals on Sanibel Island, and 25 miles of trails to enjoy. Mound House. That way, you'll have room left over for a slice (or two!) Temperatures were still in the 80s. The island is a special place for any type of trip, but there is a unique charm in taking kids there because it allows them to appreciate nature a bit more than more developed beach cities. Sanibel Island just has a different vibe. Its perfectly legal and encouraged to head down to the beach with a bucket and scoop up as many beauties as you can. Warm Gulf waters and calm surf make most of the island's beaches great for families withsmall children. From national historic sites to beautiful beaches, there are many fun things to do on the Kohala Coast. Make sure to go during low tide because that's when a lot of the birds, including brown and white pelicans, ibis, cormorants and spoonbills, flock to the refuge to feed on fish stuck in the shallow water. Registered dietitian & mom behind Create Kids Club an online kitchen where feeding kids gluten-free is made easier with simple recipes & kids cooking ideas. Dont forget the camera some of my best shots have come at this time. Toddlers, kids, and teens will all want to partake in this activity. If you are staying at a resort and arent planning on straying too far from your quarters, you might be able to get by without a car (especially if your resort has bikes that you can use, which many Sanibel Island family resorts do). They were a lot cheaper than similar resorts on Sanibel. Looking for a little fun in the sun. 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. The Sanibel Moorings Botanical Gardens takes visitors on a colorful journey through idyllic tropical gardens. We saw these cottages at the far end of Sanibel Island whilst viewing one of the most spectacular sunsets that we have ever seen. Make sure toget there earlyand plan on having dinner. Visiting London with kids is an absolute joy. Exploring Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island, The 9 Best Fort Myers Beach, Florida Hotels of 2023, 12 Best Things to Do in Fort Myers, Florida, 12 Fabulous Family Beach Vacations in the Southeast, 14 Top Things to Do in Vero Beach, Florida, The 6 Best Key West Snorkeling Tours of 2023, The 9 Best Florida Family Resortsof 2023, Top 17 Things to Do in Tampa Bay, Florida, 20 Top Things to Do With Kids in Miami, Florida, 10 Best Family-Friendly Beaches in Florida, The 26 Best Things to Do in Long Beach, California. There arent really any great public transportation on Sanibel Island, so unless you are planning to take an Uber to and from the airport (expensive given the distance) you will need a car to get around. Baby sea turtles hatch late at night when the moon is bright. What I am going to tell you is some insights what we did while visiting Sanibel, and what is on our shortlist for next time: This is the number one reason that many folks make the trip to Sanibel, and for good reason. Here you'll find shell-strewn beaches, a laid-back vibe, terrific restaurants and shops,and an incredibly diverse wildlife sampling. Shelling is one of the best things to do on Sanibel Island, so plan to spend lots of time at the beach! . I am a travel agent and family travel expert who is PASSIONATE about planning amazing adventures for families. Stop by Flan World Corp for a life-changing coconut flan, Aux Dlices Bakery for authentic French pastries, and the Doughnut Station for the fluffiest doughnuts. This is what I know about the best time to visit Sanibel Island. If you're ready to explore South Plainfield, sign up for one of the top tours & day trips on offer, and have a friendly guide show you some of the most popular sights. Home to all kinds of Floridian wildlife (have your little ones try to spot the mangrove crabs scuttling around among the branches), the mangroves are best experienced by a guided kayak tour through the mangrove tunnels, where the trees naturally form a closed canopy to create a tunnel over the waterway. They offer a wide variety of accommodations choices as well as a beautiful kid friendly pool with a water slide. Sanibel Island is located off the coast of southwest Florida, just west of Fort Myers. The museum features over 30 permanent exhibits on shells of Sanibel and Captiva Island, as well as those from around the world. Our next stop was rumoured to be the place to see the manatee. Tarpon Bay Explorersofferscanoe and kayak trips in the J. N. "Ding" Darling NationalWildlife Refuge where naturalist guides give you an up-close experience with this unique ecosystem. Loosen your belt because several stalls sell freshly made dishes you can eat on the go. We collected shells every day we were there and it never got old for the boys. Go shelling. It feels special because it is. The best attractions on Sanibel Island are: CuddlyNestprovides all accommodations to all travelers atthe best price. Your whole family will enjoy spending hours exploring all the creatures they find! 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. It's such a great way to spend a bright and sunny afternoon almost any time of year! Florida always holds a special place in my heart and the more I explore, the more I love it too. This family-friendly island has lots of activities for kids of all ages most of them free! More shops and restaurants and better choice of hotels and resorts. Bikes, kayaks, tennis and paddle boards are all at your disposal. That and snowbirds who retire there, my late paternal grandparents being them! 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. This is the first lighthouse north of the Keys. These eye-popping gardens host wild creatures like butterflies, turtles, rabbits, and birds. Smaller dead fish washed up and we had mild coughs when spending extended periods of time on the beach and shore area. It's such a fun way to have even more fun at the beach with kids. Hoping to be able to take the kids over the Summer. Sprinkled in youll find family travel inspiration. Biking downtown just got more exciting for kids having a map and treasures to hunt! What's a beach trip without ice cream? 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. After a low tide or storm are best along with the months of January, February, and March. It was tempting. You can drive through the preserve at your own pace and get out to spot wildlife. 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!. It is true that growing up, a lot of time was spent in these magical and fairytale kingdoms. A jaunt down the beach or a bike around the island makes for wonderful take-home memories. The beach was not sandy, it was made of crushed shells. Bristol is a stunning five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath fully furnished home with a private pool. Pick a beach, any beach, and head on over after dinner. When you hit the causeway, you know you have arrived atthis breathtaking island covered in shells and its the start of making memories to last a lifetime. Download a tide app to check tide times. The fun never stops on Sanibel Island. We had just never gone out to a regular ice cream shop with them! Its a nice place to stay, but the spa is especially wonderful. This wildlife refuge is a great place to check out the local flora and fauna. We've taken the twins twice and both times they loved running out on the boardwalk and spotting animals. Trust me. Dont get suckered into ordering the special kids drink, though. Kids Activities. Sanibel Island isworld-renownedfor its abundance of seashells. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. You wont regret taking a drive up to Captiva. We visited in November, and it was just the right time for us. Flying kites is another way to enjoy the beach with kids! I would also be remiss to not mention Red Tide. You might spot a dolphin or two from there. The time lost in driving, the tolls and just the increased level of relaxation that staying on the island gave us were completely worth the extra money. Times Square and the Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier. Map of kid-friendly places. After 9:00 p.m on Sanibel, itsturtle time. (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.) All ages. Join Little Learners for a Seuss-a-Bration at Once Upon a Treetop. Kids can easily split a kids meal, especially if they fill up on the bottomless muffins that come first. See these marine mammals leaping and frolicking in the waters of Pine Island Sound. They loved running and collecting new shells. Visiting this locale is a feel-good endeavor, too, as your admission fee goes towards the care of approximately 3,500 injured and orphaned animals each year. Photo: Courtesy of The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel 1. of the many flavours of cake, which a Bubble Scout server displays on a silver platter. Parking at Blind Pass Beach costs $5 per hour and the beach is free to explore. For the 4 nights we were there, we stood on the beach of the hotel and observed and gave thanks that was our view. I think their minds were blown! At the parks northern end, youll find a fishing pier, a prime spot for catching redfish, snook, sheepshead, black drum, snapper, and other species. Depending on the time of year, Sanibel's sunset locales vary. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge On this part of Sanibel you'll find a protected piece of nature with quite an impressive wildlife! As someone who doesnt have kids, I still love all the suggestions. If youre planning avacation to Sanibel Islandand wondering what activities are offered on this island close to Floridas coast, check out these10 kid-friendly attractionsthis special island has to offer. 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