Monday, April 02, 2007
04/2007: Sanibel Island - $6.00 Road toll.
A long flat causeway and a road toll of $6.00 will get you to this attractive but expensive strip of lush tropical land off Fort Myers, which is famous for its fabulous shelling beaches and home to a number of upscale but oh-so-tasteful private homes. Accommodation is largely small-scale, low-rise and pricey – although there is an RV park for the less affluent.
The beautiful beaches are long and white and have an abundance of colourful shells swept in by currents from the Gulf of Mexico – the ‘Sanibel Stoop’ is the stance of dedicated shellers who can be seen shuffling up the beach, bent over with nets and buckets in hand.
Home to over 240 species of birdlife and numerous plants, the island boasts plenty of wildlife sanctuaries and walking trails, including the “Ding Darling”National Wildlife Refuge & Bird Sanctuary.
Being an island there is a wide selection of water-based activities on offer including canoeing, kayaking, fishing and sailing, and plenty of boat trips and cruises.
Cycling is popular due to the flatness of the land, and most hotels have bikes for rent, some free of charge, although if you want to be sure of getting a bike it is best to rent and pay for one from one of the bike rental shops on the island. 2 golf courses and several tennis clubs are also on hand for the energetic.
Nightlife is pretty low key and restaurants are casual (no jackets are required anywhere) with most of the dining options stretched out along the main drag, Periwinkle Way.
Traffic is a real problem on the island due to the large number of visitors and people who live on the mainland and work on the island. The problem is there are just too many cars on the road for Sanibel's limited streets to handle, particularly between 9:00 and 10:30 am, arriving at the island and from 3:00 to 6:30 pm leaving the island. Left turns can be particularly difficult.
A long flat causeway and a road toll of $6.00 will get you to this attractive but expensive strip of lush tropical land off Fort Myers, which is famous for its fabulous shelling beaches and home to a number of upscale but oh-so-tasteful private homes. Accommodation is largely small-scale, low-rise and pricey – although there is an RV park for the less affluent.
The beautiful beaches are long and white and have an abundance of colourful shells swept in by currents from the Gulf of Mexico – the ‘Sanibel Stoop’ is the stance of dedicated shellers who can be seen shuffling up the beach, bent over with nets and buckets in hand.
Home to over 240 species of birdlife and numerous plants, the island boasts plenty of wildlife sanctuaries and walking trails, including the “Ding Darling”National Wildlife Refuge & Bird Sanctuary.
Being an island there is a wide selection of water-based activities on offer including canoeing, kayaking, fishing and sailing, and plenty of boat trips and cruises.
Cycling is popular due to the flatness of the land, and most hotels have bikes for rent, some free of charge, although if you want to be sure of getting a bike it is best to rent and pay for one from one of the bike rental shops on the island. 2 golf courses and several tennis clubs are also on hand for the energetic.
Nightlife is pretty low key and restaurants are casual (no jackets are required anywhere) with most of the dining options stretched out along the main drag, Periwinkle Way.
Traffic is a real problem on the island due to the large number of visitors and people who live on the mainland and work on the island. The problem is there are just too many cars on the road for Sanibel's limited streets to handle, particularly between 9:00 and 10:30 am, arriving at the island and from 3:00 to 6:30 pm leaving the island. Left turns can be particularly difficult.
# posted by hotelreviewer @ 3:55 pm 
