Sanibel Island Unmissables

Sanibel Island is defined by its unique east-west orientation, which facilitates the accumulation of thousands of seashells along its Gulf Coast shores. This collection features the historic 1884 Sanibel Lighthouse and the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum, the only institution in the United States devoted entirely to malacology. Beyond the beaches, the area includes protected habitats like the Estero Bay Preserve and Barefoot Beach, where visitors can observe gopher tortoises and migratory birds within expansive mangrove and swamp ecosystems.