So we really lucked out. Purely by accident, my family and I discovered the best time to visit Sanibel Island Florida and it wasn’t summer.
It was actually October, the week before Halloween. And it was lovely.
photo via jthetzel
I was totally expecting bumper to bumper traffic, absolutely zero parking spaces at the beach (even for the “you can’t park here” ones to be taken) and painfully long waits at restaurants. That was not the case however. Instead, the road was an open highway, plenty of available parking, quiet walks and lunches on the beach and we walked right into Gramma Dot’s Restaurant that evening with no waiting.
OCTOBER was certainly fantastic!
And October was beautiful! Clear sky, ocean a glorious mid 80 degrees, 94 degree air temp and more shells to gather than dump trucks could haul. Plus, prices were kinder.
According to the park officials, the super busy time of the year for them is between December to April. I can certainly see how it could get massively bogged down on that little island with just a normal flock of tourists, let alone the large numbers that arrive to escape the frigid temps of long winter months.
Bowman’s Beach is definitely the beach to hit when you do go. It is a walk from the parking lot but, a very lovely walk along a sandy trail. You will pass through tropical Floridian plants whose names I know not before arriving at a vast beautiful beach free of buildings and loaded with shells.
I have to admit, the shelling does tend to become an obsession. Once you find that first perfect one, you must have more but, we did keep our collection to just a small handful.
The rest we laid back in the sand for others to find and enjoy.
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Since the crowds are away, the wildlife can be seen in abundance. Sanibel and Captiva have a rich population of natural wildlife for you to watch and enjoy.
Sanibel is the home of J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Here you can observe thousands of plants and animals in a gorgeous setting.
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A take-out picnic from the infamous Schnapper’s Hots, OMG the sandwiches are so delish they should be illegal, a prime sand spot to lay out your beach towels, and then just sit and enjoy the peace while that sandwich relish rolls down your chin unchecked. It is heaven. SCHNAPPERS HOTS
When we were there, there were not any waves so no surfing or boogie boarding. The ocean was calm and serene which allows for easier shell hunting and lazing on a float. Beachy pastel painted shops were open when we were there in October and, if you need more, Ft. Myers is just over the toll bridge.
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The place for dinner…Gramma Dot’s Restaurant SANIBEL MARINA. Fantastic food at a reasonable price while looking out over a picturesque marina. We learned Gramma Dot was a real person who was of a very adventurous nature. Gramma Dot passed away at a ripe old age but you can get an idea as to the kind of person she was by looking at all the pictures of her and her exploits on the walls.
So now you know the best time to go to Sanibel that allows for a fantastic time with no crowds, traffic or waits. Just pay attention to the weather and have a great time.
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