Sanibel Island Lighthouse Beach
I was on a girls trip to Fort Myers, FL and we decided to get a little adventurous and check out one of the other islands in the area. From where we were staying you could just make out the Sanibel Island lighthouse and that warranted a closer look.
We took the Sanibel Causeway, a three mile span including two bridges. The toll for the causeway is $6.00. The causeway is the only way on or off the island of Sanibel and the neighboring island of Captiva by car. When we got off the causeway we found a man directing traffic, no easy task considering the amount of cars coming and going on a weekday. To the right you will find beach shops and restaurants and grocery stores. We grabbed some lunch before heading to the beach. To the left you will find a more residential area and at the very end you’ll find Lighthouse Beach. A narrow tree lined beach that is a shell hunters dream. You will be sure to find more than a few to take home with you. Nearly the entire beach is made up of billions of teeny-tiny shells, nothing like the powered sugar sand on Fort Myers Beach.
When you arrive at the beach there are a couple of small parking paid lots, parking is $4.00 per hour. You can take a self-guided wildlife tour through the trees. Along the way you can see the osprey nest way up high that were built as a sanctuary. I saw dolphins jumping around in the water several times.
The lighthouse, built in 1884 is not you typical lighthouse. It is all metal and it looks more a water tower or like something you would find on a Texas oil field.
Lighthouse beach is quite and not too crowded. It is the perfect beach if you just want to chill and maybe read a book. You can choose to sit under the shade of the trees or lounge out in the sun, a definite tropical vibe in south-west Florida.
