So happy to revisit the Sanibel Island Beach Lighthouse and see the Lighthouse…read more Some of the surrounding areas around the base of the Lighthouse are still restricted due to hurricane Ian damage. The beach is well maintained and there is public parking available.

You can't tour or climb the lighthouse, but it makes its dramatic presence known. It's been here…read moresince the late 1880s. It was one of the first on the gulf coast. When we parked nearby, the area surrounding the lighthouse was blocked off for construction. You could not get very close to the structure. We did get to walk a bit on the sandy beach that carries its name. It was quite busy on the weekend. The beach is maintained by the city and as mentioned is very popular. There's a lot with paid parking spaces. There are rest rooms and drinking fountains but not much more. The pier is closed since Hurricane Ian. So plan on sunning, swimming, and shelling if you come here.

Gulfside City Park Beach has been a favorite of ours since we moved to SWFL. This is three days…read morebefore Christmas, so I wasn't sure what to expect. It actually wasn't super crowded and we easily got a parking spot at 1:00 pm. It is normally a pretty clean beach, but there was quite a bit of seaweed on the beach. It was also quite windy today, but that helped keep the heat factor down. Regardless of the seaweed and the wind, there are always lots of shells and beauty to be found at this dog-friendly beach.

Great beach! We came here to watch the sunrise and it did not disappoint! 'Algiers Beach' has an…read moreinteresting history, too. We also got sooo many shells in less than an hour. I will definitely return!

Recently visited this beach and it was awful. Stagnant water runoff in the parking lots which made…read morethe most unpleasant smell and the second we stepped onto the beach, we were legitimately covered with hundreds(no exaggeration!) of sand fleas. I would steer clear of it, much better options for a more enjoyable beach experience.

Wow! This is a hidden gem- you must get beach parking permit to enjoy. Like all Sanibel beaches the…read moreshelly white sands lead you to beautiful waters on a beach with few people - a perfect night stroll!

Southwest Florida is filled with hidden gems, one of them including Silver Key Preserve in Sanibel…read moreIsland Silver Key is a 64 acre preserve that was bought in 1994 by the city of Sanibel along with the Florida's Communities Trust Preservation 2000 Program. The preserve is home to: Variety of birds such as snowy plovers and least terns sea turtles and tortoises lizards snakes and the list goes on The pristine beaches and coastal scrub habitat has been preserved in order to maintain and protect endangered natural environments as well as animals of the Florida fauna. There are no facilities and no parking lots at Silver Key and if you want to explore the area, walking will be necessary but totally worth it. There are two different paths to choose from, either from Blind Pass Beach or Bowman's Beach. P.S. - For more info on Silver Key, please check out my blog for all the info you will need to know before visiting. https://www.jujugurgel.com/single-post/Silver-Key-Preserve-Sanibel-Island-Florida-beaches

This is my favorite Sanibel beach. Always lots of shells. Not too far if a walk from parking lot…read more Beautiful view, white sand and shells. Bathrooms by parking lot. Always a great day there!

Beautiful. Just beautiful!!…read more Hubby and I spent a good day here on the beach walking and shelling. There were several people in the area, but not too crowded either. It was so beautiful here and everyone was so friendly. Very peaceful too!

What a beauty! This beach is divine and a hidden treasure in Southwest Florida! As a native…read moreFloridian, I'm mad I've been missing out all these years as this was my first visit. I've been driving farther south to experience a lot less. Sad. The views are picture perfect, the water is great, there's absolutely nowhere to park, but make it happen and prepare to get your entire life via beach day a la Captiva!

A true piece of heaven right here. We got there just in time to park and enjoy the beach. The water…read morewas simply beautiful. I only wish there were some sort of bathroom facilities besides port a John's.

A must visit each trip. We always looks around but don't always get in the water. Like everywhere…read morein Sanibel we have seen a variety of sealife, shells and cool birds. We have seen dolphins, manatees, Ray's, starfish, sand dollars, osprey, ect. There is usually an osprey atop of the lighthouse. The parking here is limited and pay by the hour. Right now it's 5 dollars an hour. Sometimes the current here is SUPER strong. Usually it's fine.. the tide was up. Bathroom archive and free.

Lighthouse Beach & Fishing Pier was a bit of a let down. The lighthouse is a skinny metal tower…read more It barely passed for what could be called a lighthouse. I'm from New England and I was expecting more than that. The parking was far away from the pier and it was something like $6.00 per hour. We ended up moving on to another beach that seemed to be better. In the future, If I venture out to Sanibel while staying in Ft. Myers I will pass on this beach. The shells were much more plentiful at other beaches on the island and there are nicer spots in Lover's Cove.

We had an extra day while in Naples and made the journey to Sanibel Island - wow what an amazing…read moreplace. After a tour of the island we stopped briefly to dip our toes in the ocean one more time and I can't wait to come back to check our more of this magical place!

Beautiful park where you can relax and enjoy the Florida sun…read moreLots of space so you don't feel crowded beautiful view Comfortable place to hangout I've been told this is a good place to fish too Nice to picnic The water is warmer here than the other beaches. Shallow enough to wade in the water Worth a stop to take in a big breath of fresh air