Sanibel & Captiva Islands Quick Trips

Get Rolling: Look, Ma – no hills! Well, unless you count a couple of the bridges crossing canals along Sanibel Island’s 23 miles of paved bike path. It connects to the four-mile Wildlife Drive at the J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, another popular cycling route.

Windsurfing the Sanibel Causeway: Big winds bring joy to windsurfers along the causeway spoil islands. For rentals and instructions, contact nearby Ace Performers (239-489-3513). For extremely extreme, ask about kite-boarding.

Follow Ancient Trails: Paddle your way from one end of the county to the other along the Great Calusa Blueway (239-461-7400), a marked and GPS-plotted Intracoastal Waterway trail named for a native tribe that covers 190 miles.

Captain Your Own Destiny: Or at least your own salty, exciting day riding the waves: Rent a powerboat from one of the local marinas. Explore secluded beaches, visit uninhabited islands and cast for your fantasy fish.

Hit the Deck and Learn: Tarpon Bay Explorers (239-472-8900), Sanibel Island, official tour concession for the J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, holds free themed deck talks Monday through Friday to educate about alligators, sea turtles, manatees and more.

Big on Culture: BIG ARTS (239-395-0900), Sanibel Island’s cultural heart, beats with an energetic schedule of entertainment, from high-brow musicians to film and kids’ programs. The center also has art galleries and offers lecture series and numerous workshops.

Be One with the Birds: A favorite resort for birds traveling the major “flyway" overhead, the J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge (239-472-1100), Sanibel Island, accommodates its guests – from bald eagles and roseate spoonbills to sanderlings and warblers – with pure wetlands and mangrove estuaries. American alligators, manatees, dolphin, raccoons, river otters and the rare bobcat also share the refuge.

Admire Showcase Shells: When it comes time to ID your beach finds and delve into the history – natural and social – of shells, the gallery-like Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum (239-395-2233, 888-679-6450), Sanibel Island, is just the spot.

Sip a Key Lime Martini: At Key Lime Bistro (239-395-4000), smack in the middle of “downtown” Captiva (if there is such a thing), people-watch, tap your foot to live jazz and relish fresh seafood. And don’t miss the Sunday Jazz Brunch.

Sleep in the Past: Cottages at historic Captiva Island Inn (239-395-0882), with such delightful names as Bird of Paradise and Orchid, hearken back to the 1950s with hand-carved molding and a storybook vibe.

Genuflect to the Past: Captiva Island’s seasonal nondenominational Chapel-By-The-Sea, once a one-room schoolhouse, is today a popular spot for weddings and seaside meditation. Island pioneers were laid to rest in its seaside cemetery.

Look for Fins and Snouts: Each day brings new surprises when you set sail on a nature cruise. Some tours cast seine nets to introduce visitors to tiny creatures from the sea. Others go in search of dolphin, manatees and birds where they live.

Root for the Under-Crab: Gentlecrabs, start your … um… claws? Every Monday and Thursday at 6 p.m., the Crow’s Nest Lounge at ‘Tween Waters Inn (239-472-5161) on Captiva Island hosts the zany NasCrab Races with fanfare and prizes.

Go Fly a Kite: The beaches along the Sanibel Causeway benefit from a stiff crosswind that makes them popular for windsurfing and kite-flying alike. On a good day, it’s fun to watch the action, or for even more fun, let your imagination (and kite) take flight.

Talk to the Animals: Tucked among the lush vegetation at Jerry’s Supermarket shopping plaza on Sanibel Island, tropical cage birds sing and talk to you. They’re at their chattiest in the evening.

Hear the Word: Call about weekly storytelling and reading sessions at the beautiful Sanibel Public Library (239-472-2483). While you’re there, get a visitor’s card and check out some beach reading.

Witness the End of an Era: Remnants of the early commercial fishing industry, historic stilted fish shacks strut the shallows around North Captiva. Once the homes for fishermen and their families, they survive as scenic reminders of the region’s rich fishing heritage.