Beaches

Best Bets for Beaches

"Local insight on great spots for shelling, swimming, sunsets and more."

Does a day at the beach mean flat-out sun-worshipping to you? Or do you prefer yours with a side of sunset, shells galore or a little recreation? It’s hard to narrow down the choices with so many beaches, so we’ve listed some favorites organized by what they’re best known for.

ROMANCE: Lovers Key State Park
With a name like Lovers Key, how can you go wrong? According to local legend, the name stems from its seclusion back in the 1900s, when it was accessible only by boat and determined romantics. Today it’s easier to reach, and its beachside wedding gazebo furthers its reputation for amore. You can still get away from the world if you visit the northernmost stretch between Fort Myers Beach’s Big Carlos Pass and the park’s main entrance.

NATURE: Lighthouse Park Beach
An important stop along the Great Florida Birding Trail, Lighthouse Park Beach at Sanibel Island’s southernmost tip provides a resting place for birds on the fly. It’s known for its migrating warblers and flycatchers.

Natural, Healthy Beaches

"Beaches here are renowned for being largely undisturbed by man, providing a welcoming environment for native flora and fauna."

The beaches along The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel have played host to conservationists throughout the ages. The area's first known inhabitants, the Calusa Indians, lived in harmony with the earth along the lacy coastline, taking their sustenance from the fruits of land and sea.

A History of Stewardship
In the early part of the last century, eco-minded folks took to the unspoiled landscape, and one person in particular, noted political cartoonist J.N. "Ding" Darling, spearheaded the effort by helping to create the wildlife sanctuary on Sanibel Island that bears his name.

These pioneers of preservation have an assist today from local and state governments, as well as a population that has taken stewardship of the area's natural assets. Unlike many beaches in Florida, most on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel are left ungroomed.

Natural Beaches Best
While some communities may like the "neat and tidy" beach look achieved by large machines that sift the sand, the folks here prefer a landscape as undisturbed by man as possible. It's the difference between preferring a wildflower meadow to a well-manicured lawn.

"It's been a discussion that's really been mostly at the city level," says Steve Boutelle, natural resources manager for Lee County. "Sanibel Island as a city has kind of led the way on this, and they've had a long-standing policy that they did not want to groom their beaches … they wanted to leave them in a more natural condition."

Wildlife Haven
Apart from aesthetics, there are more compelling reasons for this manner of beach management.

A wide variety of birds and other wildlife gather at the wrack lines, as the tide lines are known, to dine on the nutrient-rich algae, as well as on creatures slightly higher up the food chain that are drawn there. As a result, the islands are a favorite of naturalists and bird-watchers, who come to observe their favorite Southwest Florida fauna.

And, the scenic driftwood and fallen limbs that decorate the beaches here have a positive impact on the ecosystem. There's a sense that such debris helps anchor the sand and encourage sea oats growth, which in turn helps the development of the typical three- to four-foot dunes here. "Even those small features become important for sea turtle nesting," says Boutelle.

Overall, you'll find the beaches on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel attractive in their natural beauty, especially on the area’s nonbridged islands, including North Captiva and Cayo Costa.

Adds Boutelle, "Mother Nature does the management there."

Local Beach Facts & Information

"Wondering where to catch a trolley along Fort Myers Beach? Or where to park and how much it will cost? Check here for useful beach information. "

Tolls
There's a $6 toll to get onto Sanibel-Captiva and a $4 toll to get onto Gasparilla Island. A separate $2 toll grants you access to Gasparilla Island State Park.

Parking
On Sanibel, general parking is $2 an hour. Parking stickers are available; call 239-472-3111. In Captiva, both Turner Beach and the public access at the tip of the island are metered at $1 an hour or $5 a day. On Fort Myers Beach, parking is free at accesses and in the lot just before the bridge. Bonita's accesses No. 1 and No. 10 (along with Bonita Beach Park) are metered.

Trolley Service
A 50-cent trolley provides service to Bowditch Point Regional Park, Lynn Hall Memorial Park, Lovers Key/Carl E. Johnson State Recreation Area, Little Hickory Island Beach Park and Bonita Beach Park. From mid-December through Easter, trolleys run between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Other times of the year, they run between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Call LeeTran, 239-275-8726.

Pets
With the exception of Dog Beach, pets are not permitted on county-owned beaches, including the Sanibel Causeway and Captiva beaches. Pets are allowed on a six-foot-long, hand-held leash on Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach. Pets are also allowed in Lovers Key State Park, but not on the beach or in the water. Dog Beach, located just west of the New Pass Bridge in Bonita Springs (and not far from Lovers Key), offers free parking and an off-leash romp for your pet.

Alcohol
Alcohol is prohibited on Lee County-controlled beaches. It is allowed on Fort Myers Beach in front of bars and hotels that sell it. Be careful not to stray far from the hotel area with alcohol because law enforcement on Fort Myers Beach is stringent. Alcohol is allowed on Sanibel beaches at all hours during the summer and fall, but it is unlawful to have alcohol on the beaches from one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise between December 15 and May 15."