sunshine island inn east gulf drive sanibel fl

The best season for shell collecting is winter, when the island gets hit by particularly well-positioned storms, or northwesters, that can leave beaches inundated with shells. Families on a budget should sample the excellent homemade soups and chowders ($4.75 and up) at the Sanibel Cafe (2007 Periwinkle Way), or splurge on the surf-and-turf for $13.įINDING SHELLS: Most locals agree that the best public beaches for shells are Lighthouse Beach, Blind Pass Beach and Bowman's Beach. Riviera (2761 West Gulf Dr.) dishes out Northern Italian and Mediterranean cuisine for about $13 per plate. WHERE TO EAT: For good seafood and duck, try Windows on the Water (1451 Middle Gulf Dr.), with entrees starting at $20. Even in the summer, the off-season, I called a month in advance and all the reasonably priced places were booked. Sunshine Island Inn (94, 642 East Gulf Dr.), a block off the beach, offers roomy family quarters for $139 per night in summer and an efficiency-like arrangement for the same price for winter. Try Gulf Breeze Cottages (94, 1081 Shell Basket Lane, for two-bedroom cottages on the beach beginning at $145 per night in summer and $255 in winter. WHERE TO STAY: Decent accommodations on the beach can be expensive: Paying less than $200 per night for a family stay on the water in the winter is close to impossible. From the Fort Myers airport, it's 45 minutes by rental car to the southern tip of Sanibel Island. GETTING THERE: US Airways, Continental and Delta are among the airlines that offer service to Fort Myers, Fla., from the Washington area spring rates start at about $200.

Sunshine island inn east gulf drive sanibel fl