| Travel Guide |
Lighthouse Beach Park is located on the southern tip of Sanibel Island. This is a great family beach to visit with your Florida car rental because it has beautiful white sand and plenty of activities to keep you busy. This is a functioning lighthouse that has been in use for years. The beaches here are known internationally for their beauty and reputation for protecting the natural ecosystem that exists here.
Since Sanibel is a uniquely shaped barrier island (it runs east-west rather than north-south), the beaches are pristine and full of shells. When you visit with your Florida car rental you can collect some of these shells, as long as the animals inside are no longer living there (no collecting living shells). Among the shells that you may be taking home in your Florida car rental include conchs, whelks, sand dollars, and rare lettered olives.
Looking onto the water from the beach will give you a view of San Carlos Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and, at the horizon, some of the condos of Fort Myers Beach. The beach is wide, accommodating many people. The water is shallow and warm, but the current is sometimes strong. Keep an eye on people swimming and make sure kids have an adult with them if they are not strong swimmers. The area is popular with windsurfers because of the current.
Along the path to the lighthouse points of the shells and animals you are likely to encounter here. There is also a nature trail and a pier you can fish from. This will give you a nice break from the sun to cool off and learn a little more about the natural wonders of Sanibel. The nature trails will take you through the forest above the beach and will give you a close-up look at the lighthouse.
Lighthouse Beach Park is located at 1 Periwinkle Way in Sanibel. To get here with your Florida car rental you take the Causeway to the four-way stop and turn left onto Periwinkle Drive. Follow the road to the end of and look for signs for the beach. Parking here for your Florida car rental is $2 an hour, so make sure you have some cash with you. On weekends, holidays, and during the busy season the parking lot fills up quickly and getting there early (before 10:00 a.m.) is the only way to guarantee a parking spot. This is one of the most accessible beaches on the island since it is such a short drive from the Causeway.
A great way to get an overall feel for the island, why not try one of the cruises offered by Captiva Cruses. This will take you around the island for a lunch cruise to the neighboring islands of Cabbage Key and Useppa. There are also shelling cruises, dolphin watch cruises, and romantic sunset cruises. There are also chartered yachts available, so you can get your own private tour of the island from the sea.
If you choose to do nothing but lay on the beach with a good book to relax, just remember to bring plenty of sun block!
