Walks on Sanibel

If you are going to walk around Sanibel at night, maybe it's best you carry a flashlight. We learned this lesson the hard way.

When we first bought our vacation rental condo on Sanibel Island, we would arrive late in the day very stiff and sore from travel to the Island.

Before unpacking, eating, or anything else, we would venture forth on the beach path and go for a long walk to work out the kinks.

We are accustomed to long walks, taking 5 to 6 mile jaunts almost every day at our home in New Jersey.

And walking on Sanibel is certainly less arduous given how flat the terrain is.

But walking in the pitch black is a different story altogether.

On one particular day of arrival, we began our walk on the beach at dusk, always a beautiful time and experience with the brilliance of the orange sky and setting sun. The breeze off the Gulf was perfect, reviving our spirits and reminding us again how fortunate we were to have found the island, and the perfect place to purchase a vacation home.

But after a mile or two on the sandy surface, we decided to head inland and that was the flaw in our strategy, having no idea where we were.

Because the Island does not allow street lights due to not wanting to confuse turtle hatchlings with diversionary light sources (hey guys, the sea is here not there!), the velvet blackness of the island at night is only interrupeted by the moon and the stars. None quite bright enough to be a guiding light.

So we walked and we walked, often in circles, past bayous and bays and with me holding my breath the whole way, convinced that we would encounter a sleeping alligator who would no doubt see me as a very convenient midnight snack.

Of course, there were no alligators around, probably all sound asleep dreaming of fresh fish for breakfast.

But the walk lasted 8 long miles and my fear of an alligator encounter was so severe that we arrived back at Blind Pass Condominiums with my body as rigid as it was at the start.


A hot bath and hot cup of tea and I was cured, but I did learn my lesson.

Put Romance in Your Life with A Sanibel Holiday

The sun,the water, the waves, the breezes. There is nothing like the beach to create the scene for love and romance.

And there are so many ways to fan the fire of romance on the Island of Sanibel. Despite the Island's draw for families looking for action and adventure, a couple seeking seclusion, quietude, sharing and the opportunity to focus on one another will not be disappointed.

Some condos and homes have been renovated and decorated with romance in mind. Our own condo in Blind Pass features a king sized bed in a romantic setting, a romantic shower for two in the master bath as well as a jetted tub for soaking and relaxing. In the dining area there are dimmer lights for a romantic meal by candlelight, and many DVD's and CD's with a romantic flavor that can be watched and listened to later in the night.

Beyond accommodations, there are boat trips that will enhance those moments of romance. There are sunset cruises complete with music and cocktails where you do have to share the experience with others. And there are charter boats where you can sail out on your own with an experienced captain.

The two of you can get a restful and relaxing massage together at the Sanibel Day Spa where there are several treatments and services tailored to the him in your couple. Get lathered up with delightful sensual fragrances and come home smelling like a rose. You can purchase a number of spa items to take back to your hotel room, condo or house rental or to bring back on your return home, a nice reminder of the romance you sought and found on your Sanibel vacation.

Sanibel has many romantic enhancements from bicycles built for two to romantic eateries like La Dolce Vita.

If you want an island where you can give your beloved the moon and the stars, just look up on almost any night and you will see them gleaming above the palm trees just ready for the giving.

Dining In? Sanibel Makes it as Easy as Pie

The greatest number of visitors to Sanibel choose self catering acccommodations. In fact, one of reasons that renters want a condo or house, rather than an inn or hotel room, is to have the ability to cook and eat in as desired.

Now, visitors to the island have it easier than ever.

Both of the larger grocery stores on Sanibel, Bailey's and Jerry's, have terrific inventories of all kinds of foods from basic staples to gourmet. And now they offer the added convenience of allowing you to call in your order or order on line. You can pick it up or have it delivered to your lodging. And they go beyond delivering. They will actually put away your groceries even before you arrive, so you can walk in the door and have your larder stocked. Would you like a cold beer after that hot climb up the stairs with all your luggage? It's right there in your own refrigerator!

As one would imagine, the delivery and put away services are at additional cost, but if you truly want a stress and responsibility free vacation, this is a great way to begin one.

Jerry's website has meal planning on the home page and Bailey's website offers a long list of gluten free and organic foods to be found in the store.

And your friends think you are roughing it by going to an island that's largely a nature preserve? Just wait til you tell them how pampered you were.

October is a GREAT MONTH to visit Sanibel

With a high of 86 degrees fahrenheit, a low of 68 degrees fahrenheit, rain fall at 2.9 inches and Gulf water temperatures at 80 degrees fahrenheit, October's "averages" may offer the optimum weather conditions for a Sanibel vacation. Every renter's dream, we think, is hot and sunny days, cooler nights, low humidity and a Gulf of Mexico warm enough for swimming, but yet refreshing.

Aside from weather, air and water temperatures specifically, October is a very restful time on the Island's calendar. There is usually a collective sigh of relief that the summer and tropical storms are just about gone, there are fewer people on the island and fewer cars. In short, it is generally the ideal time to see and enjoy Sanibel. And, there are deals to be had in the way of last minute discounts in October!

Of course, we can not predict the weather, but we can certainly look at the history of average temperatures for October, rainfall and ocean temperatures to make an intelligent guess.

For renters who have a week locked in for vacation because of school holidays, October may not be a possibility.

For snow birds who insist on being away from the cold of their home states, even cooler days on the Island will be a relief from winter time in Michigan, Minnesota and all the other climes where frigid conditions and lots of snow make the days less pleasant. October comes too soon to be of much help.

But for visitors who truly have a choice in when to vacation, they would do well to consider October's averages. If it's a vacation on Sanibel that is most important, to see, do and enjoy, then the 10th month of the year could be for you.