The sun beats down on my shoulders as I stroll casually down the waterline. Small, fragile, shells crunch beneath my feet, and grains of sand work themselves between my toes. I can hear birds calling, and children shouting and laughing. I pause to bend over and pick up a shell. All along the beach, shells are piled along the wrack line. Sanibel Island is one of my favorite places in the world, and the shells are part of the reason.

Sanibel is a gorgeous island off the coast of southwest Florida. The beach surrounds most of the island. The sand is white and scorching hot, teeming with various forms of ocean life, including shells and sponges. The whole island can be traversed on bike, and that is what I suggest if you visit. There are safe, well cared for bike paths around the whole island, and biking is often much faster and more efficient than sitting in traffic. It also is a great way to get some exercise and enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery of southern Florida!

When visiting Sanibel, my favorite activities are relaxing on the beach, making sandcastles, swimming out to the sandbar ,which is about 20 feet from the waterline at low tide, or searching for shells. Another place that you should visit is Pinocchio’s Italian Ice Cream. My favorite flavor is Wedding Bells. It tastes like almonds and cherries, and it is delicious. It’s perfect for a treat after a long day exploring the island!

On Sanibel, another magnificent attraction is J. N. ‘Ding” Darling’s nature preserve. It is a clean natural set of paths and roads that sends you through mangroves and beaches.  You can walk it or bike it, and you can often spot alligators, birds, and turtles. If you walk out on the wooden walkways, you can see mangroves, crabs scuttling through the trees, and green and brown anoles peeking from behind leaves.

Sanibel is a beautiful, clean, place to vacation, away from theme parks, loud music, and pollution. It is one of those places where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful weather, sparkling oceans, and calm lifestyle. I love it, and I hope I have inspired you to give it a try.

Alice Pittman is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program.

Photo courtesy and copyright Alice Pittman