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Biking on Sanibel fun for
the entire family
 For one of the best
island tours, hop on a bicycle. Well-maintained bike paths cover 25 miles of
shopping districts and back roads, and they meander through friendly
neighborhoods, beneath shady tree canopies, across wooden bridges and along
quiet waterways.
Paradise Pathways
By bike is the most
intimate way to get to know Sanibel Island. (Captiva's narrow, twisty roads
make biking risky.) Twenty-five miles of paved bike paths take you almost
anywhere you want to go. They lead to shops, restaurants, points of
interest, wildlife centers and beaches.
Many island resorts, hotels
and motels have bicycles for guest use, plus there are public bike rental
facilities on both islands. (In addition to solo bikes, they rent helmets
and kiddy trailers.)
Follow these easy rules of
the road for maximum enjoyment:
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Use designated bike paths
where available.
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If you ride on a roadway:
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Bikes are not allowed on
the beach.
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Florida law requires that
bike riders under age 16 wear helmets.
Some suggested Bike Trips
Rabbit Road Trail.
The Rabbit Road bike path runs behind homes and along a canal. If you go
biking early in the morning, you're likely to see plenty of the small gray
marsh rabbits that give the road its name. Wading herons and alligator
snouts are other common sightings along the quiet one-mile stretch between
West Gulf Drive and Sanibel-Captiva Road. Near its intersection with the
Sanibel-Captiva Road path, you'll find a drinking fountain.
Wildlife Drive.
Paved with shell and hard-packed sand, this biking route is a bit rough,
especially for skinny tired bikes. It's a four mile loop around J.N. "Ding"
Darling National Wildlife Refuge, ending three miles north of the starting
point on Sanibel-Captiva Road. Along the way, you can stop and hike into the
refuge on short trails or climb the bird observation tower. Avoid the road
at sunset, when abundant car traffic will kick up dust.
Dixie Beach Road.
This long, straight, easy stretch of 1.5 miles takes you from Periwinkle
Way, near Heart of the Islands shopping center, to San Carlos Bay. Where the
road meets the bay, you can turn right and gaze at beautiful bayfront homes,
or turn left and follow a contorted shell road to an undiscovered place
where old island collides with new.
Middle Gulf Cemetery
Route. East of Casa Ybel Road, the Middle Gulf Drive bike path leaves
the roadside and takes you into backwoods. Here you'll find Sanibel's
pioneer cemetery, which is not accessible by car. The path continues over
the river and off-road to the beach at Gulfside Park.
Bailey Road-Dunes
Circle. Bailey Road leaves Periwinkle Way just west of the causeway and
leads to the bay. If you turn left on Sandcastle Road, you can circle around
the neighborhood of the Dunes and its lushly landscaped, lovely homes.
Continue along the 2.5 mile bike loop and you'll eventually pass the Dunes
Golf & Tennis Club and return to where you began. Across from the Dunes
exit, an evacuation trail takes a short cut to Sanibel-Captiva Islands
Chamber of Commerce and Causeway Road. For an add-on to this biking route,
look for a bike path across from the golf club entrance that will take you
to Bay Road and an exclusive waterfront neighborhood. |
