Beaches of Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island has long been thought of as the ultimate beach vacation spot in Florida. Tucked away in the Gulf of Mexico, Sanibel Island is known for it's shell covered beaches, and brings in seashell collectors year round. 

All the gorgeous beaches on Sanibel Island welcome your doggo to romp in the sand and surf with you, but always on leash. Restrooms are available at all these puptastic locations, save at Blind Pass Beach. While admission is free to the beaches themselves, parking costs $5 per hour. Fishing is a pupular activity on these beaches, just be sure you pick up a Saltwater Fishing License first, which is free to residents. Others flock to these beautiful beaches for the bird watching. 

Lighthouse Park Beach is the first beach off the road from the Causeway, and offers a historic lighthouse, fishing pier, and dog-friendly beach that's open 24 hours a day on the southern tip of Sanibel Island. The park offers picnic areas, nature trails, and outdoor showers for your convenience.

Gulf City Park is next up traveling west from the Lighthouse Park Beach, and is located in the middle of the Island on the southern border. Offering picnic areas, grills and outdoor showers, this beach is known to be more secluded than the Lighthouse. Also open 24 hours a day for beach fun anytime.

Tarpon Beach is further west, and features parking for oversized vehicles, pawfect if you are traveling by RV. Outdoor showers are at the beach entrance, and make it easy to get the sand off before hitting the parking lot. This beach is open from 6 AM to 6 PM.

Check out Bowman's Beach for a beautiful and secluded stretch of sand with hiking trails and plenty of amenities. Open from 7 AM to 7 PM, this beach features changing rooms, outdoor showers, picnic tables and grills, canoe and kayak launching, and even a public telephone. 

The Blind Pass Beach Park is located on the very west tip of Sanibel, and is actually on both sides of the bridge, making it a Sanibel and Captiva Island beach. Be aware that if you have your pup with you, you'll need to stay on the Sanibel side, as Captiva Island does not allow dogs on their beaches. More pupular with shellers and fishermen, this beach warns against swimming as the currents are swift. While open 24 hours a day, it doesn't have any amenities other than parking. Restrooms and outdoor showers are available on the Captiva side only. 

When packing for your beach adventure, be sure to bring any essentials to make your day puptasic. Always have enough water on hand to share with your pup, as well as clean-up bags, and pick up whatever your pup lays down.

For a truly memorable day with your doggo on some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, head to Sanibel Island!