Sanibel Island: Your Perfect Vacation
Horace Jurdon
After a lifetime spent dreaming of the perfect vacation, you've found the pristine spot: an intimate barrier island off the southwest coast of Florida, with white sand beaches studded with seashells, and a unique natural habitat rich in wildlife.
Your Sanibel Island vacation promises all of this, and so much more. Of course, you want everything to be perfect. The following tips will help you prepare for the things you need, and create the vacation you've always wanted:
What to Pack
Unlike many popular vacation spots, you don't need to pack three changes of clothing for each day, or bring along a ton of gear. Sanibel Island is a relaxing place, so make your personal comfort the first priority.
Good Quality Binoculars: No visitor to Sanibel Island should be without a good pair of quality binoculars. You'll want to be ready to get up close and personal with the shockingly abundant natural wildlife. Make sure your binoculars are handy while exploring the country and relaxing on the beach, so you won't miss out on the birds and animals that will most certainly cross your path. Nature lovers should take the time to visit Sanibel's sister island, Captiva, which is also blessed with exquisite natural wildlife.
What to Wear
You can't beat Sanibel Island for the perfectly relaxing vacation. The atmosphere on Sanibel is casual, with a relaxed dress code. Men can choose to wear jackets for elegant dinners, but none of the restaurants stipulate it. Pair a nice shirt with pants or shorts and you are ready to go. The key here is casual, not sloppy. Leave the big, messy tank tops in your hotel room, and stroll down Periwinkle Way or do your grocery shopping in your bathing suit. It's a casual look you're going for, not comical.
Keep Comfy in Cotton: Sanibel Island's climate is quite tropical, so be sure to dress accordingly. Leave your polyester at home and pack your comfy cotton shorts, pants, tops and dresses. Cotton is the best choice for staying cool and truly enjoying your Sanibel Island vacation.
Sunblock: The combination of sun and sand almost guarantees sunburn for exposed skin. Even on cloudy days, or under a sunshade, you must cover up with a good SPF sunscreen or sunblock. Long-sleeved shirts are also suggested for additional protection from the sun, particularly if you plan on taking a boat excursion. If you plan on visiting in autumn, you'll also want to pack a windbreaker or light sweater to cover up while at sea.
Accessories: Nothing fancy is required on Sanibel Island. Sandals are the footwear of choice for locals and visitors alike, and there are many shops that sell sandals and flip-flops. Be sure to pack a cap or visor to keep your head cool and help shield your eyes.
To protect your eyes, even more, be sure to pack a pair of polarized sunglasses. This simple accessory can make or break your Sanibel Island vacation. You don't want to risk missing anything by squinting against the sun, and there is so much to see. Every Sanibel activity, from water skiing and sightseeing to fishing and shelling, is much more fun when you can comfortably see. If you forget your shades at home, you can visit a local shop to pick up a pair.
Sanibel Shelling
Kids and adults alike list shelling as a favorite vacation activity on Sanibel Island. The gorgeous coastline is literally lined with seashells, but it's important to remember that the most beautiful shells don't always was up onto the sandy shore. Sometimes, you'll need to venture out into the knee-deep water during low tide to find real tropical treasures. Walk slowly and bring along a bag to gather your treasures.
Always remember the golden rule of shelling, and never take a living creature from the ocean. Live starfish, shells, sand dollars and sea urchins must be left in their natural habitat. On Sanibel Island, removing living sea creatures is illegal and guilty parties will be required to pay a hefty fine. Peek inside to be sure that the shells you pick up are empty before putting them into your treasure chest. Don't take too many shells. The growing tourism industry has resulted in rather barren beaches throughout the world.
With a little planning, light packing and virtually no effort, your Sanibel Island dream can come true. Just being there is enough to call it the vacation of your dreams.
Columnist Horace Jurdon enjoys writing articles for numerous popular Internet magazines, and you can see more of his work if you visit http://yuzie.com/ this site and http://rukar.com/ click here. Get your own completely http://www.uberarticles.com/?id=35153&b=79 unique content version of this article.
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