Sanibel Island is one of the 100 islands off the Lee County Coast of Florida. Located near the city of Fort Myers (120 miles south of Tampa) it is accessed by a three-mile-long scenic drive across a causeway from the mainland. Sanibel is  known worldwide for it's shelling and the associated posture referred to as the"Sanibel Stoop." More than 400 varieties of shells decorate the beaches, particularly after an especially high or low tide.  For most visitors, however, shelling is a delightful excuse to enjoy hours of sun worshipping along some of the most beautiful shoreline in North America and to absorb the unspoiled island atmosphere the natives so effortlessly maintain. Sanibel Island is two-thirds nature preserve, providing visitors with an experience of Florida the way it used to be. Hundreds of species of birds, rare and colorful tropical flowers and trees, and an abundance of marine mammals and fish make our islands. Island resorts offer a wide variety of activities including golf, tennis, fishing, kayaking, nature walks and swimming. If you enjoy nature you will want to visit  the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. You can tour the refuge on foot, bike, car or tram on a five-mile scenic drive, or by canoe and kayak on the many water trails. Also in the area is the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Bonita Springs, that has two miles of boardwalk trails through the Bald Cypress forest,  Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve located in Fort Myers, and Manatee Park, where visitors can view the endangered West Indian manatee which increases in population during the winter months.
 

Other links:

• Official tourism site  http://leeislandcoast.com
• Southwest Florida International Airport http://www.swfia.com/
• Flight guide to SWFL Intl   http://www.innovata-llc.com/swfia/htmaprsw.asp