Florida is the world’s top travel destination. Ask the 87 million tourists who visited The Sunshine State in 2011 big draws such as Disney World, Universal Studios, and the many, many beaches. With so many visitors and so much excitement surrounding different locations, it seems remiss that a small island off the coast could retain its quiet and relaxed origins.
Sanibel Island is a barrier island on Florida’s southern Gulf coast. It has a total area of 33 square miles, no traffic lights, and a strict building code that has rendered buildings over two stories tall prohibited. It feels, according to some, like a best-kept secret and its 6,000 year-round residents leave plenty of room on the 15 miles of white sand beaches.
How Sanibel Island got its name is unknown, with many stories abound. Possible attributions go to Juan Ponce de Leon who may have named it for Queen Isabella I of Castille or Roderigo Lopez for his lover that he left in Spain. There are tales of Black Caesar, a Haitian slave turned pirate, and the War of 1812.
Regardless of the origins of its name, Sanibel Island remains a strong attraction for many visitors to Florida who are wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of larger attractions like Disney World and Universal Studios. It’s specifically attractive for families who want a quiet beach experience who may want to take advantage of weekly condo rentals or vacation rentals.
Executives too may find the island’s quiet atmosphere to be attractive. Some statistics show that executives value vacations as necessary to keep top performance:
- 78% of executives consider vacations necessary to prevent burnout.
- 75% consider vacations necessary to improve personal job performance.
- 68% believe vacations improve creativity.
A sanibel island vacation rental comes in many different options for perspective visitors. Wi-Fi is generally available and at some locations dock space is available for visitors who have a boat. A sanibel island vacation rental can be a weekly rental or other time lengths.
Relaxation activities include searching for sea shells, which Sanibel Island is known for. More than 250 sea shells types have been identified on the island, making strolling for sea shells at dawn a favorite activity for those on the island. Another popular activity is island fishing. Boating is popular as well.
A sanibel island vacation rental or vacations in general seem to pay for themselves: 82% of affluent leisure travelers believe vacations to be very important for their well-being.