Stop and Shop at the Sanibel Public Library
July 28, 2009
The Sanibel Public Library is holding a book sale in the lobby. The sale which started on May 13th and will run until the books are gone. All books are priced at $1a bag. This is a great opportunity to shop for your summer reading materials. All proceeds from the book sale will be placed in the Sanibel Public Library Foundation, Inc. toward the support of Library activities. You can contribute to the Foundation by mailing your donation to the Sanibel Public Library Foundation, Inc. at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.
All Dates for this event:
June 28, 2009
June 29, 2009
June 30, 2009
July 1, 2009
July 2, 2009
July 3, 2009
July 4, 2009
July 5, 2009
July 6, 2009
July 7, 2009
July 8, 2009
July 9, 2009
July 10, 2009
July 11, 2009
July 12, 2009
July 13, 2009
July 14, 2009
July 15, 2009
July 16, 2009
July 17, 2009
July 18, 2009
July 19, 2009
July 20, 2009
July 21, 2009
July 22, 2009
July 23, 2009
July 24, 2009
July 25, 2009
July 26, 2009
July 27, 2009
July 28, 2009
July 29, 2009
July 30, 2009
July 31, 2009
August 1, 2009

Activities for Children on Sanibel

Shelling is lots of fun for little ones - good idea to buy beach shoes and beach toys. You can visit She Sells Sea Shells and buy crafts - little mirrors, frames and jewelry boxes - glue the collected shells on and you have a very special souvenir.

Tarpon Bay Explorers has a nature and sealife cruise which includes Touch Tank Exploration. You can do the Touch Tank without the cruise - just call for a reservation. My Grandkids love it - ages 5, 6 and 3.
The Sealife & Nature Cruise, aboard a handicap-accessible pontoon boat, is the perfect way to see Tarpon Bay with no paddling required. Great for all ages to see and learn about the creatures that live above, at, and below the bay surface. You will observe the Rookery islands, home to pelicans, egrets, herons, ibis and cormorants - dolphins and manatees. They also offer a Tram Tour. www.tarponbayexplorers.com

Sanibel Thriller Adventures www.sanibelthriller.com
Cruise the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Pine Island Sound - enjoy the wildlife such as dolphins, exotic birdlife and the historic Sanibel lighthouse.

Island Cinema - 239 472 1701 . First run movies. Matinees - call for show times.

Video Scene 239 472 1158
Full line of DVD - Large selection - located corner of Periwinkle and Tarpon Bay Road.

Sanibel Public Library
The atmosphere of the library's youth area is happy and relaxed with appropriately-sized furniture and book shelves, a special storybook doll house and even a row boat, the S.L.Readmore, to further stimulate a child's imagination. They have youth
Programs - call for days and time.
www.sanlib.org
770 Dunlop Road
239 472 2483

Sanibel has a beautiful new playground located on Periwinkle right across from the Bean. It has new canvas awnings installed over the equipment. It offers facilities and covered picnic tables.

Sanibel Fit 4 Life has a Pool with waterslide play area and water features. Daily and weekly passes available. www.mysanibel.com 239 472 0345

Biking is great - Billy's or Fennimore’s has all size bikes, trailers, trail a bike, scooters and joggers. Sanibel has 22 miles of paved bicycle paths.
www.billysrentals.com www.finnimores.com

Yolo Water sports offers Waverunner rentals, hobie sailboat, skate shop and beach toys.
www.yolo-jims.com 239 472 Yolo (9656)

Dolphin Cruises www.captivacruises.com or Crow www.crowclinic.org mentioned by others are great things to do with kids as well.

Ding Darling Education Center – free admission.

Kids’ hands-on activities www.dingdarlingsociety.org 239 472 1100

Sanibel Island Bookshop www.sanibelbookshop.com
Children’s room - best sellers, local section, greeting cards and gifts.

Services

Head to Toes by Tina located in the Village 239 395 2400 offers nice services for Mom. Manicure, Pedicure, facials – She is fantastic with kids – If you have a rain day or little girls have had too much sun take them to get nails done – Tina paints daisies and uses sparkly polish.

Dining

Most Restaurants do not take a reservation unless you have a large party but you
can phone in for “call ahead seating” about 30 minutes prior to your arrival. Your wait will not be as long.

Kid friendly Restaurants – (almost all) my fav’s are…

Doc Ford’s (good kid menu) try to sit near the big fish tank in the back. Keeps them busy until the food comes.
www.docfordssanibel.com

Biddles Bucket http://www.biddlesbucketsanibelisland.com/
only game room on Sanibel Island - Frog Terrarium

Cheeburger Cheeburger 239 472 6111 offers much more than Cheeseburgers!! They are now offering a great Lenten selection - they also have wraps, salads and chicken or fish sandwiches. Great deserts, shakes and malts.

Gramma Dot’s located on Sanibel Marina – Beautiful setting – kids menu www.sanibelmarina.com Screened in but not air conditioned

Island Pizza – eat in or take out. 239 472 1581

Island Cow www.sanibelislandcow.com
Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Can’t beat this menu. Fun place. frozen smoothies and Starbucks coffee!! Kids menu for 10 and younger - $5.99

Matzaluna – Italian www.prawbroker.com
wood fired pizza and classic Italian dishes - create you own pasta - pick any pasta and with any sauce - add meatballs or sausage. daily specials (fresh fish) while it lasts and Pizza of the Week.

Over Easy Café www.overeasycafesanibel.com
great kids selections. I love this place.
Open for breakfast, lunch dinner served seasonally – great fresh food – patio dining

And of Course - Pinocchio's for Ice cream. Famous flavors are Sanibel Krunch and Dirty Sand Dollar. open every day 11am to 9pm. Kids love this place. www.pinocchiosicecream.com

Sanibel Bean www.sanibelbean.com has a nice selection of Ice Cream or Lemonade - light lunch or Bagels and ,of course, awesome coffee for Mom and Dad.


Shopping

Toys Ahoy - Unique toy shop locate in Periwinkle Place - Small playground on location.

Jerry's of Sanibel www.jerrysfoods.com - more than a supermarket and restaurant - beautiful tropical garden which houses colorful tropical birds - great one stop shopping for all island vacation needs. many shops - beach supplies, toys and much more.

Mango Bay

Mango Bay is located on Periwinkle Way across from Jerry’s Grocery Store. It has everything you might need and not need – Beach equipment, bathing suits, t shirts, souvenirs and everything that says Sanibel or Captiva on it. Lots of little trinkets and toys for kids. Fun Shopping event.

Shell Museum to offer children’s program for resort-goers

Ahh, the great American family vacation. Sunscreen, beaches, lots of noise and a bit of controlled chaos. The summer months are for family fun. And, while summer vacations are mostly for the kids, it doesn't have to be all Walt Disney World and water park experiences. Take advantage of the Bailey-Matthews Museum's new resort program called "Children Play Parents May?" The program allows parents to spend up to two hours alone together while their children learn about mollusks in a fun environment, said Kathleen Hoover, the shell museum's public relations manager. "As an adult it's really nice to have some quiet time," Hoover said. But finding a resort that has activity programs for children is not an easy venture. Hoover said the program helps to alleviate guilt of leaving your child while you relax because kids are not just sitting in front of a TV by themselves and bored. "It's not a baby-sitting service," she said. "They will be busy while they're here." During the program, children - ages five to 12 - will play educational games, create shell crafts, do creative writing and read about mollusks. Diane Orvis Thomas, the museum's public programs specialist, runs the program. She explained that all games and activities - such as shell identification - will be geared toward different ages. Dru Anne Doyle, a manager at Ocean's Reach Condominiums Resort, said she plans on kicking off the program at the resort on Saturday, Aug. 1. "I think there's a benefit," said Doyle, who added that she likes the idea of an activity designed to teach children about the island's natural resources. "It gives them a chance to do a lot of hands-on learning." The cost is $15 per child. Classes will be held at the museum from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursday in July, August and September. Call a day ahead to make reservations. To register, call Diane Orvis Thomas at 395-2233 ext. 11 or e-mail her at dothomas@shellmuseum.org. Register by 3 p.m. on Monday for Tuesday sessions and by 3 p.m. on Wednesday for Thursday sessions.

Amy's boutique, 'a cute vintage shop,' finds success on Sanibel
Something Special is an eclectic gift and clothing boutique.
Amy's Something Special Boutique is located at 630 Tarpon Bay Road at Periwinkle Way, in the Olde Sanibel Shoppes on Sanibel Island. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Call 472-4421.
The boutique sells vintage and new items. We have vintage tablecloths and linens, teapots and things like that. We sell jewelry: handmade ceramic beads Kazuri from Africa, Lalamar jewelry from the Dominican Republic, hand-painted ladies watches, French perfume bottles, organic lotions, and a lot tropical jewelry in beautiful colors.
We also sell clothing; dresses for girls and women from Bali, little girl dresses from Hawaii and boys' toddler outfits. We also sell T-shirts made by local artist Nora Butler.
The felted purses are handmade on Sanibel. The colors are great. We sell tropical bedding as well as lots of pretty bedspreads, tropical rugs with pineapples and fish, ladies shoes and flip-flops.
What are your biggest sellers?
Right now a T-shirt by Know made of 70 percent bamboo. They have sayings like "happiness" and quotes by Anne Frank. Another shirt line with a "Save the Earth" sign is popular.
The "Save the Tatas" T-shirt for breast cancer awareness is one of our best sellers.
What is the best buy in your store?
The sea turtle purses that have a peace sign in the middle are a good deal. They are very well made and the price range is very good. They come in wallets, messenger bags and purses. They've been selling very well.
Who is your typical customer?
I don't have a typical customer. That's part of the reason we have so many different things. Our customers range from 3 to 80 years old. So we have a different selection for everyone. Hopefully everyone will walk out with something they like.
What is unique about your store?
The store is in a 100-year-old home. It has eclectic vintage lighting and accessories to keep in style with the building. It's not like your regular retail store. It's like being in someone's home.
What are you doing to survive the downturn in the economy?
This is very strange because I've just had my best season in five years, from January through May. I'm working it myself and my costs are lower.
I think if you pay attention to business and do your best ... it's worked for me. I do try to keep things at a reasonable cost and make an effort to find different things than what you see in every store.
What is the No. 1 thing you have learned about business?
Never take anything for granted.
How has technology changed the way you do business?
I don't use much technology at all. It's all word of mouth.
What plans do you have for expanding?
I'm just going to keep it as it is. I'm always changing the store around, but with the same merchandise.

UPDATE: DOT drops plan to alter toll



Late Wednesday afternoon, Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce President Ric Base sent out an e-mail proclaiming victory over the Lee County Department of Transportation's plan to eliminate the LeeWay toll discount program and increase the per-crossing fee for causeway users from $2 to $3.
And by early evening, that report was formally confirmed by Sanibel Mayor Mick Denham and Paul Wingard, deputy director of the DOT.
"Mr. Paul Wingard confirmed today that it is the intent of the Lee County DOT staff to drop the proposed toll modifications for the Sanibel Causeway," Base's e-mail, sent out at 3:22 p.m., said. "This is great news and our thanks to the Government Affairs Committee of the Chamber, the Chamber members, citizens of Sanibel and Captiva and the City Council and staff of Sanibel."
Reached at his Sanibel home a short time later, Lee County Commissioner Bob Janes seemed happy to hear the as-yet-unconfirmed news.
"I'm not at all surprised because I've been formally opposed to it all along," said Janes. "I think that (the DOT) were going to have a difficult time trying to get it through, especially in this economy when everybody's trying to cut expenses. This was not the right time to be doing that."
Earlier in the day, Wingard sent an e-mail to Denham, requesting the mayor call him to discuss "modifications" to the proposed toll plan.
"We are going to change the schedule and plan I gave you yesterday," Wingard wrote. "We are not going to go to M&P (Management and Planning) on Aug. 3. Instead we are going to go to the Board on Aug. 4 and propose that we drop the recommendation to change the toll structure. The Blue Sheet should be out this Friday. We have not yet alerted our Commissioners."
Word regarding the DOT's change of heart spread quickly across the islands on Wednesday afternoon.
"I think we won the battle," said Vice Mayor Kevin Ruane.

Sanibel Island, Florida

Sanibel Island is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers, in 2000 it had an estimated population of 6,064 people. [2] Located within Lee County, Sanibel is a barrier island – a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island.
The city of Sanibel incorporates the entire island, with most of the city proper at the east end of the island. The community of Santiva, a portmanteau of Sanibel and Captiva, is at the northwestern end of the island. After the Sanibel causeway was built to replace the ferry in May 1963, the residents fought back against overdevelopment by establishing the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 1974 helping to maintain a balance between development and preservation of the island's ecology. [6] A new, higher bridge without a bascule (drawbridge) having to open for tall boats and sailboats, was completed in late 2007.
Thanks in part to the new causeway, Sanibel is rapidly becoming a popular tourist destination known for its beaches, shelling, and wildlife refugees. More than half of the island is made up of wildlife refugees, the largest one is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Island also hosts the Sanibel Historical Village and a variety of other museums and theaters.

Sanibel Public Library

Find it all at the Sanibel Public Library. The latest in books, movies, magazines, and music. A state-of-the-art computer lab. A warm and inviting children’s room. A customer-focused staff ready to help. Stop in. Everyone is welcome.

Wireless Technology at the Library The Sanibel Public Library boasts a wireless network. Patrons can bring their personal laptops/notebooks and access the Internet through their wireless cards. Access is available throughout the entire building. In addition, a second high-speed Bonded T1 line (transmitting data at 3.0M bits of data per second) has been installed and is dedicated to both wireless communications and patron Internet stations.

http://www.sanlib.org/

Sanibel Island Beaches

Sanibel Island Beach Access Sanibel Island is known around the world for its premier shelling beaches. The island's geography and Gulf tidal currents result in great quantities of shells washing up on the fine white sand. Riding a bike or walking/running gives you access to Sanibel beaches that are difficult or impossible to reach by car. Parking around some access points is limited to cars with special permit tags -- indicated by "restricted car parking" in the list below -- but cyclists can find bike racks at all of these access points. Even at the general public beach parking lots, cars will pay a $2 hourly rate while cyclists park their bikes for free. The general public beach access points (those without restricted parking) all have restrooms and water. Click any listing below for more details. Page down for interactive map.

Captiva Island

Turner Beach / Blind Pass (Captiva)

Bowman's Beach

West Gulf Beach Access (restricted car parking)

Tarpon Bay Road Beach

Gulfside City Park

Fulgur Road (restricted car parking)

Donax (restricted car parking)

Nerita (restricted car parking)

Beach Drive (restricted car parking)

Sanibel Lighthouse