Active Pursuits

Beaches

Sanibel has four public beach-access areas with metered parking: the eastern point around Sanibel Lighthouse, which has a fishing pier; Gulfside City Park, at the end of Algiers Lane, off Casa Ybel Road; Tarpon Bay Road Beach, at the south end of Tarpon Bay Road; and Bowman's Beach, off Sanibel-Captiva Road. Turner Beach, at Blind Pass between Sanibel and Captiva, is highly popular at sunset because it faces due west; there's a small free parking lot on the Captiva side, but parking on the Sanibel side is limited to holders of local permits. All except Tarpon Bay Road Beach have restrooms. Be forewarned: Although nude bathing is illegal, the north end of Bowman's Beach often sees more than its share of bare straight and gay bodies.

Another popular beach on Captiva is at the end of Andy Rosse Lane in front of the Mucky Duck Restaurant. It's the one place here where you can rent motorized watersports equipment, but you'll have to use the Mucky Duck's restrooms if you need to go. There's limited free parking just north of here, at the end of Captiva Drive (go past the entrance to South Seas Resort to the end of the road).

Shelling

Sanibel and Captiva are famous for their seashells, and local residents and visitors alike can be seen in the "Sanibel stoop" or the "Captiva crouch" while searching for some 200 species. Only if you're a hard-core shell fanatic should you check out the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Rd. (tel. 888/679-6450 or 239/395-2233; www.shellmuseum.org), the only museum in the United States devoted solely to saltwater, freshwater, and land shells (yes, snails are included). The museum is a far cry from the tourist-trap shell factories you'll see throughout the state. Shells from as far away as South Africa surround a 6-foot globe in the middle of the main exhibit hall, thus showing their geographic origins. A spinning wheel-shaped case identifies shells likely to wash up on Sanibel. Other exhibits are devoted to shells in tribal art, fossil shells found in Florida, medicinal qualities of various mollusks, the endangered Florida tree snail, and "sailor's valentines" -- shell crafts made by natives of Barbados for sailors to bring home to their loved ones. The library attracts serious malacologists -- for the uninitiated, those who study mollusks -- and a shop has clever shell-themed gifts. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm; admission is $7 for adults and $4 for children 5 to 16.

The months from February to April, or after any storm, are prime times of the year to look for whelks, olives, scallops, sand dollars, conch, and many other varieties of shells. Low tide is the best time of day. The shells can be sharp, so wear Aqua Socks or old running shoes whenever you go walking on the beach.

Don't Take Live Shells -- Florida law prohibits taking live shells (those with living creatures inside them) from the beaches, and federal regulations prevent them from being removed from the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

Biking, Walking, Jogging & In-Line Skating

On Sanibel, paved bike paths run alongside most roads, including the length of Periwinkle Way and along Sanibel-Captiva Road to Blind Pass, making the island a paradise for cyclists, walkers, joggers, and in-line skaters. You can also walk or bike the 5-mile, one-way nature trail through the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. There are no bike paths on Captiva, where trees next to the narrow roads can make for dangerous riding.

The chamber of commerce's visitor center has bike maps, as do Sanibel's rental outlets: Finnimore's Cycle Shop, 2353 Periwinkle Way (tel. 239/472-5577); Billy's Rentals, 1470 Periwinkle Way (tel. 239/472-5248; www.sanibelsegway.com); and Tarpon Bay Explorers, at the north end of Tarpon Bay Road (tel. 239/472-8900). On Captiva, Jim's Bike & Scooter Rentals, on Andy Rosse Lane (tel. 239/472-1296), rents bikes and beach equipment. Bike rates range from about $10 to $16 for 4 hours to $15 to $25 a day for basic models. Both Finnimore's and Jim's also rent in-line skates. Billy's rents Segways and conducts Wildlife-Eco tours on Segways. Call tel. 239/472-3620 for pricing.

Boating & Fishing

On Sanibel, rental boats and charter-fishing excursions are available at the Boat House, at the Sanibel Marina, North Yachtsman Drive (tel. 239/472-2531), off Periwinkle Way east of Causeway Road. Tarpon Bay Explorers, at the north end of Tarpon Bay Road (tel. 239/472-8900), rents boats with electric trolling motors and tackle for fishing.

On Captiva, check with Sweet Water Rentals, at the 'Tween Waters Inn Marina (tel. 239/472-6336); Jensen's Twin Palms Marina (tel. 239/472-5800; www.jensen-captiva.com); and McCarthy's Marina (tel. 239/472-5200; www.mccarthysmarina.com), all on Captiva Road. Rental boats cost about $165 for a half-day, $280 for a full day.

Many charter-fishing captains have boats docked at these marinas. Half-day rates are about $300 for up to four people. The skippers leave free brochures at the chamber of commerce's visitor center, and they're also listed in the free tourist publications found there.

Don't Take the Bait: Fishing Dos and Don'ts -- If you plan on fishing, keep the following information in mind:

• Fees start at about $200 for a half-day (4-hr.) trip; 6-hour and 8-hour trips are also available.
• The guide will provide the boat, license, fishing gear, equipment, and bait.
• Many guides will clean and fillet the catches, and can recommend places that will mount the big ones.
• Licensed guides are required to know CPR and first aid, and are periodically retested.
• Virtually all guides have ship-to-shore radios on their boats in the event of an emergency.
• If a meal is planned at a restaurant after the trip, usually the client buys the guide's lunch.
• Clients usually tip guides after a successful fishing experience, ranging from $20 to $50 per trip.

Canoeing & Kayaking

Tarpon Bay Explorers (tel. 239/472-8900; www.tarponbayexplorers.com) has guided canoe and kayak trips in the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Do-it-yourselfers can rent canoes and kayaks here. They cost $20 for the first 2 hours, $10 for each additional hour. Captiva Kayak Co./WildSide Adventures, at McCarthy's Marina (tel. 877/395-2925 or 239/395-2925; www.captivakayaks.com), rents canoes and kayaks on Captiva for $15 per hour, $35 for a half-day, and $50 overnight, as does 'Tween Waters Inn Marina (tel. 239/472-5161; www.tween-waters.com) for $20 per 2 hours and $5 to $10 per additional hour.

Tarpon Bay Explorers also offer naturalist-led kayaking trips through the mangrove forest along the Commodore Creek water trail. Learn about the rich back-bay ecosystem and the wildlife that lives there. You'll be surrounded by red mangroves, wading birds, and more for $30 per adult and $20 per children (tel. 239/472-8900). Captiva Kayak Co./WildSide Adventures, based at McCarthy's Marina, on Captiva (tel. 877/395-2925 or 239/395-2925; www.captivakayaks.com), has day and night back-bay ecology trips for $35 for adults, $25 for teens, and $20 for children (add $10 to each price for night trips). The company will customize tours, including camping on Cayo Costa for advanced kayakers. Reservations are essential for all operators. Adventure in Paradise (tel. 239/472-9443; www.adventureinparadiseinc.com) offers eco-nature canoe and kayak tours through the wildlife-studded Engine Trail and Ibis Isle. Cost is $30 adults, $15 children.

Golf & Tennis

Golfers may view a gallery of wild animals while playing the 5,600-yard, par-70, 18-hole course at the Dunes Golf and Tennis Club, 949 Sandcastle Rd., Sanibel (tel. 239/472-2535; www.dunesgolfsanibel.com), whose back 9 runs across a wildlife preserve. Call a day in advance for seasonal greens fees and a tee time. The Dunes also has seven tennis courts.

You can also play 18 water-bordered holes at Beachview Golf Club, 1100 Par View Dr., Sanibel (tel. 239/472-2626).

The South Seas Island Resort, on Captiva, has tennis courts and a 9-hole golf course, but they're for guests only.

Sailing

If you want to learn how to sail or simply polish your skills, noted yachters Steve and Doris Colgate have a branch of their Offshore Sailing School at the South Seas Island Resort on Captiva (tel. 800/221-4326 or 239/454-1700; www.offshore-sailing.com). Clinics range from a half-day to a full week. Also ask about the popular women-only, father-son, and mother-daughter programs.

Also based on Captiva are two sailboats that take guests out on the waters of Pine Island Sound: the 30-foot Adventure (tel. 239/472-5300; www.captivacruises.com), a sailing sloop carrying up to six guests, at $125 per hour with a 2-hour minimum; and the New Moon (tel. 239/395-1782; www.newmoonsailing.com), a 40-foot sloop carrying up to 40 passengers from the 'Tween Waters Marina, on 3-hour half-day and 7-hour full-day and sunset charters. Half-day and sunset trips for up to six people cost $385; full-day trips are $770. Reservations are required well in advance, but Captain Mick Gurley tells us "don't be afraid to try last minute."

Do-it-yourselfers can rent small sailboats from Captiva Kayak Co./WildSide Adventures, based at McCarthy's Marina (tel. 877/395-2925 or 239/395-2925; www.captivakayaks.com). Prices range from $25 to $35 an hour and $100 for a half-day, depending on the size of the craft.

Watersports

Sanibel may prohibit motorized watersports equipment on its beaches, but Captiva doesn't. Yolo Watersports (tel. 239/472-9656; www.yolo-jims.com) offers parasailing and WaveRunner rentals on the beach in front of the Mucky Duck Restaurant, at the Gulf end of Andy Rosse Lane.