Everyone knows we have 22-miles of paved bike trails on Sanibel Island, or at least now they do! It’s a popular island attraction actually. You’ve probably seen folks coming over the Causeway, unloading their bikes in the Chamber parking lot, pull out their Sanibel bike map, and peddling on down the path.
Really the path is titled “shared use” so, it welcomes walkers, joggers, roller-bladers, and bikers all the same. Seriously, I’ve seen a roller-blader once or twice and she looked like she was having a blast!
Is there a Sanibel bike map?
The Sanibel Bicycle Club has this very nice map of where the shared use path wraps around the island. Most are asphalt paved paths, some are compact dirt. The blue dotted line represented the shared use path, and the black lines are the main roads.
Billy’s Bike Rental shares this printable Sanibel bike map on their website as well. Click here to see Billy’s Sanibel Bike Map.
Don’t own a bike?
No worries, there are places to rent one on island such as Billy’s Bike Rentals, or Finnimore’s. Some condos have their own bikes to rent, and some vacation rental homes come with a few bikes as well.
Where do WE like to bike?
Good question! Once in a while, Jim and I will get a wild hair and bike all the way from our neighborhood on the east end of the island, down Periwinkle, and continue on down Sanibel Captiva Road to Ding Darling. Yes, that’s a long trip for the occasional biker! Your legs will agree.
But there are always new sights to take in, even for long-time island residents like us. There is lots to look at (and keep an eye out for) while biking along Periwinkle. Whereas, San-Cap Road and Ding Darling are more peaceful and scenic rides. Jim usually brings his camera to take photos of wildlife while in the refuge.
Our family likes to get out and about as well. The kids take their bikes over to their friend’s house, or sometimes they come to the office to get ice cream money. It’s nice to not have to worry about their safety, though we have taught them to be aware of their surroundings of course, especially during peak season when traffic is at a higher volume.
Bike Safety On Sanibel
The City of Sanibel has done its part in trying to educate bikers and drivers about biking best practices as well. Have you seen their biker safety video? It’s comical and educational all in one!
We hope this has encouraged you to explore the island via bike! Grab a Sanibel bike map, and go at your own pace. There’s a great mixture of bikers on the paths, and all are very accommodating to the varying speed and abilities of others. So saddle up, and enjoy!
