Lighthouse Beach | Sanibel Island

I'm home! 13 nights in three different beds will make your own feel like heaven. It is nice to be back in Boston but man does work sound like a horrible idea. 

Disney was a blast! A complete whirlwind, a little colder temperatures than expected, but a blast none the less. I hadn't been to Disney World since I was 16. (Ten years!) Just long enough where you realize it's time to return to one of the happiest places on earth. But until those recaps, moments on Sanibel Island I must share.....
A beach walk with Adam to the Sanibel Lighthouse. Since 1950 the U.S. Coast Guard property at the Sanibel Lighthouse has actually been a wildlife refuge.
There is Fort Myers in view across the southernmost tip of Sanibel where San Carlos Bay meets The Gulf of Mexico.
Sanibel and Captiva Islands (Captiva is just north of Sanibel) are ranked among the top in the world for shelling, so I was all about collecting treasures. The position of Sanibel Island physically acts like a shovel scooping up all the seashells from the Gulf!The infamous act of shelling here is known as the "Sanibel Stoop". (You see people hunched over along the shores looking for these precious gems.)Check out my loot!
I think the bottom right shell looks like it has a palm tree sculpted into it.The sun at our backs, above. Walking into the sun, below.
Another fun activity to partake in while vacationing in Sanibel is bike riding! We ventured out one morning after mimosas and bagels by the pool. (Another little perk of this condo company!) We looped around Causeway Road and under the bridge.We ventured down Periwinkle Way as far as our hungover legs would peddle us in the hot sun. We stopped to hike a trail through the Periwinkle Nature Preserve where I saw some neat looking plants and flowers. 
The morning of our last day we took yet another walk on the beach. It was super windy and temperatures dropped significantly from the perfect 80 degrees and sunny experienced throughout the week. Exploring the beach never gets old, no matter the weather.
Treasures washed up on shore included a Grouper Fish and a neat looking crab shell. We frolicked among the trees and funky looking driftwood. As we walked home the sun came out and the temps rose.We spent our last afternoon swimming and sunning at the pool, as well as playing shuffleboard and tennis! (With drinks in hand.) I wish we never had to leave. Sanibel Island is pure h e a v e n!