Recommended Bikepaths
Paradise Pathways
By bike is the most intimate way to get to know Sanibel Island. (Captiva's narrow, twisty roads make biking risky.) Twenty-five miles of paved bike paths take you almost anywhere you want to go. They lead to shops, restaurants, points of interest, wildlife centers and beaches.Rabbit Road Trail
The Rabbit Road path runs behind some homes and along a canal. If you go early in the morning, you're likely to see plenty of the small gray marsh rabbits that give the road its name. Wading herons and alligator snouts are other common sightings along the quiet one mile stretch between West Gulf Drive and Sanibel-Captiva road. Near it's intersection with the Sanibel-Captiva path, you'll find a drinking fountain.Wildlife Drive
Paved with shell and hard-packed sand, this route is a bit rough, especially for skinny biked tires. It's a four mile loop around J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, ending three miles north of the starting point on Sanibel-Captiva Road. Along the way, you can stop and hike into the refuge on short trails or climb the bird observation tower. Avoid the road at sunset, when abundant car traffic will kick up dust. Bicyclists must pay $1.00 per person over the age of 16, (free for children 15 years and under), to enter the refuge Wildlife Drive.
Dixie Beach Road
This long, straight, easy stretch of 1.5 miles takes you from Periwinkle Way, near Heart of the Islands shopping center, to San Carlos Bay. Where the road meets the Bay, you can turn right and gaze at beautiful Bay front homes, or turn left and follow a contorted shell road to an undiscovered place where old island collides with new.
Middle Gulf Cemetery Route
East of Casa Ybel Road, the Middle Gulf Drive bike path leaves the roadside and takes you into the back woods. Here you'll find Sanibel's pioneer cemetery, which is not accessible by car. The path continues over the river and off-road to the beach at Gulfside Park.