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The Perfect Beach is Within Driving Distance

 

A Guide for Driving to Sanibel Island

drive to sanibel

Sanibel Island is the perfect drive-to destination for people looking for a tropical, secluded beach vacation, without having to deal with the hassle of booking airline flights. Whether you rent a car or drive your own, most folks living in the Southeast, Midwest and Mid Atlantic United States can drive to Sanibel in one day. Sanibel is a small, quaint, island beach town, so we’re the perfect place for solo travelers, couples of all ages, and families too! Our open-air island is spread out with activities for everybody’s taste. From Tiki hut BBQ’s on the beach to romantic dining at five-star restaurants, we’ve got it all!

Traditions dining room

BEACH FRONT BBQ GRILLS & AWARD-WINNING CUISINE ON-SITE AT THE ISLAND INN

Drive distances and times to Island Inn Sanibel from around the country.

State City Dist. (mi) Drive Time (hrs)* Map
AL Birmingham 751.05 11.55 Map It!
AL Dothan 524.61 8.07 Map It!
AL Huntsville 784.86 12.07 Map It!
AL Montgomery 631.53 9.72 Map It!
AR Fayetteville 1305.15 20.08 Map It!
AR Jacksonville 1112.89 17.12 Map It!
AR Little Rock 1122.98 17.28 Map It!
AZ Phoenix 2304.16 35.45 Map It!
CO Boulder 2025.96 31.17 Map It!
CO Denver 2007.7 30.89 Map It!
CT Hartford 1392.33 21.42 Map It!
DC Washington 1051.55 16.18 Map It!
DE Newark 1148.08 17.66 Map It!
DE Wilmington 1160.33 17.85 Map It!
FL Gainesville 278.85 4.29 Map It!
FL Jacksonville 349.09 5.37 Map It!
FL Miami 167.67 2.58 Map It!
FL Orlando 185.34 2.85 Map It!
FL Tallahassee 423.2 6.51 Map It!
FL Tampa 156.79 2.41 Map It!
GA Atlanta 605.2 9.31 Map It!
GA August 601.38 9.25 Map It!
GA Macon 528.85 8.14 Map It!
GA Valdosta 380.14 5.85 Map It!
IA Des Moines 1506.29 23.17 Map It!
IL Chicago 1321.95 20.34 Map It!
IL Peoria 1294.97 19.92 Map It!
IL Springfield 1222.48 18.81 Map It!
IN Evansville 1001.51 15.41 Map It!
IN Fort Wayne 1259.13 19.37 Map It!
IN Indianapolis 1137.89 17.51 Map It!
KS Wichita 1562.7 24.04 Map It!
KY Bowling Green 914.92 14.08 Map It!
KY Lexington 986.78 15.18 Map It!
KY Louisville 1024.62 15.76 Map It!
LA Baton Rouge 863.26 13.28 Map It!
LA New Orleans 805.84 12.4 Map It!
LA Shrevesport 1070.77 16.47 Map It!
MA Boston 1491.24 22.94 Map It!
MD Annapolis 1086.11 16.71 Map It!
MD Baltimore 1089.77 16.77 Map It!
MI Ann Arbor 1313.78 20.21 Map It!
MI Detroit 1327.26 20.42 Map It!
MI Grand Rapids 1396.2 21.48 Map It!
MN Minneapolis 1731.9 26.64 Map It!
MO Colombia 1281.98 19.72 Map It!
MO Kansas City 1405.21 21.62 Map It!
MO Springfield 1269.71 19.53 Map It!
MO St. Louis 1158.51 17.82 Map It!
MS Hattiesburg 762.33 11.73 Map It!
MS Jackson 855.72 13.16 Map It!
NC Ashville 787.88 12.12 Map It!
NC Charlotte 729 11.22 Map It!
NC Fayetteville 738.93 11.37 Map It!
NC Raleigh 800.24 12.31 Map It!
NE Lincoln 1599.72 24.61 Map It!
NE Omaha 1589.29 24.45 Map It!
NH Manchester 1524.92 23.46 Map It!
NH Merrimack 1514.18 23.3 Map It!
NJ Newark 1269.46 19.53 Map It!
NM Santa Fe 1893.2 29.13 Map It!
NV Las Vegas 2475.1 38.08 Map It!
NY Albany 1416.58 21.79 Map It!
NY Binghampton 1346.81 20.72 Map It!
NY Buffalo 1383.19 21.28 Map It!
NY New York 1278.51 19.67 Map It!
NY Rochester 1428.27 21.97 Map It!
NY Syracuse 1417.04 21.8 Map It!
OH Cincinnati 1065.48 16.39 Map It!
OH Cleveland 1241.74 19.1 Map It!
OH Columbus 1172.06 18.03 Map It!
OK Oklahoma City 1451.87 22.34 Map It!
OK Tulsa 1387.65 21.35 Map It!
PA Philadelphia 1191.4 18.33 Map It!
PA Pittsburgh 1175.25 18.08 Map It!
RI Cranston 1454.37 22.37 Map It!
RI Providence 1457.08 22.42 Map It!
SC Charleston 584.35 8.99 Map It!
SC Columbia 639.41 9.84 Map It!
SC Florence 656.07 10.09 Map It!
SC Greenville 745.7 11.47 Map It!
SC Rapid City 2109.85 32.46 Map It!
TN Chattanoga 722.46 11.11 Map It!
TN Knoxville 818.44 12.59 Map It!
TN Memphis 995.04 15.31 Map It!
TN Nashville 853.01 13.12 Map It!
TX Austin 1293.31 19.9 Map It!
TX Dallas 1255.84 19.32 Map It!
TX Houston 1129.74 17.38 Map It!
TX San Antonio 1325.4 20.39 Map It!
UT Salt Lake City 2477.51 38.12 Map It!
VA Alexandria 1047.31 16.11 Map It!
VA Norfolk 958.69 14.75 Map It!
VA Richmond 944.58 14.53 Map It!
VA Springfield 1039.34 15.99 Map It!
WV Charleston 991.43 15.25 Map It!

Click here for driving directions from your current location.

direction to island inn

Distance from Island Inn at 500mi, 1000mi concentric rings.

Getting Into an Island State of Mind

• Throw your watch out the window (or tuck it far away) – you’re on island time! Speaking of island time, it’s 5 o’ clock somewhere! No matter what time you arrive, there’s a slew of places to stop in for a cold one!

• Listen to the sounds of Danny Morgan on your way down. He’s our local version of Jimmy Buffet!

• Surf the web for great activities to consider on Sanibel Island while visiting.  How about going on a dolphin watching excursion?  Or maybe ride your bikes over to the world-famous Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum to see their Giant Pacific Octopus and touch tanks?  Or maybe order an e-book from New York Times bestselling author and Sanibel Island resident Randy Wayne White. His non-fiction adventure tales center around the character of “Doc Ford”, a retired NSA Agent whose escapades take place on the beaches, bayous and wildlife preserves of Sanibel Island.

How to Tell That You’ve Arrived

Look! It’s a… DOLPHIN! As soon as you get through the Sanibel toll plaza, put the windows down and keep your eyes open for over 50 species of fish, 230 types of birds and 250 kinds of seashells. If you’re lucky, a pelican may escort you across the causeway islands, as they’re known to fly parallel to the cars that are crossing the causeway bridges while searching for their next meal.

pelican over water

Once on the Island, take a quick right-hand turn into the Sanibel Captiva Visitor Welcome Center for a plethora of information on all things Sanibel!

Features of Sanibel & the Island Inn:

Nature and Wildlife

Over two-thirds of the land area of Sanibel is permanently dedicated as a nature reserve. The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge covers more than 5,000-acres and is home to many species of birds, otters, alligators, armadillos, manatees, dolphins, gopher tortoises and other wildlife.

Shelling

The abundance and variety of shells have made Sanibel and Captiva Islands the “Shell Capital of the World”.  Visitors from around the world come here to go shelling.

Fishing

The warm waters of the Gulf combined with the pristine estuaries around Sanibel Island provide perfect habitat for over 50 species of fish including redfish, speckled trout, snook, tarpon and the almighty tarpon!

Beaches

With more than 15 miles of beautiful, unspoiled beaches, Sanibel and Captive Islands are one of the top beach vacation destinations in the world. TripAdvisor announced their Choice Best Beaches list, and both the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva were ranked in the top 10 beaches within the U.S. – with Sanibel ranked number five and Captiva ranked number eight.  Additionally, Sanibel was ranked 18th best beach in the entire world.

Dining

Internationally renowned chefs add their creative genius to the islands’ many restaurants, offering some of the most delightfully inventive cuisine to be found anywhere.

Shopping

With a broad array of locally owned retail businesses on the islands, we are sure to have what you need. Looking for a pharmacy, book store, new swim suit or sunglasses? Check out the Chambers’ online directory to find the retailer just for you.

Weather

Sanibel and Captiva winters are mild (average daytime temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s) and dry (it rains just enough to keep our islands lush). Summer temperatures, ranging from the high 80s to low 90s, are tempered by cooling sea breezes and brief afternoon showers.

Before you land at the Island Inn, stop by our favorite one-stop-shop for everything you’ll need to stock your in-room kitchens and beach bags at Bailey’s General Store. Or, order everything online from Bailey’s before you arrive, and it will be delivered and waiting for you in your cottage or suite!

baileys sanibel

Make sure to get some local, Florida orange juice from them too! They squeeze it on-site daily! Pro-Tip: Orange juice has many uses! Besides being a great way to start your day, it’s the perfect marinade for dinner dishes and the ideal accompaniment to a glass of champagne or even a margarita! Just ask our on-site, master mixologist, Carlo, when you stop into our award-winning restaurant, bar and lounge for your welcome cocktail upon arrival!

sanibel welcome cocktail for guests of island inn

Upon arrival at the Inn, it’s totally possible to ditch the car for the remainder of your vacation! Put those limbs to use and hop on a bicycle, kayak, paddle board or just take a leisurely stroll and soak up the sun’s rays and fresh air. Sanibel has 25 miles of bike paths & there are 15 miles of unspoiled beaches between us and our sister island, Captiva. Visit our front desk for pre-made itineraries of activities of all varieties!

190825 alexs birthday

Whatever you decide to do with us on your Sanibel vacation, we know you’ll enjoy your experience. Cherished Memories, Modern Comforts… Enjoy It All at the Island Inn!

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Visitor Reviews

5 star rating Tranquility I usually travel alone and I felt completely safe at the Island Inn. The inn is clean and well cared for, everything is in tip-top condition! In addition, the employees were all very kind. The free use of the umbrellas and beach chairs are the icing on the cake! Some other resorts on the island charge you $$ to sit under an umbrella.
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98331 6/11/2025
5 star rating A great place to stay! We just left this wonderful inn. The people were so kind and welcoming, the room (actually more of a condo) was beautiful and had everything we needed. The beach in front of the inn was beautiful and had better shells than most places on the island! The balcony, which was screened in, was beautiful, we ate breakfast there every day! There were chairs and umbrellas on the beach. You can’t beat the sunset as well. This was our first time back to Sanibel since the devastating hurricanes. There were plenty of restaurants open and lots of shops are coming back too. We’ll be back!
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bilingualteach 5/02/2025
5 star rating Return to Paradise We have stayed at the Island Inn many times. However, this was our first stay since the hurricanes hit Sanibel. The rooms in Matthews Lodge were just as great as ever. The beach had a great many more shells. The chairs and umbrellas made sitting on the beach very peaceful and enjoyable. The staff was as friendly and welcoming as ever. While so much has changed, we were glad to support the Island Inn and all the other familiar businesses on Sanibel. It is important to show your loyalty to such a wonderful place and the people who live and work there. We will be back again in the near future!
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D4593FJpatriciac 4/28/2025

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