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Sanibel Island location and overview
Sanibel Island is a barrier island off Southwest Florida, just west of Fort Myers. The City of Sanibel covers about 16 square miles, and the island is known for its shell-rich beaches and conservation-focused development.
Roughly 70% of Sanibel is protected as conservation land, and the island is widely described as having no stoplights. Local planning also limits building height—commonly summarized as keeping structures to about three stories.
Sanibel is often called the “Seashell Capital of the World,” with 400+ types of seashells reported along its shores—helped by the island’s east–west orientation, which brings shells onto the beaches.
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Sanibel Island shelling draws global visitors
Sanibel is famous for shelling in part because of its east–west orientation, which is widely credited with bringing large numbers of shells onto its beaches…