With a population of 6,469, Sanibel is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Sanibel has to offer.
If you’re looking for affordable options, Cielo (1244 Periwinkle Way) and Il Tesoro-Sanibel (751 Tarpon Bay Road) are great picks.
Although Sanibel doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to SW Florida Intl Airport (RSW), which is located 17 miles from Sanibel. Sarasota Bradenton Intl is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Sanibel departs from Chicago and takes around 2h 49m.
Another option to get to Sanibel is to pick up a car rental from Orlando, which is about 150 miles from Sanibel. You’ll find branches of Fox and Hertz, among others, in Orlando.
You can travel by bus to Sanibel using RedCoach or FlixBus. From Tampa, the bus ride to Sanibel takes 125 miles and will cost you around $46. From Fort Lauderdale, the ticket costs about $46 for a journey of 125 miles.
Renting a car in Sanibel costs $35 per day, on average, or $140 if you want to rent if for 4 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 25% cheaper than airport locations in Sanibel.
Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Sanibel (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99.