4 Best Sights in The Lower Gulf Coast, Florida

Once called Captiva Beach, this park is acclaimed as one of the nation's most romantic beaches for its fabulous sunsets—the best view on Sanibel and Captiva. Shells stud the white, wide sands. The parking lot is filled with potholes and is small, so arrive early, watch where you're driving, and bring an umbrella if you need shade. The beach can get crowded, especially in the busy winter and spring seasons. Facilities are limited to portable restrooms and a volleyball net, but stores and restaurants are nearby. South Seas Island Resort lines the north end of the beach. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking.

Each year, this clinic cares for and rehabilitates more than 5,000 wildlife patients, from bald eagles to loggerhead sea turtles. The center offers a look inside the world of wildlife medicine through exhibits, videos, interactive displays, touch screens, and critter cams that feed live footage from four different animal spaces. Wildlife walks give a behind-the-scenes look and can be reserved for $25 per person. This is an excellent facility, but the displays may be too graphic for young visitors.

This beach is guarded by the frequently photographed Sanibel Lighthouse, built in 1884, before the island was settled. (Although it's not currently open to the public, there's talk of refurbishing the lighthouse so visitors can climb to the top.) The surrounding park curves around the island's eastern tip, so there's waterfront on both the Gulf and the bay, where a fishing pier draws avid anglers, and shaded nature trails connect the two shores. The park is listed on the Great Florida Birding Trail because of its fall and spring migration fallouts. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunrise; walking; windsurfing.

This is a prime sunset-watching spot on the southern point of Captiva. Strong currents through Blind Pass make swimming tricky but shelling amazing, and parking is limited. Surfers head here when winds whip up the waves. The beach is narrower than in other parts of the island. No buildings sit on the beach, but 'Tween Waters Resort is across the road to the north of the public access, and Castaways Beach & Bay Cottages is beachfront across the bridge on the Sanibel side of Blind Pass. Restaurants are nearby. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunsets; surfing; walking.