EDITOR'S NOTE:The photos on this page and others in Lee County were taken before Hurricane Ian hit the Gulf Coast is 2022. As always in nature, landscapes can and do change over time.
Overview: Bowman's is fairly typical of the public beaches on Sanibel Island: a little more rugged and isolated than those found on Florida's east coast but still popular destinations for families, tourists, shell gatherers, fishermen — and birders. In fact, despite its relative remoteness, Bowman's Beach Park might be the most visited beach on Sanibel.
A mangrove-lined bayou known as Old Blindman's Pass separates the parking area from the beach, the two sides connected by a bridge. We found an osprey sitting in the trees and a manatee grazing peacefully in the water below. The walk from the parking lot to the beach is rather long, but the bridge serves as a feature point. There are typical beach front plants, including sea oats, sea lavender and dune sunflowers. The beach is about a mile (very roughly) from Sanibel Captiva Road, one of the major arteries on the island, and that makes Bowman's quiet, except for the wind and the sounds of people having a good time.
Our main purpose when we came to Sanibel was to explore the "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, but we didn't want to leave without visiting the island's fine beaches. We were not disappointed at Bowman's.
History: The history of Bowman's Beach Park is a bit lurid and patchy. As to lurid, once upon a time this was unofficially a "clothing optional" beach because of its relative remoteness, a practice no longer tolerated. A bit further back in time, B-17 crews used the beach to practice bombing runs during World War II. Bowman's Beach Park was owned and operated by Lee County, but in recent years, operations have been transferred to the city of Sanibel while Lee County maintains ownership. As to who is Bowman and why is this his or her beach, good questions. As we said the history is patchy.
What You'll See: Bowman's Beach attracts a variety of shore birds, including plovers, willets and sanderlings. Bowman's doesn't get the acclaim as a birding site that Lighthouse Beach Park does at the other end of Sanibel Island, but it's still quite good.
Amenities: There are some trails, picnic facilities, a launch for paddling, restrooms and drinking water. There's also plenty of parking.
Nearby: Most of Sanibel Island is conservation land, the largest portion of which is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Bailey Tract, which is a unit of the refuge, is at the end of Periwinkle Drive, Sanibel's main road. The island has sundry other beaches worth visiting, including Lighthouse Beach Park at the eastern end of the island
Of Note: Admission to Bowman's Beach Park is free but you do have to pay for parking, which, at the time of this writing (February 2025) was $5 per hour. Check the website above for any changes. The park is open dawn until dusk every day.
Cover Photo: A black-bellied plover in his winter look pauses while foraging along the beach.
Overview: Bowman's is fairly typical of the public beaches on Sanibel Island: a little more rugged and isolated than those found on Florida's east coast but still popular destinations for families, tourists, shell gatherers, fishermen — and birders. In fact, despite its relative remoteness, Bowman's Beach Park might be the most visited beach on Sanibel.
A mangrove-lined bayou known as Old Blindman's Pass separates the parking area from the beach, the two sides connected by a bridge. We found an osprey sitting in the trees and a manatee grazing peacefully in the water below. The walk from the parking lot to the beach is rather long, but the bridge serves as a feature point. There are typical beach front plants, including sea oats, sea lavender and dune sunflowers. The beach is about a mile (very roughly) from Sanibel Captiva Road, one of the major arteries on the island, and that makes Bowman's quiet, except for the wind and the sounds of people having a good time.
Our main purpose when we came to Sanibel was to explore the "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, but we didn't want to leave without visiting the island's fine beaches. We were not disappointed at Bowman's.
History: The history of Bowman's Beach Park is a bit lurid and patchy. As to lurid, once upon a time this was unofficially a "clothing optional" beach because of its relative remoteness, a practice no longer tolerated. A bit further back in time, B-17 crews used the beach to practice bombing runs during World War II. Bowman's Beach Park was owned and operated by Lee County, but in recent years, operations have been transferred to the city of Sanibel while Lee County maintains ownership. As to who is Bowman and why is this his or her beach, good questions. As we said the history is patchy.
What You'll See: Bowman's Beach attracts a variety of shore birds, including plovers, willets and sanderlings. Bowman's doesn't get the acclaim as a birding site that Lighthouse Beach Park does at the other end of Sanibel Island, but it's still quite good.
Amenities: There are some trails, picnic facilities, a launch for paddling, restrooms and drinking water. There's also plenty of parking.
Nearby: Most of Sanibel Island is conservation land, the largest portion of which is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Bailey Tract, which is a unit of the refuge, is at the end of Periwinkle Drive, Sanibel's main road. The island has sundry other beaches worth visiting, including Lighthouse Beach Park at the eastern end of the island
Of Note: Admission to Bowman's Beach Park is free but you do have to pay for parking, which, at the time of this writing (February 2025) was $5 per hour. Check the website above for any changes. The park is open dawn until dusk every day.
Cover Photo: A black-bellied plover in his winter look pauses while foraging along the beach.
