112 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel

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Lighthouse Beach Park is only 32 acres, but it packs a big punch. It sits on the eastern end of Sanibel Island, named after the 120-year-old Point Ybel Light, It's one of the oldest lighthouses on Florida's Gulf Coast and remains operational under Coast Guard control. The park itself, managed by the city of Sanibel, is mostly beach and dune habitat but also includes marine hammock and mangrove forest within its confines. The beach itself isn't as wide as the beaches typically seen on Florida's east coast but all in all, the park is absolutely gorgeous.

The variety of habitat attracts a variety of wildlife, especially birds. We saw birds typically seen in wooded habitats, such as warblers, catbirds, red-bellied and pileated woodpeckers and a larger number of shorebirds, including willets, terns, egrets, gulls and more. One of the highlights of our visit: an absoluteley huge flock of white pelicans flying overhead. In the dunes, we saw a gopher tortoise scurring about.

Lighthouse Beach Park has trails that move through the site, restrooms, picnic benches, a fishing pier and plenty of parking. The parking, however, is expensive at $4 per hour. There are interpretive signs as well. Portions of the dunes on the southeast side of the beach are roped off to protect against pedestrians.