Hi there!
Okay, so there are many shelling beaches on Sanibel Island.
But I think you will not be disappointed if you make your own and only beach visit Bowmans Beach if shelling on Sanibel Island is your goal!
I went to almost all of the public Sanibel Island shelling beaches, and Bowmans Beach was the most memorable.
It felt like there were so many shells as you keep walking and walking along the shoreline!
Of course, *asterisk, your experience may vary!
Bowmans Beach was also the very first beach I went to on Sanibel Island, so it’s possible that the first impression I had just stuck!
In any case, Bowmans Beach is a very good beach for shelling on Sanibel Island.
And, you might even spot a sea turtle on Sanibel Island at Bowmans Beach!
Bowmans Beach shells
Yes, Bowmans Beach is good for shells!
There is shelling at Bowmans Beach, so you can make your time at Bowmans Beach all about shelling.
You can find so many seashells on the shores of Bowmans Beach.
👆 Sanibel Island beaches, including Bowmans Beach, are some of the best shelling beaches in Florida.
Sanibel Island shell identification guide
You have a chance to find lots of different types of shells at Bowmans Beach!
You may also be interested in visiting the National Shell Museum on Sanibel Island.
You can stop by the National Shell Museum on your way to Bowmans Beach!
According to Lee County, live shelling is not allowed on Sanibel Island. This means that you can’t take home anything you find that is alive. Otherwise, you can take home shells you find at Bowmans Beach and other Sanibel Island beaches.
Sanibel Island seaweed
You might also see seaweed washed up on the shore at Bowmans Beach with shells!
Seaweed and sea grass are considered to be an important part of the coastal ecosystem. If you see seaweed while shelling at Bowmans Beach, you can just consider it a part of your Sanibel Island experience!
Sanibel Island visitor center
Since shelling is your goal (and even if it’s not), be sure to stop by the Sanibel Island visitor center!
You’ll look for signs for the visitor center right after you get on Sanibel Island.
Most importantly, you can pick up a shell identification guide!
You can also pick up a map of the shelling beaches of Sanibel Island and Captiva Island.
Cost to go shelling at Bowmans Beach on Sanibel Island
In order to go shelling on Sanibel Island, you’ll need to drive across the Sanibel causeway bridge.
There is a toll for driving the bridge to Sanibel Island.
If you have a Lee County pass, a Florida SunPass, or any other kind of compatible pass, you can drive straight through and you will automatically be charged.
The cost of the Sanibel Island toll is $6 per car if you have a pass. If you don’t have a pass, it’s $9 per car. See current fees under Sanibel toll plaza.
There is also a Sanibel Island beach parking fee, and this includes at the Bowmans Beach parking lot.
It is an hourly fee, and you can expect to pay around $5 an hour for parking. See current fees.
So the starting cost to go shelling at Bowmans Beach is $11! ($6 toll + $5 for one hour)
But since you will probably be shelling at Bowmans Beach for more than an hour, it will likely cost you minimum $16 for the Sanibel toll and Sanibel Island beach parking.
👆 In 2022, the cost of Bowmans Beach parking was $5 per hour.
More for your Southwest Florida road trip and beyond
- What to pack for shelling in Florida
- Sanibel Island shelling
- More Sanibel shelling: Lighthouse Beach
- More Sanibel shelling: Blind Pass Beach
- More Sanibel shelling: Tarpon Bay Beach
- More Sanibel and Captiva shelling: Turner Beach
- Best shelling beaches in Florida
- Captiva Island beaches
- Marco Island shelling
- Honeymoon Island shelling
- Cayo Costa State Park shelling
- Lido Key shelling
- Siesta Key shelling
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
- Sanibel Island to Miami
- Sanibel Island to Key West
- Miami to Key West
- Tampa to Marco Island
- Best snorkeling in Florida
See below for pictures of shelling at Bowmans Beach!
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Side note!
Here's some info on Florida trip prep!
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
- Best beaches in Southwest Florida
- Best shelling in Florida
- Tampa to Miami
- Tamiami Trail alligators
I have a lot of 30-90 second Florida outdoor travel videos. A few of them might be on this page. If you can't see the video directly below, it might be because you have an ad blocker. Save the Southwest Florida video playlist to watch on youtube later!
Southwest Florida is where Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022 which resulted in historic destruction. If you are looking to help but not sure how, consider donating to the Florida State Parks Foundation: DONATE HERE. One of the notable Florida state parks in Southwest Florida is Cayo Costa State Park. Cayo Costa is mentioned as the first spot that the hurricane made landfall.
Are Florida state parks open after the hurricane? Check the Florida Park Service website for current closures. (There are many state parks that are closed.)
Are Florida national parks open after the hurricane? As of December 2022, the Miami side of Everglades National Park is open, while the Gulf side is closed. For current updates, see: What is closed in Everglades National Park?
Is Sanibel Island open after the hurricane? Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island were among the hardest hit by the hurricane. The Sanibel Island bridge that links the mainland to Sanibel Island and Captiva Island was destroyed during the hurricane. As of December 2022, Sanibel Island is not yet open to visitors. For current updates, see: What's open in the Fort Myers area? (scroll down to Sanibel Island)
Sanibel Island shells at Bowmans Beach
My Bowmans Beach shelling trip was in April 2022. Your experience may vary!
Bowmans Beach is on google maps, so you can use that to get you there. (map)
👆 Explore the Sanibel Island map of Bowmans Beach.
Once you get on Sanibel Island, it will be about a 20 minute drive to get to Bowmans Beach.
At the first main intersection you’ll see once you get on Sanibel Island, you will follow the sign towards Captiva Island. (The other direction is for Lighthouse Beach, another popular Sanibel Island beach.)
You’ll pass by the National Shell Museum if you want to make a stop there. (map)
Eventually, you will see a sign for Bowmans Beach, and you take follow that sign.
It’ll take you down another road, and then you will arrive at the Bowmans Beach parking lot!
The other nice thing about Bowmans Beach is that the parking lot is pretty big so you have a better chance of finding a parking spot.
Once you park, you’ll look for the payment station so that you can pay for parking.
Then, you can look for the path to the beach!
Near the parking lot is where you’ll find the bathroom and outdoor showers.
Now, one minor inconvenience about Bowmans Beach is that it does require a bit of a walk to get to.
It’s not that long of a walk, but it’s not like the beach is right at the parking lot.
Maybe you’ll walk 5 minutes or so to get to the beach.
And then you’ll arrive at Bowmans Beach!
And then you can start looking for shells at Bowmans Beach!
You can start your Bowmans Beach shelling walk in either direction!
I went to the right.
You can find shells scattered on Bowmans Beach.
You can find mounds of shells at Bowmans Beach along the water!
You can find shells in the water too, so you might want to wear water shoes when you go shelling!
More Sanibel Island shells at Bowmans Beach!
And that’s a bit about shelling at Bowmans Beach!
More for your Southwest Florida road trip and beyond:
- What to pack for shelling in Florida
- Best shelling beaches in Florida
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
HAPPY SHELLING AT BOWMANS BEACH ON SANIBEL ISLAND!
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Things to pack for your Florida vacation!
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Turkish towels are considered to be more absorbent and lightweight than your average beach towel. Be sure to check out turkish towels like these!The cheapo way to waterproof your phone
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- Why a personal swim buoy is an essential for ocean swimming
- What to pack for Florida beaches
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- What to pack for shelling in Florida
- What to pack for snorkeling in Florida