Bowman's Beach

Southwest Gulf Coast

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Bowman's Beach is the quintessential Sanibel beach, a bright dollop of coast with soft white sand, supplied with a playground and excellent facilities. It’s remote in the sense that it rarely feels crowded, except perhaps at the height of tourist season. Alphabet cones, angel wings, lightning whelks and horse conch shells all glitter on the powder. Excellent views to the west make for magical sunsets.

'No nude sunbathing' signs are meant to dissuade scofflaws from doing just that at the distant west end.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Edison winter home at Edison Estate and Laboratory, Fort Myers, Florida, USA

    Edison & Ford Winter Estates

    20.7 MILES

    Florida's snowbirds can be easy to mock, but not this pair. Thomas Edison built his winter home in 1885 and lived in Florida seasonally until his death in…

  • Cayo Costa State Park on La Costa Island is lined with undisturbed, pristine white beaches.

    Cayo Costa State Park

    15.76 MILES

    Slim as a supermodel and as lovely, Cayo Costa Island is almost entirely preserved as a 2500-acre state park. While its pale, ash-colored sand may not be…

  • Stainless steel sculpture by artist Arik Levy titled RockGrowth 370, from 2017, in front of palm trees and main entrance to The Baker Museum, a modern art museum in Naples, Collier County, Florida, USA. The museum houses a diverse collection of art in a three-story, 30,000-square-foot facility. Permanent collections include American modernism, 20th-century Mexican art, sculpture and 3-dimensional art. The building, with its angled brick- and stone-toned fascia tiles, was designed by Florida architect Gene Aubry, who also designed the Hayes Hall building next to it.

    Baker Museum

    27.42 MILES

    The pride of Naples, this engaging, sophisticated art museum is part of the Artis–Naples campus, which includes the fabulous Philharmonic Center next door…

  • Row of lounge chairs on a scenic ocean beach, Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, Florida, USA - stock photo

    Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park

    23.66 MILES

    This lovely state park and beach extends for a mile from the mouth of the Cocohatchee River. It boasts gorgeous white sands, which are protected during…

  • Single manatee

    Lee County Manatee Park

    28.2 MILES

    December through March, manatees flock up the Orange River to this warm-water discharge canal from the nearby power plant. The waterway is now a protected…

  • Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

    Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

    21.57 MILES

    With more than 3500 acres of wetlands, this park is a great place to experience southwest Florida's flora and fauna. A 1.2-mile boardwalk trail is staffed…

  • Golisano Children's Museum of Naples

    Golisano Children's Museum of Naples

    28.23 MILES

    Designed by kids (and child psychologists) for kids, this interactive children's museum is devoted to learning through play. A trolley takes kids to…

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Nearby Southwest Gulf Coast attractions

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5. Lighthouse Beach

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6. Bowditch Point Park

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At the island's northernmost tip, Bowditch is a favorite with families and picnickers. The small parking lot ($2 per hour) fills up fast, so come early…

7. Fort Myers Beach

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8. Cayo Costa State Park

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Slim as a supermodel and as lovely, Cayo Costa Island is almost entirely preserved as a 2500-acre state park. While its pale, ash-colored sand may not be…