Mondays are for dreaming: Florida’s Gulf Coast

Sometimes I’m reminded that despite the fact that I’ve done a fair bit of traveling, what I don’t know about geography could fill a (very large) book. For example, if you asked me to tell you where Fort Myers or Sanibel Island, Florida are on a map, I would have pointed somewhere vaguely up near the Alabama border. In fact, however, they are both located on Florida’s southwest coast just a little bit north of Miami.

And here are a few more facts I wouldn’t have been able to share:

• Sanibel Island is one of the best places in the world to find seashells, with more than 300 species. There’s even a shell museum.
• It’s a tremendous area for wildlife watchers, with migratory birds, manatees, alligators, dolphins, snakes – and numerous parks, nature centers, and wildlife preserves to observe them in.
• Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had adjoining estates here where they spent winters working on inventions and swimming in one of the area’s first modern pools.

Sounds pretty dreamy doesn’t it? Happily, I’m going to experience all of this – and learn a lot more about the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel Island this week – because all four of us will be paying a visit courtesy of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. I’ll be sure to let you know exactly what we do and see but for right now I’m dreaming of finding perfect shells, of swimming in the warm Gulf waters, of seeing dolphins alligators and migratory birds, and of watching a gorgeous sunset or two. Now that’s a lovely geography lesson if I ever heard of one.

For a sneak peak at what Sanibel Island has to offer, please see what Gal on the Go at the Vacation Gals has to say about it.

What are you dreaming of this Monday? Please feel free to share your link below. Questions? See About Monday Dreaming.

Photo courtesy of nikoretro via Flickr.