The Sanibel Canals are located on the east end of Sanibel and offer some of SW Florida’s best boating neighborhoods. These canals offer quick access to the Gulf of Mexico and San Carlos Bay where you can enjoy fishing, watersports and world class sunsets. East of the four-way-stop consists of several neighborhoods with canal-front homes. These neighborhoods are Shell Harbor, Sanibel Estates, Eastwood Landing, Victoria Cove, and Anchors Aweigh. All canals are not created equal as some offer direct (no bridges), deep water access and others have both tidal and boat size limitations for accessing the open waters. Some of Sanibel’s canals are lined with seawalls and others feature mangroves on their shores.
The East end also is home to “Old Town” Sanibel which historically was the center of the island’s activity. Today it is a wonderful place to take a stroll to the beach, the lighthouse, restaurants, shops and inns. Another highlight is The Sanibel Marina which has boat slips and boat sales as well as Gramma Dot’s Seaside Saloon one of Sanibel’s few waterfront restaurants. The neighborhood of Shell Harbor was developed in the 1960’s by Michigan Home Company. These homes are very distinct in that they are ground-level homes constructed of cinder blocks and are all similar in design. They are easy to spot today because building codes prohibit constructing homes at ground level due to federal flood laws.
The communities of Sanibel Isles and Watershadows are also canal neighborhoods which offer direct access to the Gulf of Mexico. The homes in this area consist of sea-walled and mangrove lined canals. These quiet residential communities are located at the end of Dixie Beach Blvd and are very popular with boaters.