1 / 10
Photo: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Captiva Island
Three hours south of Tampa is a captivating (pun intended) 10-square-mile area of Florida that's better known for shelling and colorful sunsets than throngs of tourists snapping selfies. Miles of pristine soft-sand beaches on Captiva Island make it a cinch to relax and gather seashells under swaying palm trees. Instead of crowded beaches and long theme park lines, visitors are treated to unspoiled natural beauty, due largely to a purposeful lack of development. Enrich your inner conchologist at the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum.