Solo on Sanibel Island – Day 1

“Head to Jerry’s and in aisle six you’ll find the repellent.”

The front desk clerk of the Holiday Inn Beach Resort, Sanibel Island, Fla., did precede this with, “Welcome” but followed the salutation with, “You’re from Florida, you know about no-see-ums.”

Um, yes, I live in Florida but didn’t think I needed to worry about biting insects once I left the Everglades almost a decade ago.

I checked in around 6:45 p.m. just as the sun was setting and the mosquitoes and no-see-ums (tiny beasts related the gnat and carry an itchy bite) were ready to feast. The hotel map showing where my room was located had a Sanibel Island map on the back and the front desk clerk wrote out directions to Jerry’s and gave me an FAQ sheet about mosquitoes and no-see-ums. (Bottom line, pest control is kept to a minimum for the environmental protection of Sanibel Island.)

Sunset on Sanibel Island, Florida
Sunset on Sanibel Island, Florida

Before heading to Jerry’s, a local grocery store, I unloaded the car and luckily found my Everglades repellent with 22% DEET which meant, no trip to Jerry’s (at least not that night). After a spray down it was off to the beach to do what every other tourist was doing: watching the sunset, engaging in the Sanibel Stoop (the act of gathering shells in a bent over position) and swatting bugs.

Dinner followed at the Mermaid Restaurant & Bar (Tel: 239/472-1242, 2055 Periwinkle Way; formerly the Mermaid’s Kitchen & Cake Factory) and driving in what seemed like congested traffic along Periwinkle Way, I questioned my choice of Sanibel Island for a quick getaway to decompress. My doubts diminished upon arriving at the Mermaid and being the solo diner, at least for the first half-hour or so. While I felt bad for the restaurant since empty seats anywhere isn’t a good thing, I reveled at being the only patron and the serenity.

Mermaid Restaurant & Bar, Sanibel Island, Florida
Mermaid Restaurant & Bar, Sanibel Island, Florida

From that point, I did my best to disconnect from the world – poor Internet service helped with that – and tried to decompress, which completely happen on the third and final day, but that’s for another time.

Sanibel Island Things To Do

Advertisements

Jenn

Jennifer A. Huber is an award-winning travel and outdoor blogger and writer in Southwest Florida. Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., a hiking trail led her to a career path in the tourism industry for more than 30 years. She spent a decade with a park management company in Yellowstone, Death Valley, and Everglades National Parks. She founded the travel blog, SoloTravelGirl.com with the goal of inspiring others to travel alone, not lonely. The unexpected death of her former husband in 2008 reminded her how short life is. His passing was a catalyst for sharing her experiences with the goal of inspiring and empowering others to travel solo. Jennifer holds a Travel Marketing Professional certification from the Southeast Tourism Society, is a certified food judge, member of the NASA Social community, and alum of the FBI Citizens Academy. When not traveling, she is either in the kitchen, practicing her photography skills, or road tripping with her dog, Radcliff.

Stars at the Frankfurt, Germany, Christmas Market, Dec. 2015
Featured Solo with Others

The Best Way to Experience Germany’s Christmas Markets

Psst. Want to know a secret to the best way to experience Germany’s Christmas markets? I’ll tell ya. It’s a cruise with Viking River Cruises.

Continue Reading
Rose in the Mist at the 9/11 Memorial, New York City, N.Y., Feb. 2016
Inspiration Life Lessons Politics Solo with Others

I Visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York and This Happened

I didn’t know her but unknowingly standing in front of her name etched in bronze, I was heavy with sadness. Blinking away tears and trying to hide them from my friend, I looked for distractions while he photographed the scenery.

Continue Reading
Amulets Made by the Tai Dam People in the Loei Province of Thailand, March 2015.
Featured Solo with Others

Travel to Thailand: Dancing with the Tai Dam People

During my March visit to Thailand, I tossed aside my inhibitions and danced with the Tai Dam people in Ban Na Pa Nat of the Chiang Khan district in the Loei Province. And yes, I did it without the assistance of good libations.

Continue Reading