J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge - Wildlife Drive

The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located on Sanibel Island in Florida.  It is named  after the cartoonist Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling, who worked for Walt Disney during part of his career.   He was an avid conservationist and served as director of the US Biological Survey, the predecessor of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Wildlife Drive is a small part of the attractions at the Wildlife Refuge and, due to limited time, is what we choose to do during our visit to Sanibel.  The Drive is about 4 miles long and there are several hiking trails that can be accessed from the Drive.   Here is a link to the brochure you get when entering the Drive. Brochure

The drive costs $5.00 per car, $1.00 per bicyclists and $1.00 per pedestrian and is open every day of the year except Fridays.   There are areas we you can park your car and launch your kayak or paddle board.

We saw many kinds of seabirds and shorebirds.  

At one point there was a tower to climb to get a better view.

We even encountered some tiny reptiles on one of the trails that was entirely made up of boardwalk, so it was easily accessible.

What we enjoyed the most, however, were the jumping fish.  The scientific community is divided about why mullet jump out of the water - some jump to escape predators.  Others may jump during spawning season.  But it seems to me that these fellows were jumping because they enjoyed it!

We enjoyed our drive and all the things we saw.  Check it out next time you are on Sanibel Island.

Sanibel Gateway and Causeway

To escape the cold weather, DH and I recently traveled to the Fort Myers area.  We flew on JetBlue points (the only way to get to Florida!)  After much research and internal debate, I had booked the Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Myers Beach/Sanibel Gateway.  It turned out to be a great decision and we thoroughly enjoyed its central location and ease of access.  It is one of the top hotels in the Fort Myers Beach area and you can read more on TripAdvisor.

A lovely view of sunset from the pool deck.

There is a Walmart literally next door to the hotel and it is just a couple of miles down the road to Fort Myers Beach barrier island and a couple of miles from the Sanibel Outlets if you like to shop.

Another couple of miles past the outlets is the Sanibel Causeway, a manmade series of bridges and islands that connects the mainland to Sanibel Island.  The entire causeway is three miles long from end to end, and currently has a $6 toll in effect for island-bound vehicles only. The bridges are not individually named, and are simply referred to as bridges A, B, and C.  The second island has restroom facilities, as well.  There are countless places on the islands to pull off and wander along the water looking for the ever present shells of SW Florida.  You can face the open sea on the southeast sides or the quiet San Carlos Bay on the northwest sides of the islands

Between the sun, breezes, pelicans and passing boats, the Sanibel Causeway was our favorite part of the whole trip and we happily paid the toll just to hang out on these islands. 

Packing cubes make travel easy

It is easy to pack and stay organized with packing cubes. They are available in various sizes to accommodate different items. I use a small one for undergarments, one for sleepwear and a travel robe, as well as a larger one for shirts, pants and sweaters. If we are going to a warm weather destination, I use another for swimsuits and cover ups. We have several different brands including Amazon Basic, Eagle Creek, LL Bean and Ikea. The best ones are from Eagle Creek: they are very well made and durable.  

DH loves the Eagle Creek Pack It Garment Folder , Black, Medium He uses it to keep his dress and button-down shirts nice and tidy while traveling. Many of these (including this one) come with a folding board to make folding much easier. A folding board is a piece of plastic that matches the size of the garment folder. You fold your clothes around the board and then place the item in the garment folder and remove the board.  

For The Big Bank Theory fans, you may remember Sheldon using a fancy folding board in Episode1, Season 2.  This is where DH got the idea for a small, T-shirt size version.  

Here is the folding board DH uses to fit T-shirts into a medium packing cube that will fit into our carry-on.  Travel folding board  I'm sure you can make one for yourself out of heavy duty cardboard.

The beauty of these type of travel accessories is that if TSA searches your luggage, your items will remain relatively neat. And it will make their search easier if something was of interest on the X-ray – they can go directly to the area of concern. I also use a small packing bag for toiletries. So when I get to my destination, I can just place that bag in the bathroom and I'll have everything I need.

DH says:

maps.me

maps.me is a wonderful app that lets you download maps for your destination before you even leave home. Once downloaded onto your electronic device, you can use the maps even while in airplane mode! Yes, that's right. No using up your data while exploring a new place. And if your device has a built-in GPS receiver, your device will locate you on the map even without using data.  It's a miracle!  I couldn't recommend this more.

Yeah, that's right - IT IS FREE!

Check it out here and download it and the maps before your next trip.

It is currently available for all generations of Kindle Fire tablets, iPhones, iPads and Android devices running OS 4.0 and up.

DH says: Remember to download the maps for your destination when you are on WIFI.

Introduction

Hello!

Welcome to my blog.  I am Scrappy Cruiser.  I like to scrapbook and I like to cruise.  I plan to discuss all sorts of topics here, but always coming back to my love of travel planning.   As an enthusiastic traveler, my Bucket List is very long.  Except camping. I don't camp.  I like to say that "I camp at the Hyatt," although in fact I haven't stayed at a Hyatt in years.

I have wonderful family in Scotland and I am fortunate to visit there regularly, but not often enough.  You will see many Scotland related posts over time, some harkening back to the wonders of previous trips.

Every now and then my DH (Dear Husband) will chime in at the end of a post with his commentary.  Be sure to look out for it!

I hope you learn something new and get a few laughs along the way.

SC