“Smell the sea, and feel the sky, let your soul and your spirit fly.” ~Van Morrison

Living a healthier life at the beach is calming and relaxing! Imagine listening to the ocean waves at night as you drift off to a restful night of sleep. Stow away all electronics an hour before bed as these can disrupt sleep patterns.

Living a healthier life at the beach is good for your body! Soak up nature’s vitamin D from the sun and skip the sunscreen for 20 minutes to allow absorption. Hydrate by starting your day with 15 ounces of water before consuming any coffee and food.

Living a healthier life at the beach is energizing! Imagine morning walks for an hour on the beach and a yoga exercise group. Enjoy watching the wildlife, tropical trees and flowers while outside breathing in the fresh ocean air.

Just wanted to share a few great places that we enjoyed and recommend in southwest Florida:

Naples Botanical Gardens was founded in 1993 by a visionary group of local plant enthusiasts. In 2000, the late Harvey Kapnick, Jr. donated $5 million for the purchase of 170 acres of open space 3 miles from downtown Naples. Today the gardens welcome thousands of visitors to experience themed gardens that represent the culture and flora of the tropics. We loved the Night Lights in the Garden holiday light show including entertainment and festive sweets and treats.

J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a 5200 acre refuge established in 1976 to protect one of the country’s largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystems on Sanibel Island. The refuge is known for its migratory bird population and supports environmental education and conservation efforts.

The Green Flash Restaurant was recommended to us for their crunchy grouper sandwich – it’s a MUST try! They are a few miles down the road from Sanibel Island. Located in Capitva Island on the waters of Roosevelt Channel overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, the tranquil waters of Pine Island Sound and the pristine beauty of Buck Key.

Pure Naples  we highly recommend reserving a cruise with them! We enjoyed dolphin watching, exploring the mangrove forest, tropical wildlife and seashells.  We went on a 3 hour cruise to the private island Keewaydin Island. We packed our lunch and enjoyed looking for seashells surrounded by gorgeous turquoise water and white sandy beaches.

Please share and add a comment below of your favorite places to visit and restaurants in southwest Florida. I’m planning on heading back there soon!

Such an amazing beach vacation with my sister Linda in Naples, Florida visiting our good friends for a few days. Then just a short drive over to our beachfront condo on Sanibel Island, Florida. And then finally back home just in time to celebrate the Christmas holidays with family and friends.

Photo credit: Me!

Cheers to a Healthy Life!

 

 

Click on my name above to visit my Meet Lou Ann page and subscribe to my monthly update over on the right side!

Let’s Connect:

Instagram: louanndonovan

Pinterest: louanndonovan

Twitter: @louanndonovan