Origin
Sanibel, FL
Morning in Sanibel on Sunday
Local time
6:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sanibel, FL to Fort Myers, FL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
20.8 mi
33 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sanibel, FL
Arian Fernandez
Fort Myers, FL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Sanibel, FL to Fort Myers, FL is 20.8 miles and takes about 39 minutes via McGregor Boulevard and Sanibel Causeway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive connects two points within Florida, offering a straightforward transition between a coastal island and a mainland city. Expect a local driving experience with several turns, making it easy to navigate. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing ample time for exploration at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| McGregor Boulevard | 11.3 mi | 19m |
| Sanibel Causeway | 2.9 mi | 6m |
| Fowler Street | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Colonial Boulevard | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Hanson Street | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Periwinkle Way | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Causeway Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Buttonwood Lane | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
McGregor Boulevard
— 11.3 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sanibel, FL and Fort Myers, FL.
1
Start on this road
114 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Buttonwood Lane
0.1 mi
·
38 sec
·
Buttonwood Lane
3
Turn left onto Periwinkle Way
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Periwinkle Way
4
Turn slight right
239 ft
·
6 sec
5
Turn straight onto Causeway Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Causeway Road
6
Continue on Sanibel Causeway
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Sanibel Causeway
7
Continue on CR 867
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
McGregor Boulevard
8
Turn left onto CR 867
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
McGregor Boulevard
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto FL 867
6.6 mi
·
11 min
·
McGregor Boulevard
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right
219 ft
·
9 sec
11
Continue on Colonial Boulevard
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Colonial Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto Fowler Street
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Fowler Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto FL 739
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Hanson Street
14
Turn right onto Ironbridge Boulevard
327 ft
·
19 sec
·
Ironbridge Boulevard
15
Turn left
438 ft
·
32 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Buttonwood Lane
Turn right onto Buttonwood Lane
Navigation decision point
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
CR 867 / McGregor Boulevard
Turn left onto CR 867 / McGregor Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
9.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
FL 867 / McGregor Boulevard
Turn left onto FL 867 / McGregor Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
17.6 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Fowler Street
Turn left onto Fowler Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
20.7 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.31 one way
$6.62 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.40 | $3.60 | $7.20 |
| premium | $4.72 | $3.87 | $7.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.59 | $9.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.82 | $0.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Fort Myers, FL
Morning in Fort Myers on Sunday
Local time
6:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
39m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with 0% highway share. You'll experience a mix of road types, including the Sanibel Causeway and McGregor Boulevard. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.3 miles on McGregor Boulevard. The drive progresses through varied local environments, requiring attention to navigation and frequent adjustments.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on McGregor Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Buttonwood Lane.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 20.8 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Buttonwood Lane): Navigation decision point; at 6.5 miles (CR 867 / McGregor Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (FL 867 / McGregor Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Fort Myers, FL
Full guide →Fort Myers is a booming town with great weather, entertainment and a casual feel in Southwest Florida. It was the winter home of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, and it remains a popular spot for "snowbirds" from northern states.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 20.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on McGregor Boulevard. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Buttonwood Lane): Navigation decision point; at 6.5 miles (CR 867 / McGregor Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (FL 867 / McGregor Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Myers, FL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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