BeachesWith
Dixie Beach: artistic sand sculpture with shells and driftwood on beach5 photos
Photo: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)

Dixie Beach

Sanibel, Florida

Ocean beach in Sanibel, facing north, with parking and restaurants within walking distance.

  • Calm water 7.8
  • Shells
  • Pier
  • Restaurants and bars
  • HoursNot on file
  • Parking3 lots within 1,310 ft
  • DirectionsGoogle Maps
5.0/ 10Fair
How we score beaches
Calm water
7.8 of 10
Water
89 Ftoday
Sunset
7:38 pmover land
Parking
Mapped3 within 1,310 ft
Rip risk
Lowtoday
Families
Fair
83of 100

Today, Thursday, Sep 10

Good beach day

Calm water · very warm water · light wind. Watch: 29% rain chance.

78 Fovercast
High
90 F
Sea temperature
89 F
Waves
0.4 ftup to 0.7 ft
Wind
8 mphup to 12 mph
Rain chance
29%
UV index
7high
Sun
7:11 am to 7:38 pm
Surf zoneNWS Tampa Bay Ruskin forecast for Coastal Lee, issued 4:00 am EDT, Wed Sep 9
  • Rip current riskLowtoday
  • Surf1 ft or less
  • ThunderstormsModerate
  • Rip risk tonightLow
Tidesnext low at 6:38 am
  1. High12:59 am2.3 ft
  2. Low6:38 am1.4 ft
  3. High12:16 pm3.3 ft
  4. Low7:42 pm0.7 ft
  1. 8:00 am · best79 Fpartly cloudy, 2% rain, 9 mph
  2. 11:00 am87 Fclear, 5% rain, 9 mph
  3. 2:00 pm89 Fovercast, 12% rain, 6 mph
  4. 5:00 pm87 Fovercast, 20% rain, 12 mph

Forecast for Thursday, Sep 10, local time (GMT-4). Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, refreshed hourly. Sea temperature and waves are model values for the nearest offshore point. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS station Point Ybel, San Carlos Bay entrance (TEC4207), 0.8 mi from the beach, heights above MLLW. Rip current risk and surf from the National Weather Service Surf Zone Forecast for the zone; a low risk still means rip currents near piers, jetties, and inlets.The rating rule is on the methodology page. Planning a future date? See typical weather by month.

Great for

  • FamiliesFairCalm water 7.8, no bathrooms mapped
  • SwimmingVery goodWaves around 1.9 ft, sea 79 F on average
  • SunsetsLimitedsets over land
  • ConvenienceFair3 parking lots, 1 places to eat
  • Wildlife and beachcombingYesshells
How the Beach Score is calculated: 5.0 of 10

The score is the sum of the components below. Clear water counts only where a clarity source exists. Rankings never take revenue as an input.

ComponentPointsFact
Facilities1.8 of 3Within walking distance: parking, restaurants.
Calm water1.6 of 2Mean daily maximum wave 1.9 ft.
Warm water0.7 of 1Mean sea temperature 79 F.
Sunset over water0.0 of 1The shore faces away from the sunset all year.

Ranks #6 of 10 for shells in Florida, #37 of 67 for pier in Florida, #53 of 67 for restaurants and bars in Florida, #75 of 124 for parking in Florida, #79 of 168 for warm water in Florida. All beaches in Florida.

Verdicts on the cards come from the same facts. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026), Wikipedia (Sep 7, 2026). The formula is on the methodology page.

Aerial view of Dixie Beach in Sanibel, Florida, shoreline and surroundings, USDA NAIP imagery from May 2023
Dixie Beach: wooden pier and docks extending into calm blue water with boats
Dixie Beach: pier with mooring posts overlooking waterfront homes and palm trees

Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP 2023 via USGS National Map, public domain (source) · Photo: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source) · Photo: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)View all 5 photos

Amenities

  • Parking3 nearby
  • Free parkingNo
  • BathroomsNo
  • ShowersNo
  • Restaurants and bars1 nearby
  • Beachfront hotelsNo
  • Hotels nearbyNo
  • Beachfront campingNo
  • Camping nearbyNo
  • Pier8 nearby
  • BoardwalkNo

Water, sand, and nature

  • Calm water7.8 of 10
  • ShellsYes, The Gulf-side beaches of Sanibel and Captiva are known for their variety of seashells, including coquinas, scallops, whelks and sand dollars
  • Warm water7.1 of 10

Nearby means within walking distance of the beach centre (980 ft to 1,640 ft, by kind), from OpenStreetMap. Scores are 0 to 10. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026), Wikipedia (Sep 7, 2026); the method for each is on the methodology page.

Hours, fees, and rules

Hours and fees are not on file yet. No operator page found yet.

Address
Lighthouse Way, Sanibel, FL 03957

Address from OpenStreetMap (nearest road, approximate).

Sunset and sunrise

The shore faces north (350 degrees). The sun sets over land all year.

Computed from the OpenStreetMap coastline and the sunset azimuth for each month.

Planning a trip

Early October is usually hot, with very warm water and a higher chance of a rainy day.

Water
82 FVery warm
High
86 FHot
Rainy day
36%Rain is common
Waves
2.1 ftModerate

What to expect

  • Very warm swimming water, around 82 F
  • Moderate waves, around 2.1 ft
  • Rainy days are common in October (10 a month)
  • October is within Atlantic hurricane season, at its peak
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peak from mid-August to late October. Storm history near this beach

2 October storms within 62.1 mi since 1980, about one every 23 years, 1 at hurricane strength. Most recent in any month: Hurricane Ian, September 2022, 20.0 mi away. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks, counted at tropical storm strength or stronger. Season dates from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Dixie Beach through the year

Warm water
Low rain
Calm water

Darker is better: warmer water, fewer rainy days, calmer water. Monthly means, 2023-2025, from Open-Meteo. Values for a date blend the nearest two months; the bands and the rule are on the methodology page.

When to go

  • Best overallOctober to Novembermild water · fewer rainy days · calm water · warm days
  • Warmest waterJuly to August89 F average
  • DriestNovember to December4 to 5 rainy days a month
All monthly averages, 2023-2025Dixie Beach: sea and air temperature by monthMonthly mean sea surface temperature and daily maximum air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.5060708090100JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecSea temperature (F)Air, daily max
MonthSea tempAir maxRain daysWave height
Jan65 F (19 C)71 F (21 C)72.4 ft
Feb70 F (21 C)75 F (24 C)52.0 ft
Mar74 F (23 C)78 F (26 C)82.3 ft
Apr78 F (25 C)83 F (28 C)62.1 ft
May84 F (29 C)87 F (30 C)101.5 ft
Jun86 F (30 C)87 F (31 C)211.6 ft
Jul89 F (32 C)90 F (32 C)201.1 ft
Aug89 F (32 C)89 F (32 C)241.7 ft
Sep87 F (30 C)88 F (31 C)181.6 ft
Oct81 F (27 C)86 F (30 C)102.2 ft
Nov75 F (24 C)80 F (27 C)41.9 ft
Dec69 F (21 C)75 F (24 C)52.0 ft

Monthly means, 2023-2025. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com. Wave height is the mean of daily maximum significant wave height.

Explore Dixie Beach

Parking, food, stays, and facilities around the beach, mapped in OpenStreetMap within 0.7 mi.

All places near Dixie Beach as a list (12)

Nearest parking at the beach · Nearest food and drinks at the beach

Distances are straight-line to the nearest point of a 600 m stretch of shoreline around the beach's mapped point (OpenStreetMap maps this beach as a point); walking times assume 80 m a minute. Access points are where OpenStreetMap paths, steps, and boardwalks meet the beach. Coordinates 26.4526, -82.0295. Open this spot in OpenStreetMap or Google Maps. Missing or wrong? Fix it in OpenStreetMap and it appears here after the next weekly update.

Nearby beaches

Questions about Dixie Beach

Is there parking at Dixie Beach?

Yes. 3 mapped parking areas within 1,310 ft. Source: OpenStreetMap.

How warm is the water at Dixie Beach?

Sea surface temperature averages 89 F (32 C) in July and 65 F (19 C) in January. Source: Open-Meteo marine model, monthly means.

Is the water calm at Dixie Beach?

Calm water scores 7.8 of 10. Mean daily maximum wave height is 1.9 ft. Source: Open-Meteo marine model.

Can you see the sunset over the water at Dixie Beach?

No. The shore faces away from the sunset all year.

When is hurricane season at Dixie Beach?

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the peak from mid-August to late October, per the NOAA National Hurricane Center. Since 1980, 15 named storms passed within 62.1 mi of the beach, 5 at hurricane strength, most in August, September and October. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks.

Sources

  • © OpenStreetMap contributors (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 (data as of Sep 7, 2026)
  • Storm tracks from the NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 archive, public domain (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS station Point Ybel, San Carlos Bay entrance (TEC4207), public domain
  • Rip current risk, surf, and alerts from the National Weather Service TBW office for Coastal Lee (FLZ165), public domain

Licenses and refresh dates for every dataset are on the data page. Something wrong? Every beach page has a report button; corrections are logged with a date.

© OpenStreetMap contributors. Beach location, shoreline, and amenity positions are from OpenStreetMap under the ODbL. Data updated Sep 10, 2026.