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‘Best Places to Travel in 2025’ include this SWFL town, says Travel + Leisure

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‘Best Places to Travel in 2025’ include this SWFL town, says Travel + Leisure

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“Paradise” and “tropical” are just a few of the terms people associate with Sanibel Island.

Add “resilient” to that list. Travel + Leisure magazine has named the Southwest Florida town ― which a Category 4 hurricane battered in September 2022 ― among its 50 Best Places to Travel in 2025. It was one of two Florida places named to the prestigious list.

Here’s what to know.

How Travel + Leisure found its ’50 Best Places’

In releasing the “50 Best Places,” the internationally known travel magazine said its editors found spots that provide “inspiration for curious travelers to dream about and plan for the year ahead. It includes destinations of all types ― cultural immersion, culinary experiences, big city thrills, beach vibes, moments on the water and more.”

The list “requires more than just a hotly anticipated opening or two. These are places that feel of the moment … a pulse-quickening hit of excitement, or the sort of blissful luxury only a true five-star property can deliver.“

“Each of these 50 noteworthy destinations may have their own distinct allure, but all are worthy of a closer look in the year ahead.” 

Travel + Leisure calls Sanibel a ‘remarkable comeback’

This past Sept. 28 marked the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Ian pummeling Southwest Florida, including Sanibel.

Travel + Leisure recognized the breezy Gulf island’s resilience. Cities were listed under various headings, with Sanibel listed first beneath “For Beach Vibes.”

“It’s been two years since this island, along with places including Captiva and Fort Myers, were devastated by Hurricane Ian,” wrote Travel + Leisure’s Jennifer Salerno Yong.

“Since then — and in spite of Hurricane Milton in 2024 — this Gulf Coast destination has made a remarkable comeback. Restaurants, shops, and attractions have reopened with new facades and shiny new interiors; hotels like Sanibel Island Beach Resort are welcoming guests, and others, like the condo rentals at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, are reopening in phases.”

Sanibel in 2023 also made Travel + Leisure list of the 15 best islands in the continental U.S. Sanibel was No. 6 and Captiva came in at No. 10.

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What other Florida destination made the list

Magazine editors chose Universal Orlando under “For Adventurous Travelers.”

“It’s been almost 25 years since a major theme park from Disney or Universal has opened in the United States, but that changes in 2025,” wrote Travel + Leisure’s Elizabeth Rhodes.

“Universal Orlando Resort’s massive expansion will add Universal Epic Universe, a state-of-the-art park with five new lands featuring classic monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein, Nintendo franchises like Mario, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and more innovative new experiences, from immersive dining to cutting-edge roller coasters.”

Other U.S., international spots on ’50 Best Places’ list

  • Detroit, Michigan
  • Portland, Oregon
  • Sacramento, California
  • Charleston, South Carolina
  • Colorado’s Western Slope
  • San Antonio, Texas
  • San Diego, California 
  • Apostle Islands, Wisconsin
  • Anchorage, Alaska
  • Deer Valley, Utah
  • Santa Monica, California
  • Thailand
  • Budapest, Hungary
  • Lisbon and the Algarve, Portugal
  • Nicaragua
  • Osaka, Japan
  • Slovenia
  • Barbados
  • Huaraz, Peru

What else did Travel + Leisure say about Sanibel

Salerno Yong also touched on Sanibel’s rebounding restaurants and natural habitats.

“Beloved spots such as Cheeburger Cheeburger, Doc Ford’s, and Tutti Pazzi are back online alongside new developments, like the island’s first sushi bar at Shima’s Japanese Steakhouse,” she wrote.

“Nature, too, is thriving. The beaches, known for their abundance of seashells and sand dollars, are once again filled with treasures. Sea turtles are nesting. And wildlife, including bobcats, dolphins, green herons, roseate spoonbills, and anhingas, are flourishing in the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.”

Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and News-Press. Follow him on Instagram and Threads @lacrossewriter and on X (formerly Twitter) @NDN_dosborn.

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