On quiet Marco Island, life moves at a slightly slower pace than in Naples. The main attraction is the beautiful, white-sand beaches, where long beach walks, boat excursions and shelling are favorite pastimes.
Sophisticated, full-service beachfront resorts are sprinkled along the island's western shore. Many offer watersports rentals of all sorts, including kayaks, Jet Skis, stand-up paddleboards and more, along with sightseeing cruises. Resort guests can stay busy from sun-up to sundown or just sit and enjoy the spectacular beaches.
Near the island's northern end, Tigertail Beach Park is a great spot for wildlife viewing. Wading birds often line the shores of a lagoon that separates the parking area from the beach. Park rangers offer several educational programs each week, including birding tours and presentations on coastal wildlife (sea turtles, manatees and dolphins). It has showers, restrooms, a large playground and a concession stand. At the other end of the island, quieter South Marco Beach has public parking and restrooms but no other facilities.
When you visit Marco Island, bring your appetite for seafood. You can catch it yourself on a fishing charter or let someone else do the "work." Dine at a beachfront resort restaurant, in a waterfront restaurant in the hidden community of Isles of Capri or in the funky fishing village of Goodland.
With so much gorgeous water all around (in addition to being surrounded by the Marco River, the Gulf of Mexico and Barfield and Caxambas bays, Marco Island is crisscrossed by canals), boating is a natural. Full-service marinas are a great jumping-off point, offering boat rentals, transient slips, fishing charters into the nearby Ten Thousand Islands and more. Shelling and sightseeing cruises aboard sailboats are available for those seeking a change of pace.
If you bring your own boat, you can put in at Goodland Boat Park's new public launch. If you don't have your own boat but still want a customized experience, many area motorboat rentals let you hire a captain. Renting a boat yourself is not as hard as you might think. You don't need a captain's license, the boats are easy to operate and the rental companies provide basic instructions along with user-friendly maps.
If you opt for a sightseeing cruise, prepare to sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. Among the sights: magnificent waterside mansions, marine life (dolphins, manatees and sea turtles) and, of course, gorgeous sunsets. Many cruises include a stop on an island for shelling. One cruise puts you onboard with researchers from the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project and lets you participate in gathering and logging data about dolphin behavior. For a hands-on adventure, take a guided kayak or canoe eco-tour.
With some 200 residents, Goodland is a laid-back fishing village that was founded in the late 1800s. Family fishing trips, Everglades tours led by trained nature experts, fishing charters to the Ten Thousand Islands: Goodland's activities are centered on its incredible natural surroundings. Every January, Stan's Idle Hour Seafood Restaurant hosts the Mullet Festival and Buzzard Lope Queen Contest. Other popular events on Marco Island include the Marco Island Seafood Festival in March, Celebrate the Arts Festival in March and the Paradise Coast Kayak Festival in April.Top of Page
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