Find the Right Beach For You on Florida’s Paradise Coast

If you love putting your toes in the sand — and who doesn’t? — there are many ways to experience the nearly 30 miles of beach on Florida’s Paradise Coast.

Whether you prefer gorgeous shorelines alongside luxurious resorts or a secluded stretch that can only be reached by boat, you’re sure to find your ideal beach in Naples and Marco Island. 
Here’s an overview of some options, so you can pick the beach that best meets your needs and preferences. 
 

Naples

Clam Pass Beach Park

Located about six miles north of downtown Naples, this park boasts 35 acres of coastal habitat, highlighted by a beautiful stretch of white-sand beach. You can access the beach via a three-quarter-mile boardwalk through a mangrove forest. (Your call whether you want to walk it or take the free tram.) At the boardwalk’s end sits the lovely Rhodes End restaurant, with views of the beach and the Gulf.

The park is also a perfect place to fish or paddle in the calm waters of Clam Pass.

The Clam Pass Boardwalk and Nature Trail provides an opportunity to observe marine life, coastal birds, and butterflies. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida offers guided nature walks Monday through Saturday from December through April. Reservations required.

Visitors to the park will find a wide array of rental chairs, cabanas, and other water-related equipment. A snack bar and restrooms are also available. Clam Pass Park has 171 public parking spaces.

For more information, visit Clam Pass Beach Park.

Vanderbilt Beach

With a prime location near resorts, restaurants and shopping, five-acre Vanderbilt Beach is one of the Paradise Coast’s most popular public beach accesses. Besides sunbathing and frolicking in the Gulf, Vanderbilt Beach is an excellent spot for shelling, paddleboarding, bird-watching, and other outdoor activities. Restrooms and showers are conveniently located near the parking area.

At the concession stand you can rent beach gear, chairs, and cabanas, but no food or drinks. Restaurants and convenience stores are within walking distance. The beach has a dedicated parking garage, but spots go quickly, especially during peak tourism season.

For more information, visit Vanderbilt Beach.

Keewaydin Island

Eighty percent of this barrier island — which can only be accessed by watercraft — is undeveloped, with the remainder being private homes. That means nearly eight miles of pristine white-sand beach. Keewaydin Island is widely known as a sheller’s paradise, with plenty of sightseeing tours stopping there to allow people to find their treasures.

You can reach this beach by riding the Hemingway Water Shuttle, which accommodates both people and their canine friends. Keewaydin is the only pet-friendly beach on Florida’s Paradise Coast.

To take a more private trip, you can rent a boat from one of the many marinas on Florida’s Paradise Coast. Due to its pristine nature, Keewaydin Island has no amenities — not even restrooms — so plan your outing accordingly.

For more information, visit Keewaydin Island.

Lowdermilk Park on Naples Beach

Just a couple miles north of downtown Naples, this five-acre park is part of Naples Beach, and includes a beautifully manicured green space. It has two children's playgrounds, a duck pond, two sand volleyball courts, and picnic tables. A wheelchair-friendly ramp makes it easy for those with strollers or wheelchairs to get onto the beach. If needed, you can also get a beach wheelchair for free.

Lowdermilk Beach Cafe serves reasonably priced sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, wraps, salads, ice cream, and more.

Lowdermilk Park has the largest beach-access parking lot in Naples, with 230 metered spaces.

For more information, visit Lowdermilk Park.

Naples Beach

Stretching north and south from the Naples Pier at the west end of downtown, this 10-mile marvel of soft, white sand is the ideal place to spend a day with family and friends. Naples Beach features volleyball nets, a concession stand, restrooms, and showers. In addition, you can access rent-free lifejackets for your little ones.

The Pier juts a thousand feet into the Gulf, making it a great spot for watching the sun set over the water. Keep in mind that as of summer 2025, only part of the Pier is open, after sustaining damage in Hurricane Ian.

There are public access points with limited parking at the west end of most downtown avenues. Beach admission is free. The parking is metered.

For more information, visit Naples Beach.

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park

A perennial favorite on Dr. Beach’s Top 10 Beaches in America lists (ranked Number 4 in 2025 and Number 8 in 2024) this 166-acre natural wonderland is located on the northern edge of Florida’s Paradise Coast. Tidal creeks and mangrove swamps separate the park from the mainland, so the beach offers a secluded atmosphere, plus more exposure to plant and animal life than other area beaches. Bird-watchers flock to Delnor-Wiggins. You’ll spot eagles, ospreys, and other woodland creatures in their natural habitats.

A hard-bottom reef just offshore makes for terrific fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving.

Park amenities include a picnic area with grills, restrooms, drinking fountains, bicycle racks, outdoor showers, and beach wheelchairs available by reservation. The concession stand in parking area 2 offers a variety of items to buy or rent — food and drinks, paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, umbrellas, and beach chairs.

For more information, visit Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park.

8th Avenue South Beach Access & Wedding Park

On the west end of 8th Avenue South downtown is a small section of public beach that’s renowned as a terrific place for weddings — so much so that it’s known as Wedding Beach or Wedding Park. It features attractive brick pavers, which provide space for seating, along with lush landscaping and picturesque views that provide the perfect setting for nuptials.

No reservations or fees are required for ceremonies of less than six people. Parties of six or more must use a reservation process. Parking for large groups can be tricky, so most wedding parties shuttle guests in from other locations. There are, however, nearby public garages on 8th Street South.

Just to be clear, you don’t have to be walking down the aisle to enjoy a stroll here. But it’s common courtesy to give wedding ceremonies the space and quiet they need.

For more information, visit Eighth Avenue South.

Marco Island

Most of Marco Island’s shoreline is populated by posh private resorts, but it has public beach access in three places — south, north and middle.

South Beach Public Access

Near the junction of South Collier Boulevard and Swallow Avenue, this location is perfect for families who want to sunbathe, swim, hunt for shells or fish. The firmer sand near the shoreline makes it ideal for a walk or jog. The South Marco beach access offers plenty of room to spread out. No surprise, the sunset views are spectacular.

Several companies rent waverunners and kayaks. If you’re looking to take the fun to new heights, Marco Island Watersports will take you parasailing.

Paid parking and restroom facilities are located on Swallow Avenue. From there it’s a short walk across South Collier Boulevard to the beach.

For more information, visit South Marco Beach.

Tigertail Beach Park

On the north end of Marco Island you’ll find Tigertail Beach. Five boardwalks lead from the mangrove-lined parking area to the white-sand beach.

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission lists Tigertail Beach as one of the best all-around locations for birdwatching in Southwest Florida.

A tidal lagoon separates this beach from the three-mile Sand Dollar Spit, which is known for its incredible deposits of sand dollars. You can kayak or paddleboard across the lagoon to secure your own private sandy spot. You can also wade, but it’s only advisable to do so during low tide, when the water is two to three feet deep.

You'll find restrooms, a picnic area with tables and grills, a children’s playground, and even a butterfly garden at Tigertail Beach. (For you history buffs, the beach is named after Thlocklo Tustenuggee, a prominent leader of the Seminole tribe during the Second Seminole War (1835-1842). U.S. Army soldiers coined him “Tiger Tail” because he wore a long strip of panther skin from his waist.)

For more information, visit Tigertail Beach Park.

Marco Island Public Beach Access

Just off the main artery of South Collier Boulevard, north of JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, you’ll find this centrally located, narrow walkway made of pavers that takes you out to Marco Beach. Look for the “Beach Access” sign. This middle-island access is a basic walkway, with no amenities or dedicated parking.