Marco Island is similar to Sanibel but generally has a busier feel. The island feels familiar and has areas similar to both Sanibel and Captiva while offering some of the amenities of a busier beach like Fort Myers Beach. The main beach is lined by several resort hotels as well as numerous high rise condominiums. This main beach is shaped like a crescent and is 2.5 miles long from Tigertail Channel in the north to Caxambas Pass in the south.
About the Island
The area along the main beach is the most touristy with beach shops, and numerous resorts along this section. The island’s other beaches (Tigertail and Hideaway) are in a quieter residential neighborhood section of the island which gives way to the mangrove jungles of the Ten Thousand Islands.
The Old Marco section of the island, located at the north end of Bald Eagle Drive has a more bohemian vibe and although there are no beaches in this area you will find a seaside fishing village vibe mixed with a city waterfront feel. Here you will find some of the island’s best unique restaurants and bars including the Snook Inn, and Marecks Collier House Rsstaurants.
In the middle of the island is the “downtown area” which features some of the “chain restaurants” and gives Marco Island its familiar feel. To the south of downtown is the Marco Island Museum (free admission) which is home to the famed Key Marco Cat.
In the southeast portion of the island, and on neighboring Horr’s Island one can find ancient Calusa Indian mounds. Check out Otter Mound Preserve or the historic Captain John Horr’s House in this area.
Hideaway Beach
Hideaway Beach is located on the far north end of Marco Island and is located along the islands most exclusive gated community. The entire beach is public, but public access is ONLY by water.
You will find NO public access by land. This gated community is well monitored by guards and is fenced off.
If you are a resident or guest of the Hideaway Beach community you will find 3 access points. One is as the south end of hideaway beach near the end of Sea Dune Lane and S Beach Drive. The other is along the mid point of Royal Marco Way just south of the high rises.
There is also access at the private Hideaway Beach Club which features a pool, restaurant and beach chairs for members and guests.
Situated directly on the Gulf of Mexico you'll find the Hideaway Beach Clubhouse. Home to fine dining and social activity. The 22,000 square foot Clubhouse boasts several dining options for its members. Whether a beachside meal at the Sand Bar, a couple of cocktails at the Sunset Lounge, or a five-course meal in either the Grille Room or Gulfview Room.
If you are visiting Sand Dollar Island by boat its a very short trip across Tigertail Channel to check out hideaway beach. You might not know that this entire beach is actually public as it was built with public funds.
You will find large rocky breakwaters and has a few areas of sandy shore between sections of breakwater. DO NOT swim at Hideaway Beach as there are sharp rocks + metal in the water along the shore. At the north end, boat wakes are strong and water is VERY DEEP with a large amount of fast vessel traffic just offshore as this beach fronts onto Big Marco Pass.
Along Hideaway Beach you'll see large mansions at the southern end, and by high rise condominiums at the northern end. If you are interested interested in seeing the area’s unique architecture, a walk or cruise along this section of shoreline is a must.
Tigertail Beach
Located on Marco Island, Tigertail Beach offers the public everything to make your visit a rewarding one. Tigertail Beach offers a bath house, five boardwalks leading from the mangrove lined parking area to the white, sandy beach.
At Tigertail Beach it is easy to find parking with 210 parking spaces available (the lot is never full). Parking here is $10 per day for visitors and free with a Collier County beach parking permit.
This beach is located along the calm and quiet Tigertail Lagoon and is sheltered from the wave action of the Gulf of Mexico. The water is flat and is a great place to rent paddlecraft to explore the mangrove coastline in the surrounding area, or to venture to Sand Dollar Island or Hideaway Beach.
Many wading birds make their nests along the lagoon as well. At times during the year both least tern and black skimmers nest in large groups around the channel area.
Be aware that the lagoon may have snakes, alligators and other animals living in or near the water. The lagoon has VERY limited water exchange with the Gulf of Mexico and is a brackish wetland environment,
Sand Dollar Island Beach
Located immediately across the lagoon from Tigertail Beach is Sand Dollar Island. This area (its not actually an island) is completely undeveloped and is a sanctuary for migratory birds. Owing to its desert island location, it often feels as though you have the entire island to yourselves.
Access to Sand Dollar Island beach is by crossing Tigertail Lagoon from Tigertail Beach. Its approximately a tenth of a mile across the channel which is shallow enough to walk across (3 to 4 feet deep), and crossing is doable but not advised (shuffle your feet to avoid stepping on any creatures). Most visitors to Sand Dollar Island arrive by walking around the lagoon to the south.
The island's southern third features a narrow beach with sea oats on the dune and a mangrove swamp along the lagoon. Opposite the main Tigertail Park, there is a there is a landing and a path through the mangroves on the lagoon side over to the gulf side beach.
Walking north from this point, its 2 miles to the far northern tip of the island which makes for an interesting 4 mile nature tour. Much of the island is roped off as a preserve for nesting shorebirds and can be enjoyed from the gulf beach or from the water on the lagoon side. The middle section is a mangrove lined shoreline with a trail along the shore leading to the sandbar at the entrance to the lagoon. During high waves some seawater enters the otherwise almost completely enclosed lagoon.
The area then gives way to a beach that runs along a mangrove lined shore, and ends in a sandspit jutting out into the Gulf for Mexico. This area is more of a sandbar than an actual beach and is subject to continual change.
Along the length of the island you will find shells rivaling those of Sanibel, and this island has some of the best shelling of SWFL. The middle and northern end sections of the island tend to have the best shelling. The far end of the sandspit is a popular gathering spot for local boaters and was formerly known as Coconut Island and is still oftentimes referred to as such.
Resident’s Beach
Located at San Marco Rd. and Collier Blvd, this beach is at the north end of Marco Island’s main “crescent” beach. This beach is reserved for Marco Island Residents ONLY, and a Marco Island Civic Association beach parking pass is REQUIRED to access the park. Do not park in any of the nearby parking lots and walk to Resident’s Beach as your vehicle will be TOWED ($250+). If you walk through Resident’s beach you WILL receive a TRESPASSING CITATION ($500 FINE). The city police department is VERY serious about this, they use fines as a revenue source, and towing operators use this as their bread and butter.
If you are an island resident or have a pass then you will enjoy what some consider the most beautiful beach on the island. The sand is silky smooth and the beach is widest at Residents’ Beach. Resident’s beach is where Marco Islanders come to hang out. Here you will find the Paradise Grill, a beachfront snack shack. Many beachside tiki huts offer a great place for a picnic, and with such a wide and large beach area here, it never feels crowded.
If you are strolling Marco Island Beach, you should refrain from using the tiki huts or entering the Residents’ Beach park. This is a private beach for Marco Island residents only, and you may be asked for proof of residency. The parking lot and the park area are patrolled and no one is permitted entry without producing proper identification.
Maple Avenue Beach
Located at Collier Blvd and Maple Ave, this is often referred to as “City North Beach Access”. There is NO beach parking available at this access. The local parking lots here are for local business customers only and are a TOW AWAY ZONE.
This beach is mostly used by islanders residing nearby or visitors staying across the way from the beach. You will find a wide beach here similar to the resident’s beach section but with easy public access open to visitors. There is a Collier Area Transit bus stop near this location, and it is free to access by bicycle.
This beach is just north of the Island’s main resorts and can get busy at times. This is, like Resident’s Beach one of the widest beaches on Marco Island. Here you will access the island’s main resort beach, right next to the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort.
Winterberry Beach
Located at Winterberry Drive and Collier Blvd is Winterberry Beach. This beach is one of Marco Island’s newest public beach access points. This is also know as “City South Beach Access”. Parking is available nearby at the “Turtle Lot” and costs $10 per day for visitors and residents. Its only a quarter mile walk from the parking lot to the beach.
This beach is near the Marriott Crystal Shores Resort and is a very wide beach. If you want to have a beach party, this is the place. There is plenty of room to set up canopies, beach chairs, etc. Please remember that if you pack it in, you pack it out, and no alcohol or glass containers allowed on the beach.
You will often see Jet Skis running the waves along this section of beach. From Caxambas Park one can launch a jet ski and cruise along this section of beach (please stay a ways offshore when running at speed). Many of the resorts here have jet ski rentals and this is perhaps the most popular watersports beach in the area.
If you want to launch your JetSki, Caxambas Park is one of the best put in spots, and you can cruise the coast just off Marco Beach. This beach is also popular for windsurfing and kiteboarding.
South Marco Beach (Gene Sarazen Park)
Located at the far south end of Marco Island is South Marco Beach. This beach is a traditional beach located directly along the gulf. It can sometimes get a bit crowded here as this is the island’s most popular beach. You will find that this is the southernmost beach on Florida’s gulf coast that is accessible by road.
Parking and restrooms are available at the Collier County parking lot (70 spaces) along Swallow Avenue. Parking is $10 per day for visitors and free with a Collier County Beach Parking Permit. From the parking area its a quarter mile walk along Swallow Ave, across Collier Blvd and through a beach access path between the Apollo condominiums and the Cape Marco development.
You will find a shower and potable water available at the beach as well as restrooms at the county parking lot.
Next to the county parking lot you will find the resident's only Gene Sarazen Park parking area. If you are an island resident with a resident's beach pass you will generally find a parking space here. The county lot fills up fast, but there is usually space in the Sarazen Park lot. At Sarazen Park you will find a private shaded picnic area, as well as a playground. There is even a restroom facility that is cleaner than the public one at the county lot.
Beach Area
You can walk south for a third of a mile to the very end of the island (a place sometimes referred to as Cape Wilma). The beach ends here and the coast turns rocky along the south end of the island. At Cape Wilma you will have a view to the south of Caxambas Pass and can sometimes see Cape Romano in the distance.
If you are looking for seashells, they are very plentiful in the area at the far south end of the island where the beach turns rocky. This is one of the most accessible areas for shelling on Marco Island and is sometimes comparable to Tigertail.
Snorkeling and Diving
The area along the rocky shore on the south side of the island makes for excellent snorkeling. This is essentially an artificial fringing reef and harbors ample sea life.
You don't have to go far offshore to find a good dive site, the outer breakwaters are only 100 yards offshore. You can have a discovery cove quality experience in these waters. Pods of dolphins come through here every day. Remember to bring a diver down flag so boaters know that you are underwater here.
This is some of the island's best spearfishing, you can catch big game fish here. No need to go far offshore or to the keys.