Marco Island Travel Guide

Sea, sand and sun. At Marco Island, it's all about the beach and the beach activities that go along with it. Whether you want to go kayaking, canoeing, fishing, bird watching, sightseeing, snorkeling or sunbathing, the biggest of all the barrier islands in the Ten Thousand Islands region of Southwest Florida has everything you could ever dream of in a total beach vacation.     

Sights

Residents Beach, South Beach and Tiger Tail Beach are the most famous stops for beach lovers in this resort paradise. Swim in the azure waters, snorkel or simply watch the magnificent sunsets. What more could you ask for? Well, Marco Island offers plenty more. Take a historical tour around town with stops at the old Marco Village, the Captain William D. Collier Homesite and the Frank Cushing Archaeological Site, where the MarcoCat was found. The Calusa Indian burial mound at the Kirk Archaelogical Site is also worth checking out. The Frank E. Mackle, Jr. Community Park and Caxambas Park are great picnic spots as well.

Things to Do

You'll never run out of things to do in Marco Island –even if you get tired of frolicking in the water. The Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve are well worth a tour. See more than 200 species of birds in the 11,000 acre Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Or catch a glimpse of the endangered Florida panther at the Big Cypress National Preserve. Go hiking on the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge or canoeing and camping at Collier-Seminole State Park. You can also go hiking at the Rookery Bay Reserve. If you want to watch and take pictures of beautiful bottlenose dolphins, you can sign up for a three- hour tour expedition with The Dolphin Explorer. Golf enthusiasts can hit the links at any of the 40 golf courses in the Marco Island-Naples area.

Restaurants and Shopping Feast on delightfully fresh seafood from the Everglades area. Affordable family dining can also be had away from the beach in Mid-Island. The Pelican Plaza has great dining and shopping options. Combine waterfront dining and shopping at The Esplanade Shoppes at Smokehouse Bay, a 50,000-square-foot marvel where luxury retailers and specialty boutiques abound. If you're on North Collier Boulevard, you can find great buys at The Marco Town Center Mall.

Where to Go in Marco Island