The Ten Thousand Islands
South of Naples and Marco, the mainland frays into a maze of mangrove islands — thousands of them — scattered across shallow Gulf water where the Everglades runs out of land. Dolphins, manatees, empty shelling beaches and some of the quietest water in Florida.
Updated June 2026
Look at a map of the coast just south of Marco Island and the line of the shore dissolves into confetti — countless little green dots scattered across pale Gulf water. That's the Ten Thousand Islands: a vast labyrinth of mangrove islands and oyster bars where the freshwater Everglades finally meets the salt of the Gulf of Mexico. Nobody has ever counted them exactly, which is rather the point. Out here there are no high-rises, no boardwalks, no beach bars — just tidal channels, wading birds and the occasional dorsal fin breaking the surface.
It's the wild flip side of polished Naples, and it's closer than you'd think — most of it sits within an hour's drive and a short boat ride of town. This page is for anyone who wants one day in the real backcountry: dolphins off the bow, manatees in the warm season, and undeveloped beaches you reach only by water. You can do it the easy way on a guided cruise, or under your own power by kayak. If you want to go deeper into the sawgrass, pair it with Everglades National Park; if you're basing the day around the marinas, see our Marco Island guide.
What to see & do
A handful of ways into the maze, from a guided dolphin cruise to a shell-strewn beach you'll have nearly to yourself.
A perfect island day
One unhurried day from the mainland into the maze and back, sand in your shoes by sundown.
- Start dry: walk the boardwalk trails and overlook at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center to learn what you're about to paddle through.
- Drive south to a Marco Island or Everglades City marina and board a midday eco tour or shelling cruise.
- Watch for dolphins in the open passes and, in cooler months, manatees tucked into the warmer creeks.
- Step off onto an undeveloped beach like Keewaydin or Kice Island for a barefoot shelling walk you'll mostly have to yourself.
- Head back as the light goes gold, then chase the sunset over the water on a dolphin or sunset cruise back near town.
Where to go next
More wild Paradise Coast, all an easy hop from the same marinas.
Everglades National Park
Airboats, sawgrass and gators in the legendary wilderness just inland from the islands.
Marco Island
The launch point for the islands, with a wide crescent beach and the marinas where tours cast off.
Dolphin & Sunset Cruises
The relaxed way to see dolphins and the famous Gulf sunset, no maze-navigation required.
All Day Trips
Every easy escape from Naples, from the Everglades to the islands and the towns between.
Book a Ten Thousand Islands tour
Common questions
Where are the Ten Thousand Islands?
They lie along the Gulf coast just south of Marco Island, between Naples and Everglades City, where the western edge of the Everglades breaks apart into a vast archipelago of mangrove islands and oyster bars. The northern end reaches up toward Rookery Bay, about five miles south of Naples; the southern reaches blend into Everglades National Park.
How do you visit the Ten Thousand Islands?
There are no roads in — it's boat or kayak only. Most visitors take a guided eco cruise, shelling trip or fishing charter from the marinas around Marco Island or Everglades City. More adventurous paddlers can kayak the mangrove trails of the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge off US-41, ideally with a guide or a good chart, since the islands all look alike.
Will I see dolphins or manatees?
Very likely. Bottlenose dolphins are common year-round and often ride boat wakes, so most tours spot them. West Indian manatees gather in the warmer backwaters and are easiest to see in the cooler months when they shelter in calm creeks. You may also see sea turtles, ospreys, eagles and large numbers of wading birds.
Is the Ten Thousand Islands good for shelling?
Yes — the undeveloped barrier islands here are among the best shelling spots in Southwest Florida precisely because so few people reach them. Keewaydin Island, Kice Island and the remote beaches near Cape Romano can be thick with whelks, conchs and sand dollars, especially after a storm stirs up the bottom. Many island tours include a beach landing so you can hunt for shells.
What is the difference between the Ten Thousand Islands and the Everglades?
They overlap. The Ten Thousand Islands are the coastal, saltwater mangrove edge of the greater Everglades system, where freshwater from the interior meets the Gulf. The classic 'river of grass' sawgrass prairies and airboat country lie inland in Everglades National Park, while the islands are all about mangroves, tidal passes and Gulf wildlife. Many visitors do both on the same trip.
What happened to the Cape Romano dome houses?
The famous dome-shaped house off Cape Romano, built in the early 1980s on stilts, gradually lost its structures to erosion and hurricanes, and the remaining domes collapsed during Hurricane Ian in 2022. Today little more than the pilings remain above the water, so don't expect the intact domes from older photos — check current conditions, as the site keeps changing.