Marco Island
The largest of the Ten Thousand Islands, about twenty minutes south of Naples: wide crescent beaches, shelling spits and birds, a grand beachfront resort, and an Old Florida fishing village hiding around the back.
Updated June 2026
Cross the bridge south of Naples and the mainland falls away into water and mangrove. Marco is the big one, the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands, a resort island ringed by a three-and-a-half-mile crescent of pale sand facing west into the Gulf. It is part polished beach resort, part wild barrier-island shelling ground, and part salty fishing village, depending on which way you turn off the bridge.
It suits a beach day, a shelling morning or a boat tour just as well as a long stay. Many visitors come down for the afternoon as a day trip from Naples, but Marco rewards a slower hand, the kind that wades the lagoon, waits out the tide, and finishes the night with fried grouper in Goodland. From here you are also at the doorstep of the Ten Thousand Islands, the maze of mangrove keys where the dolphin and shelling boats run.
Beaches & shelling
Two faces of the same crescent: the easy resort beach down south, and the wild shelling spit up north that you have to wade to reach.
Boats, ruins & Old Florida
Marco is a launch point as much as a destination. Get off the beach and the real character of the place shows up.
A perfect Marco day
Shells in the morning, dolphins midday, fried grouper at dusk. One of the best full days on the Paradise Coast.
- Get to Tigertail Beach early, wade or paddle across the lagoon to the Sand Dollar Spit at low tide, and shell while the birds work the flats.
- Cool off, then head to a marina for a dolphin and shelling cruise out into the Ten Thousand Islands.
- Back on land, duck into the free Marco Island Historical Museum for the Calusa village and the island's story.
- Stretch the legs at the Esplanade Shoppes on Smokehouse Bay, or drop a towel for sunset on South Marco Beach.
- Finish the night out in Goodland at Stan's Idle Hour, waterfront seafood and Old Florida at its loosest.
Where to go next
Marco is the gateway to the wild side of the coast, and an easy hop back to the mainland.
Ten Thousand Islands
The mangrove maze off Marco's back door, where the dolphin and shelling boats run.
Marco Island Day Trip
How to do the island in a single afternoon out of Naples, with the easy route and timings.
Beaches & Outdoors
Every beach on the Paradise Coast, plus shelling, dolphin cruises and the mangroves.
Where to Stay on Marco
From the big beachfront resorts to condos and quiet rentals, the best home bases on the island.
Stay on Marco Island
Common questions
Where is Marco Island and how far is it from Naples?
Marco Island is the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands, just off the Gulf coast south of Naples. It is roughly a 20-minute drive over the bridge, which makes it both an easy day trip and a popular place to stay for a beach getaway.
What is the best beach for shelling on Marco Island?
Tigertail Beach and the connected Sand Dollar Spit at the north end are the island's most productive shelling grounds. You reach the spit by wading or paddling across the shallow lagoon, so go at low tide and wear water shoes. Guided boat trips into the Ten Thousand Islands also reach uninhabited shelling beaches you cannot drive to.
Can you still see the Cape Romano dome homes?
Only by boat, and there is much less to see than there once was. The igloo-like dome homes south of Marco were slowly claimed by the Gulf as the shoreline shifted, and the last structures above water came down during Hurricane Ian in 2022. Tour boats from Marco still cruise out to the site when conditions allow, but the ruins now sit very low in the water.
What is there to do on Marco Island besides the beach?
Take a dolphin and shelling boat tour into the Ten Thousand Islands, visit the free Marco Island Historical Museum with its recreated Calusa village, browse the Esplanade Shoppes on Smokehouse Bay, watch wading birds at the Tigertail lagoon, and head to the Old Florida fishing village of Goodland for waterfront seafood at Stan's Idle Hour.
Is the Marco Island Historical Museum free?
Yes, admission to the Marco Island Historical Museum is free, and it is generally open Tuesday through Saturday. It is run by the local historical society and features a life-size recreated Calusa village. The famous Key Marco Cat has been on loan there, so check the current exhibits before you visit.
What is Goodland, Florida?
Goodland is a tiny working fishing village on the southeastern edge of Marco Island that feels decades removed from the resorts. Its best-known spot is Stan's Idle Hour, a casual waterfront seafood restaurant famous for its lively Sunday gatherings and the local 'Buzzard Lope' dance. Check current days and hours before you go.