Hi there!
So you want to do a Florida road trip driving from Marco Island to Tampa!
How long is the drive from Marco Island to Tampa?
Driving directly, it might take around 3 hours of driving time from Marco Island to Tampa.
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So Marco Island is not too far from Tampa, and it’s doable to drive from Marco Island to Tampa in one day.
And if you want to make a stop or 2 on your way to Tampa, there are some things to do along the way!
Or you can take a few days to get from Marco Island to Tampa!
Marco Island to Tampa is a perfect area to do some beach hopping in Florida!
Below will show some ideas of stops you can make as you make the drive to Tampa if you want to take your time!
What is there to see between Marco Island and Tampa?
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1. Marco Island
To get you started with Marco Island beaches, the 2 main public beaches on Marco Island are South Beach and Tigertail Beach.
You will probably have an easier time with parking at Tigertail Beach.
Tigertail Beach is known as the best shelling beach on Marco Island, although you can look for shells along any Marco Island beach.
It’s also known for the lagoon water crossing to get to the beach, although there is also an alternative walking route that is not so bad.
If you want to walk normally to the beach, you’ll want to park at the far end of the parking lot as far as you can drive, and then start walking from there.
Then, after a few minutes of walking, you see a wide expansive white sand beach of Marco Island!
It’s possible you might walk around 10 minutes from your parking spot to where you want to set up camp on the beach.
Be sure to catch a Marco Island sunset!
See more about planning your drive from Marco Island to Tampa:
Camping between Marco Island and Tampa:
- Collier-Seminole State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Collier-Seminole State Park
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2. Sanibel Island
One beach stop you can make one your way to Tampa is Sanibel Island.
But Sanibel Island is not just any beach stop.
Sanibel Island is known as one of the best spots for shelling in Florida.
And even more than that, Sanibel Island beaches are known for being the best beaches for shelling in all of the United States!
You can go to any of the beaches on Sanibel Island and you will find shells.
Along the shoreline, you can find tons of small shells, and the more you look, the greater your chances are for finding different types of shells!
To get you started, you likely will not be disappointed if you make Bowmans Beach your one and only Sanibel Island shelling beach to visit!
And there is also Captiva Island for beaches and shelling!
You can get from Sanibel Island to Captiva Island by driving across a small bridge.
Plus you might make some bird sightings!
There is a toll for driving the bridge to Sanibel Island. See current fees under Sanibel toll plaza.
The Sanibel Island beach parking fee is hourly. See current fees.
And then once you pass that toll bridge, as you are driving along the Sanibel Causeway to get to Sanibel Island.
You will soon see places that you can stop along the bridge.
You can make this a picnic stop or just stop to take in the views!
It’s a part of the Causeway Islands Park, and it’s located directly along the road.
See more about planning your drive from Marco Island to Tampa:
Camping between Marco Island and Tampa:
- Koreshan State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Koreshan State Park
3. Cayo Costa State Park
Cayo Costa State Park is on an island in Florida.
To go to Cayo Costa State Park, you’ll need to leave the car behind!
That’s because the way to get to Cayo Costa State Park is by boat!
You can make it a day trip to Cayo Costa State Park, or if you’ve got some time to spare, you can make it a night (or more!) on the island of Cayo Costa!
This will be a mostly rustic stay!
There are no traditional accommodations like hotels or resorts.
Instead, you can get an epic island tent camping experience in Florida.
Or you can get a rustic cabin experience in Florida!
Either way, it’s pretty much bring your own everything!
There’s a small store on the island, but it’s not much to depend on.
So it will require a bit of an effort in the form of planning a trip to Cayo Costa, but no matter how you choose to stay on Cayo Costa, you will be just a few minutes walk from the beach!
Is there a lot to do on Cayo Costa island? No, not really. Your time will be spent at the beach or walking around the island on the beach… or in search of another beach!
And you can watch an epic sunset!
You can also look for shells.
The “real Florida” as the people of Florida state parks like to say! It’s a quiet Florida island experience!
Camping between Marco Island and Tampa:
- Cayo Costa State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Cayo Costa State Park
4. Myakka River State Park
Now you will be driving a little inland if you want to make a stop at Myakka River State Park before you get to Tampa.
You’ll be a little over an hour from Tampa. So you can also save this as a day trip from Tampa on another day.
You can make it a stop here if you’re looking for a pleasant nature stop with lots of green.
It can be a scenic drive through Myakka River State Park.
Myakka River State Park is also known for the canopy walk.
You’ll walk across a bridge that’s suspended in air, and then continue climbing the stairs up the tower for views above the trees.
There is also a spot in Myakka River State Park that’s known for alligator sightings.
When you come across the bridge, make a stop to see if you can spot some alligators!
Plus you might make some bird sightings in Myakka River State Park!
Camping between Marco Island and Tampa:
- Myakka River State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Myakka River State Park
5. Siesta Key
Siesta Key is an island that you can stop by before you get to Tampa, and it’s one of the most popular beach destinations in Florida.
You’ll be a little over an hour from Tampa. So you can also save this as a day trip from Tampa on another day.
Siesta Key has been named one of the best beaches in America.
At one end of Siesta Key is the famous #1 beach that is Siesta Beach.
This is where you’ll find an amazing white sand beach with a wide stretch of sand.
On the other end of Siesta Key is the quieter end, and it’s where you’ll find Turtle Beach… along with the Turtle Beach campground! If you want to go camping on Siesta Key, the Turtle Beach campground is it!
There is a direct path from the campground to the beach, so your campsite will just be a few minutes walk from being able to see the amazing Gulf coast.
I also saw dolphins swimming along the shoreline from Turtle Beach!
You need to get lucky in order to find camping availability, as campsites get booked up pretty much as soon as they are available months in advance. But people do cancel.
Camping between Marco Island and Tampa:
- Turtle Beach campground (Siesta Key)
- How to make reservations for Turtle Beach campground
- Oscar Scherer State Park campground
- How to make reservations for Oscar Scherer State Park
6. Lido Key
Well, staying in the Tampa area means that you have lots of islands and beaches to choose from!
You can also choose to go to Lido Key on your way to Tampa, or make it a day trip from Tampa!
You’ll be a little over an hour from Tampa.
You’ll pass through St Armands Circle on your way to Lido Key where you will find lots of restaurants and shops.
7. Tampa
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is an icon of Tampa Bay.
It can be reasonable to set your route so that you drive across the Skyway Bridge as you drive to Tampa!
And, there are a few rest areas around that you can stop at too in order to take in the views of Tampa Bay.
And that’s a bit about some stops you can make driving from Marco Island to Tampa!
More for your Florida road trip:
- Marco Island to Miami
- Miami to Key West
- Ocala National Forest springs
- Best things to do in the Florida Panhandle
HAPPY DRIVING TO TAMPA FROM MARCO ISLAND!
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