Hi there!
Marco Island is known as one of the best beach destinations in Florida.
It’s an easy drive from Naples Florida.
The Marco Island shoreline is just really one long beach.
So these Marco Island “beaches” are connected.
You could start at either end of the beach and make it one long beach walk on Marco Island!
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One of the things that makes Marco Island is great is that it has some of the best beaches in Florida with white sand and picture-perfect turquoise water.
It also has some of the best shelling in Florida, and you might even see a baby starfish!
If you’re staying on Marco Island and you want to take a break from the water and head inland, then you can make it a perfect day trip from Marco Island to one of the best places to see alligators in Florida, too!
That would be driving the Tamiami Trail, stopping by the Big Cypress National Preserve, and going to Everglades National Park!
I did a drive down Southwest Florida, and one of the places I stayed at was a state park campground near Marco Island. That would be the Collier-Seminole State Park campground. (It was soooo buggy!) It was during this campground stay that I went to Marco Island.
Here is what you need to know about the beaches of Marco Island and how to get to them!
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1. South Beach public access (South Marco Beach parking)
🐠 Side note! If you're doing any type of swimming, like at the beach, for snorkeling, or at some springs, here are things you must consider packing for Florida!
You can find these things on Amazon. I am an Amazon Associate.
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel
I also like to go swimming with a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
How to save money on your trip
I tend to use booking.com or hotels.com to look for the cheapest hotels. You can also try the expedia hotels site (good for car rentals too) or see if you like any of the vrbo vacation rentals.
Search for the cheapest car rentals at the airport.
/end side note
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South Beach is one of the 2 main Marco Island beaches.
You might have difficulty finding Marco Island beach parking availability at the South Beach parking lot.
South Beach is at the south end of Marco Island (yes!), and you can start your Marco Island beach walk from here!
On google maps, you’ll want to specifically look for the South Beach parking lot, which is a few minutes walk down the side road from the South Beach access that is along the main road.
So if you navigate to the South Beach access, you won’t find the parking lot immediately right there.
The cost of the South Beach parking fee is $10 for the day.
👆 Marco Island beach parking fee is $10 at South Beach, as of April 2022.
See more about getting to this Marco Island beach: South Beach parking
🌴
2. Winterberry beach public access (Turtle Lot parking)
There is no “public” parking lot that the City of Marco Island or Collier County manages near the Winterberry beach access, but there is a private parking lot open to the general public.
The Winterberry beach access seems to get overlooked, but I found this to be an easy and convenient Marco Island beach access spot for a Marco Island sunset. (Although, it was by chance that I ended up here!)
For the Winterberry beach access, you park at the private parking lot called the Turtle Lot.
And then you’ll walk a few minutes down the road and there’s public access!
The Turtle Lot is just a short walk of less than 5 minutes away from the Winterberry beach access.
The cost of the Turtle Lot parking fee is $20 for the day. There is a sunset discount parking which is $10 at the Turtle Lot.
👆 Marco Island beach parking fee is $20 during the day at Turtle Lot, as of April 2022.
See more about getting to this Marco Island beach: Turtle Lot parking
3. Tigertail Beach public access (Tigertail Beach parking)
Tigertail Beach is one of the 2 main Marco Island beaches.
You will likely find it easier to find Marco Island beach parking at Tigertail Beach compared to South Beach.
Tigertail Beach is known as the best beach for shelling on Marco Island, but again, you can look for shells on any of the Marco Island beaches.
Tigertail Beach is also known as the Marco Island beach that you walk through (yes, through!) a lagoon to get to.
You may be walking through waist high water, and you’ll need to make sure you can carry all your beach gear with you.
👆 Tigertail Beach lagoon: One way to get to Tigertail Beach is a water crossing through a lagoon!
But you can also get there without a water crossing required.
Some people might consider it to be a long walk to get to Tigertail Beach the “normal” way.
While I have done a hike through water to get to a beach in Hawaii, I was not particularly feeling like walking through water to get to a beach this time.
Having been to many beaches in Florida, it really isn’t any longer of a walk (or not too much longer of a walk) than a popular Florida beach in which you have to park far away because the parking lot is full.
So I didn’t find the walk to Tigertail Beach to be that bad.
Maybe you will walk around 10 to 15 minutes from your car in the parking lot to the spot that you set up camp on Tigertail Beach.
There is a lot of walking through sand which means it’s more effort. (Walking through water in the lagoon is also more effort than simply walking!)
You’ll want to think about that as you consider what beach gear you want to bring and how you want to bring it.
Many people roll beach wagons through the sand with their beach gear.
But as you approach the beach… WOW!!!
The expansive white sand beach just looked really amazing! You don’t get this with the lagoon crossing… just saying!
Tigertail Beach is at the north end of Marco Island.
You can start your Marco Island beach walk in either direction once you get to the shoreline.
As you’re facing the water, to the left is to the south where you can walk to the other beaches.
To the right is where the lagoon beach goers will arrive on Tigertail Beach, and also where you’ll find more shells along with some dead beach trees on Marco Island.
The cost of the Tigertail Beach parking fee is $10 for the day.
👆 Marco Island beach parking fee is $10 at Tigertail Beach, as of April 2022.
See more about getting to this Marco Island beach: Tigertail Beach parking
And then…
Residents Beach
I’m not a Marco Island resident, so I know nothing about the Residents Beach. 😜
But if you are moving to Marco Island, well, here you go!
There’s a stretch of beach called Residents Beach just for you!
Marco Island seashells
Marco Island is good for shells!
There is shelling on Marco Island, so you can also make your time on Marco Island all about shelling.
Marco Island has some of the best beaches for shelling in Florida.
You can find so many seashells on the shores of Marco Island.
You can go to any beach on Marco Island and start looking for shells along the shore!
👆 Marco Island shells! You can go shelling on Marco Island! Marco Island beaches are some of the best shelling beaches in Florida.
Marco Island shell identification guide
The types of shells you can find while shelling in Florida on Marco Island beaches include the worm shell, calico shell, lightning whelk, moon snail, olive shell, fighting conch, sand dollar, starfish, and horse conch.
Collection or injury to live shells, starfish, and sand dollars is not allowed on Marco Island.
Marco Island dune grass
And you may see dune grass on a Marco Island beach!
Dune grass is said to be an important part of a coastal ecosystem, so take care not to step on it!
Best Marco Island beach hotels
Marco Island is also known for its beachfront hotels!
Marco Island has some of the best luxury hotels along the Gulf coast of Florida, including Marriott’s Crystal Shores.
More Marco Island beachfront hotels include the Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort and the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort.
There really is no bad section of Marco Island beach!
If you haven’t yet decided if you want to stay on Marco Island, and instead are looking at hotels near other Southwest Florida beaches, then you may also want to look at nearby Naples FL.
Marco Island can also be a perfect part of a Naples itinerary.
There are some of the best luxury hotels in Naples like the Naples Grand, the La Playa Beach and Golf Resort, and the Edgewater Beach Hotel.
Naples to Marco Island is around a 30 minute drive. (map)
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Cost to go to Marco Island beaches
While there is no beach entry fee of sorts for Marco Island beaches, there are beach parking fees.
There is no free public beach parking on Marco Island.
So if you will be going to Marco Island as a day trip, then the cost to go to a Marco Island beach is the beach parking fee.
You can expect to pay $10 for the day for parking at Marco Island beach parking lots managed by the City of Marco Island or Collier County.
Is Marco Island nicer than Sanibel Island?
Marco Island and Sanibel Island are both islands in Southwest Florida known for having some of the best beaches in Florida.
Well, as of early 2023, Marco Island is nicer than Sanibel Island because of a historically destructive hurricane that hit Sanibel Island in September 2022.
As of early 2023, Sanibel Island beaches are not open to visitors.
So you should go to Marco Island instead of Sanibel Island.
Sanibel Island is best known for shelling, and Marco Island makes for a good shelling alternative to Sanibel Island.
Recap!
Marco Island beach access for the public:
Listed in order from south to north.
And that’s a bit about Marco Island beaches!
More for your Florida road trip:
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
- Best beaches in Southwest Florida
- Best shelling beaches in Florida
- Best state parks in Southwest Florida
- Best camping in Southwest Florida
- Marco Island to Miami drive
- Marco Island to Key West drive
- Tamiami Trail alligators
- Everglades National Park
- Big Cypress National Preserve
HAPPY BEACH TRIP TO MARCO ISLAND!
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Here's some info on Florida trip prep!
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
- Best shelling in Florida
- Tampa to Miami drive
- Things to do in Everglades National Park
Southwest Florida is where Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022 which resulted in historic destruction.
Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island were among the hardest hit by the hurricane.
The Sanibel Island bridge that links mainland Florida to Sanibel Island and Captiva Island was destroyed during the hurricane.
This has since been repaired, but Sanibel Island beaches were still closed to the public for months... until recently!
Read current info from the City of Sanibel: Sanibel Island beaches that are open
What the open Sanibel Island beaches on that list were like pre-hurricane:
- Bowmans Beach
- Blind Pass Beach
- Tarpon Bay Road Beach (Trost parking lot)
- In general: Sanibel Island shelling beaches