Marco Island Travel Guide

In the Gulf of Mexico, Marco Island is found in southwestern Florida and is known for its laid-back lifestyle, tropical weather and variety of water sports. Home to luxury resorts, beach and golf courses, the western part of the island is covered with stunning beaches, popular for paddle boarding and kayaking.

Things to Do in Marco Island

Spend a day at Tigertail Beach, a postcard-worthy location, with soft, white sands and a tidal lagoon. Filled with shells on the ground and birds overhead, the relatively new beach (formed by the winds of Hurricane Wilma) is a mixture of pristine comfort and fun natural landscape. Wade through the lagoon or relax with stunning views of the Gulf. There are various watersports available and even potential dolphin sightings.

Pack a picnic and head to Frank E. Mackle Community Park complete with a playground for kids, sports pitches, a lake, shuffleboard and more. If you want to brush up on your local history, go to Marco Island Historical Museum. Focusing on Florida’s Calusa Indians, the museum retells the story of the vanished civilization, from their pioneer roots through to the island’s substantial growth in the 1960s.

Best Time to Visit Marco Island

High season on Marco Island takes place during Spring break from March to April, when temperatures reach the low 80's.

A Local's Guide to Marco Island

Travelers looking for a world-class island vacation rental can find it on Marco Island.

This beautiful island is home to white sand beaches and the laid-back atmosphere of southwest Florida. The slow pace of life attracts vacationers from across America and the rest of the world every year seeking to get away from it all for a week or two.

Dolphins can be seen off the coast, water sports are available for the active and sun-seekers can soak up the tropical weather.

Foodie fans have a choice of fresh seafood restaurants to dine at as the sun sets over the stunning landscape.

Marco Island is the largest of Florida’s ten thousand islands in the Gulf of Mexico. This barrier island is linked to the mainland by bridges to the south of Naples.

The tropical island is around four miles wide and about six miles long which means it is perfect for a quiet family vacation.

Only 90 miles west of Miami, it is not too far to travel from the mainland or for travelers are flying into a main Miami airport. The resort exploded in popularity after traffic bridges were built in the 1960s. Before then, the only way on to the island was by a narrow wooden swing bridge.

With only 15,000 inhabitants, the area sees the population double every year as more than 15,000 vacationers flock to the area to enjoy their leisure time.

See & Do

South Collier is a popular area with tourists as there are plenty of rental properties and beachfront condos to choose from.

As Marco Island is quite developed, there are not many truly unspoilt areas where visitors can get back to nature. However, the white sand beach of Tigertail Beach Park is a haven for nature-lovers and wildlife spotters. This beach is in a remote corner and surrounded by Everglades. It’s known for shorebirds and shelling with plenty of room to stretch out on a beach towel and soak up some rays. There is even a bath house and parking spaces so visitors can make a day of the trip to Tigertail Beach. A tidal lagoon is popular with kayakers and paddleboarders all year round.

For a bird's-eye view of this paradise, climb the Observation Tower for clear views out to Sand Dollar Spit and across the lagoon. There are binoculars at the top to really zoom in on some of the surrounding birds and wildlife.

There are several golf courses on or near Marco Island for visiting golfers. Hideaway Beach Golf Course is in a gated community and offers a nine-hole course while the Island Country Club is the only 18-hole course on the island.

There are plenty of vacation rentals close to these courses as well as other attractions the island has to offer.

There are lots of rental homes and beach condos to choose from on Marco Island. Whether it is for a group of friends or extended family, there is a size and style of home to suit everyone.

Condos in Marco Island

As the largest of Florida's Ten Thousand Islands in the Gulf of Mexico, Marco Island Fl in Southwest Florida has a lot to offer visitors. Expect to find soft, white sand beaches, a range of watersports to keep you entertained until the sun goes down, plus a huge collection of vacation rentals. If you keep your eyes peeled, you may even be able to see a dolphin jumping out of the waves! Tigertail Beach is one of the more popular beaches, however, there are plenty of other spot to choose from in the surrounding area too.

As an island, it's not surprising that there are many beachfront condos available to make your Marco Island vacation that bit more special. Having a beach condo means falling asleep to the sound of the waves at night and waking up to the soft sand directly outside your door. South Collier is a favorite spot with tourists for Marco Island condo rentals, although vacation homes can be found scattered all over the area.