About Marco Island
Vacationing in Marco Island
Just across the S.S. Jolley Bridge, about 300 yards from the mainland on Florida’s Gulf Coast, lies Marco Island—only 300 yards, but a world apart. Marco Island offers a peaceful tropical escape where brilliant sunrises are matched by magnificent sunsets, porpoises play in the Gulf, and eagles soar. World travelers describe Marco as “Tahiti with air conditioning.”
Marco Island sits in the southwest corner of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, roughly 200 miles southwest of Orlando, 170 miles south of Tampa, 100 miles west of Miami, and only 10 miles south of Naples. It is the northernmost and largest of the Ten Thousand Islands at the western gateway to Everglades National Park.
The island is six miles long and four miles wide, famous for its three-and-a-half-mile white-sand beach and lush foliage. Marco is a semi-tropical paradise: winter days are bright, warm, and sunny with cool, pleasant evenings. Even the hottest summer days rarely rise above the mid-90s, and Gulf breezes keep the island comfortable. Average year-round temperature is 74°F, with most of the 49 inches of annual rainfall occurring in August and September. Winter daytime temperatures generally range from the 70s to 80s.
Swimming, Sunbathing and Shelling
Swimmers, sunbathers, and shell collectors cherish Marco’s white-sand crescent beach and clear emerald waters. The calm Gulf is suitable for swimming year-round, and the beach is just minutes from any home or condo on the island. Marco is a shell collector’s delight, with dozens of varieties found on the beach and nearby islands.
Beach Access
Marco Island offers multiple public and private access points to enjoy its sandy shores. The South Beach access on the south end and Tigertail Beach on the north end are the most prominent public access points thanks to ample parking. In addition, a Residents’ Beach access is available for owners and long-term guests; parking information is provided through the Marco Island Civic Association (MICA).
Recreation
With spectacular beaches, towering palms, and abundant wildlife, Marco is a renowned resort community—ideal for relaxation, activity, and fun.
Boating and Sailing
The Ten Thousand Islands are protected sanctuaries teeming with wildlife, with easy access to the Gulf of Mexico, bays, rivers, canals, and backwaters. Whether you want to fish, sail, jet-ski, windsurf, or just cruise, Marco’s peaceful waters are perfect. Boat rentals, sales, service, and storage are convenient on the island. For the adventurous, parasailing, wave running, and scuba diving are available. Volunteer organizations such as the United States Power Squadron, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the Civil Air Patrol support boaters with education, programs, and search-and-rescue services.
Tennis, Biking, Jogging and Walking
There’s plenty of tennis and pickleball on Marco Island. Courts with both har-tru and hard surfaces are available at local facilities, and several locations offer lighted courts. Bike rental shops and bike paths make cycling easy, and golf cart rentals are common. Jogging paths and long beach walks round out the options for outdoor exercise.
Fishing
Marco Island sits amid some of the world’s finest fishing waters. Tarpon, snook, grouper, snapper, mackerel, pompano, sheepshead, amberjack, redfish, and drum are among more than 100 species found here. Backwater fishing is particularly good, and artificial reefs offshore also offer excellent action.
Dining on Marco Island
Dining out is a pleasure on Marco Island, with nearly 100 local restaurants offering everything from casual bites to fine cuisine—seafood, continental, Italian, French, Greek, Asian, and more—almost all within ten minutes of wherever you are on the island. In keeping with Marco’s low-key, unpretentious style, attire is typically casual and comfortable.
Shopping and Service Island Style
Boutiques and small businesses carry everything from casual clothing to crystal. As a self-contained island, you’ll find sporting goods, specialty shops, supermarkets, laundry and dry cleaning, beauty services, trades, healthcare, and professional services close at hand. Three post office facilities serve the island, and a staffed healthcare facility handles emergencies; Naples Community Hospital is about 30 minutes away by car.
Entertainment
Marco offers music, dancing, live theater, and movies. Hotels and local venues feature live music and jazz, including popular Sunday jam sessions. Nearby Naples adds symphonic music and live theater at notable performing arts venues.
Getting Here
Traveling to Marco Island is easy. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is less than an hour away, and Naples Airport is about 25 minutes from the island with commuter connections to major Florida airports.
Golfing in the Marco Island Area
Marco Island and the surrounding area boast an impressive selection of golf courses. On-island member courses include an 18-hole course and a 9-hole executive course. Just off the island, public, private, and semi-private facilities—such as courses at Lely Resort and many others within a short drive—offer excellent play at a range of price points. Numerous renowned designs are within 30 minutes of Marco Island.