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Marco Island Beaches

Barefoot Beach

Clam Pass

Naples Pier

Favorite Beaches

Sanibel-Captiva

Wiggins Pass

Fort Myers

May through September many nesting sea turtles travel to Florida's Coast to feed and nest, or lay eggs.
Click here for more Facts About Sea Turtles.

Annual Mullet Festival at Stan’s Idle Hour Goodland Mullet Festival
Held annually the weekend before the
Superbowl.

Marco Island is the largest of the Ten thousand islands and a boaters paradise giving access to 10,000 exotic beach locations for beach picnics, seashell shelling or overnight camping.

Often I find myself fishing the waters off Marco Island from the S.S. Jolly Bridge (entry to Marco from the mainland) to Cape Romano deep into 10,000 Islands. I think you agree, Marco Island is a "Tropical Paradise." and a great launch point to adventure in the Tropical waters of Southwest Florida.

Marco is the largest island of Ten Thousand Islands and 3 public beaches in addition to the resort and condo beaches.

I've spend many a weekend atThe Marriott Beach Hotel & Resort enjoying the countless amenities offered by this Hotel.The resort is quite large in a good way.

4 pools,the beach stretches the length of the property and joins other hotel & Condo beaches which means miles of sugar sand.

Watch out in May to October if you like to walk the beach in the swallows. If you do you must learn the "The Shuffle".

Residents Only Beach

The lot is always full. Residents with beach stickers park for free and I guess no resident no beach.

Tigertail Beach

Located on Hermando Drive, thirty-one aces of natural preserves, lagoons and coastline. Tiger tail is a beautiful beach, shelling is great but a long hot walk to the Gulf Beach. Many think it’s worth it some don't.The park offers many things to do include Eco-nature tours and canoe rentals. The beach is a long walk through hot sand which brings you to a Lagoon and you’re still not at the end of your walk.

You now have 2 choices. One walk through the Lagoon to reach the Gulf or Two go around. If you have small children and lots of beach stuff you might rethink this beach for another.

Tiger Tail Beach:

Facilities•
210 Parking Spaces.
Resident Beach Stickers, Visitors $8.00•
Bathhouse•
5 Boardwalks•

Concessions•
Picnic areas with grills• Sand volleyball court•
Playground• Butterfly Garden•
Handicapped Beach wheelchair• Rest Rooms•
Outdoor Showers• Beach Rentals•
8am - Sunset

My favorite of all Marco Island Beaches is

South Marco Beach

located at Cape Marco (the very end of Marco Island). Picturesque, offering a striking view of the beautiful Hi-Rise Condo Vera Cruz at Cape Marco and a jetty some fifty yards out provides a great habitat for fish making this beach a good choice for shore fishing as well.

There are no restrooms or concessions at the beach, but a Seven Eleven one block up has what you need. Parking for the beach is limited so go early. Parking is on Swallow Ave. and S. Collier Blvd - 5 minute walk to the beach

Goodland Florida

The tiny community of Goodland, located off State Road 92 at the southeast corner of Marco Island, offers visitors a laid back charm unlike any other place in the region.

The stillness of the village, where cats and dogs can be found napping in the streets, changes drastically on Sundays when hundreds of residents and visitors make the pilgrimage to Stan's for an afternoon of outdoor music, drinks and dancing.

Johnny Roberts is believed to have founded Goodland in the late 1800's. He named it Goodland Point because it featured a 40-acre shell mound left by the Calusa Indians that was ideal for growing fruit and vegetables. It was also a great location to fish. Roberts would later sell his squatter's rights to Samuel Alexander Pettit, around 1890.

By 1949, the shape of Goodland would forever change with the arrival of families from nearby Caxambas. Developers moved the families to Goodland in an effort to launch ambitious building plans, which failed to materialize.

Goodland's isolation remained virtually intact until 1938 when State Road 92 was completed and a swing bridge installed. At that time, Pettit's son Harry single-handedly built the winding Goodland road to the state road intersection using shells from the Calusa mounds.

Today, Goodland continues to buck the significant development changes around it. About 200 residents call the fishing community home.

Marker 8 Restaurant opens in Goodland in former Crabby Lady spot

By JENINE C. OUILLETTE

Marker 8 Restaurant's co-owners Dave Surber, left, and Jimmy Ketchum are pictured in the restaurant's newly remodeled, air-conditioned dining room. The windows in the background overlook Goodland Bay.

Something old is new again in Goodland. The long-closed, former Crabby Lady eatery at 123 Bayshore Way has been transformed into the laid-back Marker 8 Restaurant co-owned by veteran restaurateur Jimmy Ketchum and expert bartender Dave Surber. The equally laid-back partners opened for business on June 3 and, for now, the bright and breezy waterfront restaurant/porch beer and wine bar is open for breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m., and lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. If you go bring cash but MasterCard and Visa is in the works and may even be available next week. Call 393-0888 to inquire about paying with plastic or any other information.

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