Spend 3 Idyllic Days on Marco Island, a Tropical Escape Along Florida’s Paradise Coast

The biggest isle of Florida’s Ten Thousand Island archipelago, Marco Island may be accessible by causeway, but it still has the feel of a tropical escape. Measuring four-by-six miles, you can easily park your car for the weekend and rent a cruiser bike to get around. Or you could go full beach mode and have the most walking you do be the 500 or so feet between your oceanfront hotel room and the shore.

If you really want to see why they call it the Paradise Coast follow this Marco Island itinerary and explore all corners of the island, experience the Everglades, and venture to see a mysterious mansion lost to rising tides.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Friday: Hit the Beach

Start your vacation off on a high note with breakfast at Doreen’s Cup of Joe.

Ask for a table on the covered porch and order some morning apps, such as nachos topped with scrambled eggs or homemade doughnut holes. Served in mason jars, the cocktails are great, so why not get a round for the table? As Florida’s unofficial patron saint Jimmy Buffett would say, “It’s five o’clock somewhere.”

After breakfast, make a bee-line for the beach. Set up shop at Tigertail Beach on the island’s northwest side. With three miles of white sand and year-round warm water thanks to its gulfside location, you’ll soon understand why this area is called Paradise Coast.

Take a cat nap under your umbrella or scour the shoreline for the washed-up former homes of clams, limpets, and lion’s paws. As a barrier island, Marco is known for its exceptional shells washed ashore.

Once your crew is beached out, head inland to Marco Island Center for the Arts to see paintings, sculptures and pottery made by local artists. The center’s gift shop and the Keep in Touch Store, housed in a working post office, are good spots to grab a tropical-themed souvenir.

Make your way to Old Marco for lunch at LeeBe Fish. Try the local special stone crab if it’s in season or choose the catch of the day, blackened and served on a pile of fries.

In the evening, it’s back to the shore. Facing west, Marco Island has some epic sunsets.

Watch the sun drop behind the water at Marco Beach before strolling over to JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. The sprawling resort offers a perfect meal or nightcap.

Enjoy dinner at 10K Alley before getting in a few rounds of bowling on the restaurant’s lanes. After, make sure to Visit the beachfront Kane Tiki Bar & Grill for rum-based cocktails.

Saturday: Experience the Everglades

The Florida Everglades, the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, sits just a 45-minute drive from Marco Island and provides a fascinating contrast to the breezy beach.

Order a cup of coffee or tea from Wake Up Marco on your way out of town and head south to Everglades City, a popular getaway in the northwestern corner of the park.

Visit Clyde Butcher Big Cypress Gallery to first check out stunning nature photography and then begin on a two-hour walking tour through what locals call “real Florida.” Wear an athletic outfit and pack a change of clothes. You’ll walk through water that can get up to waist deep depending on the season. Along the way, the guide will point out orchids, ferns, irises, and other prehistoric flora the area is known for.

Before you depart the park, experience the Everglades from a different vantage point. Sign up for one of the many airboat rides out of Everglades City. The flat-bottomed watercraft skids across the water at remarkable speeds. Fly through mangroves tunnels, just large enough for the large propeler. Question this morning’s swamp as you take in up-close-and-personal views of a few of the 200,000 alligators who call the Everglades home.

Dry off and drive back on Highway 41 through Everglades City to Chokoloskee Island. At HavAnnA Cafe, dig into Cuban staples like media noche — similar to a Cuban sandwich, but with a sweet egg loaf bread — and shrimp tostones.

Head on back to the home base for your Marco Island weekend getaway and finish the evening at The SpeakEasy. Located at the end of a small quiet canal in Marco Island, the dockside restaurant charms with pub food, water views, and craft cocktails.

Sunday: Oysters and Offshore Adventure

You’re still on island time for another day, so head to Mango’s Dockside Bistro for a leisurely breakfast. Any kids in tow will be mesmerized by the saltwater fish tank and man-made waterfall. Adults will appreciate the dreamy views and seasonal fresh fruit.

Take the opportunity to visit a few of Marco Island’s smaller sisters in the Ten Thousand Island archipelago.Set off from JW Marriott’s guided WaveRunner tour or on a boat from one of the many marinas to see the whole archipelago. Many of these miniature isles offer beaches piled with light pink shells.

The ocean’s most fascinating spectacle is located off of the southern tip of Cape Romano Island. You won’t be able to miss the igloo-shaped structures, making up the Cape Romano Dome House, protruding from the surf. The waterlogged mansion was once the 1980s home of a wealthy oil producer, but rising water levels forced the family to abandon the beach home in 1992.

Refuel on the mainland at Crabby Lady with peel-and-eat shrimp and some blue crab dip.

Spend the afternoon relaxing on the sand or visit Calusa Park Butterfly Garden, an 105-acre property dedicated to the preservation of Florida wildlife. Watch native species flutter in the gorgeous butterfly conservatory.

Pack your board shorts away and get gussied up for a sophisticated dinner at The Oyster Society. Start dinner with a classic cocktail and a dozen oysters, and finish your meal with a slice of house-made Key West Key Lime Pie.

If you want to keep the party going just a bit longer, visit the Snook Inn for a waterfront nightcap under the stars.