South Marco Beach Reviews

This could be a fairly nice beach but it's just another one destroyed by jet skis. Who wants to listen to droning engines of jet skis while you are trying to relax on the beach.
We watched them harass and run down any dolphin that showed it's head. Noisy polluting machines on the water. Pathetic. Many places in Florida and especially the Caribbean have wisely banned their use on the beaches and limit them to back bays. Marco island planners obviously don't care much about the environment. But don't ride your bike on the beach! Go somewhere else where the city planners are wiser.

If you wanna collect shells here is the beach to do it, we stayed at the JW Marriott and you can walk for miles on this beach. When we where there it wasn't crowded at all

We have visited multiple times. Best to park in the most southerly parking spot as the walk between the hotels is just across the road. There are life vests for the kids on the walkway to the beach for the kids but you need to get there early to use em up. Before 9:30 there is parking at the local parking spot post that you will queue and there is no parking allowed on any streets in the area.

Easy to find. Parking across the street for $8. Powdery white sand, warm sun, plenty of beautiful shelling, water was warm. Like most of Marco everyone seemed pretty elderly but still a fun time.

Beautiful gulf beach, best shelling, stunning views. Best experience in Florida and on Marco Island! See dolphins, shells galore!

We stayed at the Charter Cub of Marco Island and we have been coming here for more than 16 years every year. We like that the resort only has 80 units and we always go before kids are out of school so it’s quiet and peaceful. Lol The beach is a few yards away and the pool is right downstairs. The staff is friendly. The activities are ok. Mainly suited for the younger than 60 crowd or the more active seniors which we’re not. But they have bikes , tennis, bouchée ball, ping pong, hobbie boats, games and other activities at scheduled times, even Margarita time. All and all we enjoy coming down and meeting up with family.

We loved it here, found hundreds of shells and walked the beach 2-3 times a day had a little bit of what we were told was remnants of red tide on 12/5 but the next 5 days were perfect. We were here 15 years ago and not much has changed as far as a great beach 🏖 beautiful sunsets almost every night the photos are from our balcony at Apollo

The beach was not too crowded and there were so many shells for our girls to collect. The best part was the 9 armed starfish that we found were able to admire for a few minutes.

This is a nice beach especially when it is not crowded.There are many broken shells near the water which hinder walking with bare feet. I prefer the southern part of Ft Meyer Beach.

Horrible public parking. Tried several times throughout the week to go to this beach and was never able to get a parking spot. They need to seriously consider figuring out more parking.

We stay at Eagles Nest Resort so we had direct access. Beautiful white sand beach. Saw a few dolphins swim by. Chairs/umbrellas are available for rent on a daily or weekly basis. Weekly is the best deal.

Absolutely beautiful beach. We paid to park (I think $10) and had a short walk to the beach down a boardwalk. Easy access to the beach and it was clean and not overly crowded. Beautiful water and we didn't have to bother with seaweed. Even though my wife didn't like the, there were plenty of beautiful seashells everywhere for those that love to collect unbroken shells.

Get there early for a parking spot as we had to wait for the public lot - very few available spots. However, beach was clean and full of great shells!

We went to Marco Island Public Beach Access on S. Collier Ave., earlier this month. We were renting a house 3 blocks away. There is no public parking so my husband dropped myself with my 2 children off and returned our vehicle to the house we were renting. He road his bike to the beach and since he did not have a bike lock, he "PARKED" his $2000 bike under our beach canopy next to our beach chairs. About 30 minutes later a police officer on a golf cart came up and told him the bike was not allowed & proceeded to ask for my husbands I.D. so he could give him a written warning. He also asked my husbands height for some reason. Then he told us we should be glad it was only a warning because he technically could give us a $500 ticket! I've lived in Florida for over 20 years, visited numerous beaches including Treasure Island, Naples, Panama City, Key West, Miami, Ormond Beach, to name a few. My poor husband he was very upset. A local resident saw what happened to us and apologized to us on behalf of Marco Island. My husband had to leave me with all the beach chairs and canopy to disassemble and drag to the end of the street, since he did not want a $500 ticket.

Great beach- lots of shells to collect- beach not so busy as summer months when visited.
Only downside was the $8 charge for parking for all day- especially if you are popping down for a couple of hours to watch the sunset you still have to pay the full $8.

This beach is very pretty but it is nearly impossible to find a place to park. There is a very small private lot that fills up really quickly. There is a lot on Collier, but is only for contractors during the week. They direct you to the JW Marriot, but the Marriot doesn't allow you to park there. Such a pain. Get there really early.

Marco Island was a big surprise to us. Expected a little more beachy setting, instead it's just a big busy built up place. Although once we finally managed to find a way to the beach, and parking was not available anywhere, the beach was beautiful! So big we didn't even walk all the way down to the water - it was so far. But cool white soft sand was great as well. But Marco Island in general was a disappointment as mentioned, it's over-grown, over-built, condo and hotel haven along the coast. Will not be going back.

Parking is awful. Beautiful beach but if you aren’t staying at a resort on the beach, it’s almost impossible to rent an umbrella. No public bathrooms close by. And if you aren’t staying at a resort, they won’t let you use their restrooms. Wish I had known this before dragging two small kids from Fort Myers Beach. The one company that would rent umbrellas to the public was being worked by a frail Harry cheated young guy who was incredibly rude. But the water was calm and clear, the beach was beautiful and great for small kids as far as safety. Just come early for parking and bring an umbrella and chairs

Soft sand and loads of shells. Not many people here walking. I saw many people fishing. I love shelling, so it was great for me! I also saw dolphins so this walk and beach is a winner for me! I will go back....the water is so clear and blue!

The white sand beach was clean and the water clear and calm, though a little chilly for swimming at 63 degrees F. The sand is perfect packed for walking along the water. The public entrance was well kept with a good-working station to rinse off before leaving. Our condo provides drop-off and pick-up. I understand that parking is often difficult to impossible.

The beach is wide, with plenty of space. The public access points have foot washing stations at the entrances so that you can wash the sand off of your feet before putting shoes back on. There are also life jackets available to borrow for free for kids. The only real downsides are that there's limited parking for the public, and limited access points for the public. Neither are an issue if you're staying at one of the various properties that are right on the beach.
The beach usually has gorgeous sunsets as well.

There's essentially three beaches in Marco Island, South, Residence, and Tiger Tail. South Beach is my favorite. The dolphins hang out near the pier. The condos at the end of the beach are pretty impressive to look at. The water is like bath water. The one maybe negative is the parking, especially in the summer. The parking lot is small and it's a flat fee no matter how long you stay. Get there really early, or really late.

avoid the far south section as it is near the public access and gets very crowded although the shelling by the breakwater is the best.

We stayed the week there, although our original plans were for Sanibel Island. Marco was red tide free and not experiencing any of the horrors going on in other areas. The water was amazing. Clear and warm. You could spend all day out there floating and hanging out. Good shelling if you get up early enough to beat the other seekers. I'm talking pre-dawn if you really want to get serious. Amazing sunsets. It was a little raiiny here and there but we didn't mind. It made for interesting and dramatic skies! It's turtle season there so lights out at 9pm. Or at least you have to close your blackout shades so as not to interrupt the mom turtles making their trek to lay eggs, and for the babies who hatch to make their way back to the sea. They mark the fresh nests with posts and ribbon so you know where not to go. I'm glad they do that. Not too many people and easy to find a spot to park your umbrella. It was divine!

This is a very nice beach especially for our toddler grandkids. The water was very calm and tapered off very gradually allowing for some excellent splashing along the shore. There were also loads of shells for collecting. For those who want water sports and to rent chairs and umbrellas, there were several places to do that. We parked in the public parking for $8 and it was a short walk to the beach. We enjoyed this beach more than Tigertail with the little ones. Although Tigertail is beautiful and is more natural looking, South Marco was a better family beach for playing in the water.

We arrived about 9 am and found this beach to be so lovely, clean and pretty! People didn’t begin arriving until about 10:30 with their wagon loads and kids in tow. It’s a shelling paradise for sure! We liked the fact that they offered life jackets for little ones to use. Later in the morning we saw the beach patrol vehicle travel up and down the beach. The water was so warm and inviting, as was watching the boats sail in the distance. Will definitely return!

The hurricane didn't do much damage that I can see to this beach. The rocky jetty at the south might be a little smaller, but other than that, it's still a wonderful beach. Park across from the entrance at Swallow Ave ($8 county run parking, or residents with a MICA pass park at Sarazan) and take a pretty walk to the entrance. Soft sand, lots of shells, and often, very clear and calm water. The sunsets are just lovely at this spot. There is a restroom at the parking area, and a shower to rinse off.

Nice scenery, clean water. A bit small which got crowded by noon. Limited shelling and no facilities to speak of.

Loved this beach but parking is hard if you get there later in the day. Turtle parking ($15 through app) was still a walk to the middle beach access. But if you can walk from where you stay, that may be a good idea.

There isnt place to rent chairs and umbrellas so plan on bringing our own umbrella if you want to get some shade from the sun. Its all open area. Beach itself is great! Water was calm and warm and the sand is a bit shelly at parts but still good for kids to build sandcastles and play in the sand.

Love, love, love this beach!!! Convenient location, also love having The Sunset Grille right there on the beach. Also great shelling.

We've been to lots of Caribbean beaches and honestly..this is just as good. The only one with bluer water is Turks and Caicos. These beaches are amazing. White sand, blue water, just the right amount of surf at times. No one haggling you on the beach. Yes...expect LOTS of shells. In some spots it can actually hurt your feet but if you move down the beach one way or another it will lighten up. It definitely didn't detract from our experience...only added to it - found full sand dollars and some other amazing shells. We also saw lots of starfish in the water! There is lots of confusion about the beaches at Marco. There is Residence Beach....you cannot get on (and don't bother sneaking on) if you aren't a resident. Then there are beach entrances that are kind of hidden off of Collier if you don't know they are there. When you see a light up yellow pedestrian crossing that is a good indication of the beach entrances. The only entrances with parking are way south of Residence Beach....and you kind of have to scope out the lots. (There is also Tigertail beach which is north of Residence....we didn't go there.) The parking lots are kind of hidden on the left as you travel south on Collier. One costs $12 and is in and out all day and one costs $8 but you are stuck there. The beaches near the parking spots are, of course, more crowded. We ended up shuttling from our house rental to one of the walk on entrances - and the beach there was perfect. Wide enough....not crowded. The closest entrance for us was just north of the Marriott...there is a small walkway where you can get on - but be prepared b/c you still have to schlepp your stuff down the walkway and across a half decent size beach. If you have a caddy thing...use it. There isn't a good drop off spot so we would just turn down Maple....drop and load....and be on our way across the street to the beach. But then someone would have to go home, ride their bike or walk back. It worked...but, it is kind of pain. We also road bikes to the beach but of course you can't bring all your stuff with you. I wish there was a beach shuttle that would run around town since the beach parking situation isn't so great. We'd be back but for sure I would find a house rental that was walking distance to one of the small beach entrances on Collier.

Parked in lot on Swallow. Paid $8 for the day. Short walk to a beautiful white sand beach. Plenty of space. Shells make the sand by the water hard to walk on so wear flip flops and the rest is perfect!

Most of the highrise resorts are on South Marco Beach and they have private access. There is a public parking lot but it fills up fast. Shelling here was better than at Tigertail.

The beach was very nice and clean. The water was clean. The walk to the beach was shaded and very pretty. Make sure you park in dessignated parking areas. We got a ticket for blocking the sidewalk in front of the house my relatives were renting near the beach. Parking is expensive here.

Early morning walkers and joggers were surprised by dolphins playing near shore. We stayed at the Apollo and loved our views. Lots of shells and clean beach

We weren’t staying beachfront so parking was the biggest concern for us. Luckily, we got to the lot early enough for a spot - around 10 am on Sunday. It was already filling up though. I liked this stretch of beach better than Tigertail due to the convenience - short walk, near restaurants, bathrooms, etc. We had good luck shelling here too. Like Tigertail, beware of the sand. In many areas, it’s essentially small shells that are painful to walk on - especially for little ones. We scoped out multiple spots looking for the smoothest sand. Also, water wasn’t as clear as I was hoping. But that can’t be controlled. We talked to a local and he said it’s been like that all year due to wind and weather. All in all, we enjoyed our day at this beach.

We didn’t last long. All 5 of us where coughing terribly once we got to the water. We saw lots of dead fish in the water and some on shore.

The most spectacular beach on the Gulf. The sand is powdery and the shells are plentiful. Bring an umbrella and stay all day? There is a restaurant nearby for eats and drinks or pack a hamper. Sunsets here are amazing. Go early to claim your spot!

What a fun place to visit.

I have been on beaches all over the World but have never seen so many shells or indeed enthusiastic collectors foraging as if for Gold.

The beach is truly amazing with powdery sand and shells of all shapes and sizes and colours.

The vista is somewhat spoiled however, by the significant number of high rise Hotel buildings running along the beach.

A great place for families of all ages.

I noted comments about parking. We parked across from the Hilton Hotel in a public car-park and accessed the beach through the Hotel after using it as a coffee stop.

A fantastic place to visit.

I see many people complain about beach parking and access. Like said, if you own a condo on the island ( I have for 25 years) or are staying at the few hotels or timeshares the beach is for you (us). If you drive over the bridge and expect to go to the beach, well, good luck ! This is by design. many would even like a toll on the bridge to make it less accessible to others. I'm just sayin"

At the JW Marriott I visited their cafe three mornings. Worked on my
Cookbook and enjoyed a couple fine espressos until the last day. Mercedes an excellent employee made me a couple Cuban coffees. Cortaditos. Espresso with cream and sugar.

They were amazing and service exceeded my expectations. Mercedes brought out the second one and added just bit more sugar. All to my liking.

All the best to a great staff.

There are only a few public access points to Marco Island beaches. This one has paid parking across the street and the beach itself is a very short walk to the water. It's just plain beautiful. It's almost a guarantee that you will see some dolphin activity on a daily basis. Also, if you get hungry or thirsty, the Sunset Grill restaurant can be accessed from the beach. Have a cold one or enjoy one of their famous cheese steaks!

Living only three blocks from the beach, I walk there often. I consider it the best public beach on the Island; however, parking in season in its pay lot can be a problem. I recommend getting there early. Later in the day, cars can be lined up waiting for a spot. The adjacent MICA lot is for members only. Don't even try. Parking on the street will be met with a $95 ticket. The private Turtle Lot, a short distance away on Collier is an option with its own beach access and typically has space. Tigertail Beach on the north end of the island, with parking, though not as nice in my opinion, is another option for beach goers. Residence Beach between South Beach and Tigertail Beach on Collier is also private and you will be turned away by the guard.

This beach is beautiful with its soft white sand. Some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Marco Island tends to be an expensive travel destination. The Tigertail Nature Preserve is a must visit on the north end of the beach.

Marco Island is wonderful place, with a beach at it's core. The sand is beautiful, but because of the sea shell makeup is rougher than one might expect. The beach is so peaceful, and is a great place to go shelling, or to just sit under a canopy umbrella, or in the sun! There are a number of great restaurants and bars in close proximity to the water, for a drink, snacks, or to have a bite! We were "on the beach" for a week, and felt rested and ready to return....even while we were heading to the airport, to head home!

This is a beautiful beach. Great for walking, hanging out and shells. We were staying at the JW and walked down to the Tiger Tail area. Really interesting area of the beach. There is a nature preserve and it’s like a deserted beach. I wouldn’t sit in that area for the day but it was nice to see.

Marco Island. Can't say enough. Great beach and the JW Marriott was an awesome place to stay! We will be back!

We have stayed in Marco many times and this is the first in the South Beach area. The beach is clean and the water is perfect. It’s a very quiet end of the island which is nice.

Marco Island beach is a very relax place at this time of the year. The sunset are espectacular and enjoyable at a bar beach with a drink of your preference.

This is a truly great place for sunsets. Not at all crowded and easy to get a good view. The shelling is great any time of day but very good right after sunset.

We went at dusk to see the sun set, it was beautiful! Wear sand shoes, lots of sharp shells. Can't wait to go back and spend the day!

My boyfriend and I went to south Marco beach for sunset and I wouldn’t go again. The public parking lot was very small and chaotic and the beach was way too crowded. Head to the naples pier for sunset! It is the perfect place and lots of parking as well as public bathrooms and plenty of space on the beach!

Marco Island is beautiful! The beach is lovely and everything is very well kept. The beaches north of it all the way up to fort meyers, including sanibel and captiva isalnds, were all devastated by red tide. Dead fish for miles and floating belly up in every water way around! Although we did experience the respiratory irritants with coughing and sneezing, there were very few dead fish on south marco beach and we were able to enjoy some beach time! There is a small public parking lot that was $8.00 for the entire day if you are able to get a spot. Very convenient.

We specifically accessed this beach to watch the sunset and enjoy a less crowded time at the beach. It was wonderful. Sunset did not disappoint. Conveniently there were a few concrete benches as we did not carry in chairs, etc since we would not be there a long time. Clean and well maintained beach No charge, but nearby parking was $8...a standard for either beach on this island....although the fee could be used at both beaches on same day

Very pretty public beach at the south end of the island. There are no facilities and the parking is a bit of trouble, but we finally got a spot in the lot across the street. The sunset was simply amazing. There is a restaurant in one of the condos that allows beach goers to eat and enjoy cocktails. Very nice visit.

There is parking available across the road for $8.00 but parking spaces are limited. The sand is fine white and feels so good under the feet. Was there August 8, 2017

I love this beach!! The amount of shells you can find here is astounding. The beach is all white beautiful sand.

We visited during the red tide, and there were a lot of dead fish that washed up from the tide, but the maintenance workers came by each morning and cleaned the beach of all dead marine life.

I still rate this 5 stars because the beach is huge and there is plenty of room to find a spot to relax, and the amount of shells there is just breathtaking.

We arrived at 1pm and stayed just passed 6. The beach had groomed white sand that was soft. Down a bit further, the ocean was almost like a zero entry pool, gradually sloping without any drop offs. When the tide went out there were tons of beautiful shells. Wonderful place for a family to spend the day!

This is a very nice beach. There’s not much public parking and any available will cost you to park. Then expect a long walk with your beach stuff. But once there, it’s very nice. Tons of quality seashells and ample white sand shores. Not much shade but rental umbrellas and chairs from vendors or bring your own. Bathrooms? Well no… you can go to the gas station nearby, fake your way into a beachside resort or pee in the ocean… gross. Either way, very inconvenient for all visitors. Wake up Marco! But I still love this section of beach. Beautiful! Often crowded at peak times. Get there early and get your spot or assume slim pickings. Not much local food or beverage vendors either. Pack it in and out.

My wife and I really enjoy this beach every year that we go to Naples. We have saw dolphins swimming in this area every time, and last year we caught star fish as well. The beach is kind of shelly, but still beautiful.

Beautiful white sands beach with turquoise water. Very clean, bathrooms, showers, parking is small but easy access to the beach. I’ll do it again definitely. The area is awesome.

The beach is beautiful and to summarize if you are debating between other beaches similar to clear water.
Marco Island has beautiful white sand, many shells, Little waves, beautiful sunsets, relaxing surroundings, nice place to snorkel. You might even get lucky to see Wild Dolphins. Marco Island is lacking public parking, places to eat, and activities for kids(beach front).This place is very similar to siesta keys where it’s surrounded with condos. This place is perfect to relax. We ended up driving to Miami for more night life with the drive being only about two hours.

Beautiful beach , great shells , and very clean. My whole family loved it. The parking is the only issue (especially on a Saturday ) that can be challenging.

The beach was so beautiful and the water so crystal clear. The beach is wide and the sand soft and white. Walking along the beach is nice to see all those pretty hotels and condominiums. It is an spectacular area to visit...a must to be added to anyone’s bucket list

We came to Marco with a large family vacation. South Marco beach is fantastic. Well maintained and easily accessible. There's close parking and a nice walk way with s place to wash your feet. If you go at the right time you might get to see the turtle nests. There's lots of shells here. In June the water was occasionally a bit choppy but nothing to bad. The water temp. Was mid 80's, almost bath water temp. This is a great beach for sunset and running on the morning.

really nice beach. And after a night with lots of big waves from a far distant hurricane, tons of shells.

Must if you go near the area. They rebt umbrellas and seats bit you can take your owns too. Bunch of places to buy nearby either way.

Public parking is a little tricky to find but exists. The earlier in the morning the better

The beach is beautiful and close in proximity to restaurants and beach rental equipment. Great place to visit whether your there to swim sunbath or walk the sea shore picking up some unique shells. It’s a shame that Marco didn’t save more land from developers to have more adequate public parking for elderly and the disabled. Unfortunately you have to be a owner to park in there town lot. They could use some maintenance on the beach access. Broken water lines are preventing the outside shower rinse station from functioning.

This is my husband's favorite area of the Marco Island Beach. Our kids had fun snorkeling along the rocky jetty when we were there one afternoon. The water was very clear and calm. Sure, the snorkeling would probably be a lot better way out, but for young teenagers, it was a perfect afternoon. Personally, I like to go here in the morning or at sunset. Lots of beautiful views! There is parking across Collier Blvd in a County lot. If you have a county pass (homeowners/taxpayers in the county) then you can park there for free; otherwise it is $8 all day. In addition, there is a small sand washing spot there, plus a restroom. No amenities on the beach, really. If you own property on Marco Island and are a member of MICA, you can park in the Sarazan Parking lot, which is typically empty. Guests staying on the island for four weeks can actually get a temporary MICA membership so they can park in Sarazan, as well. There is a little area where someone can drop off a group by the entrance to the beach, as well. Convenient if not everyone wants to go to the beach, especially during peak season when parking might be scarce.

It's all about Red Tide and tourism. Beautiful beaches with no one on them. Coughing, red irritated eyes, wheezing and that's from a group never knowing allergies. Off shore breezes made the pools wonderful but o shore breezes brought the spores well inland. Parents we spoke with wondered why their kids had flu like symptoms. Official notices are available if you look and are played down, personal opinion here. Impacted are more than just those with compromised respiratory systems - I can't imagine what they'd experience.

There is a parking lot nearby, you can get dropped off, or ride a bike and lock it up, to get here. The entrance is right next to the Apollo Condominiums. There is a well marked public access path to get in. There are complimentary life jackets for kids, on the honor system, at the entrance. Unlike Tigertail Beach to the north, this beach offers a short walk to the water. However, it does get crowded in season. The sand is soft and white; the water has the lovely turquoise color with gentle waves. The Sunset Bar & Grille on the first floor of the Apollo Condos' is open to the public and right on this beach. See the pelicans dive for fish and watch as dolphins swim up and down the shore. The sunsets are magnificent. It's all good.

Easy to get to, easy to park, and a restroom nearby...if you’re spending the day at the beach in Marco Island, I would suggest this one. The shell finding was also outstanding.

As European i had a lot of expectations but wow what a disappointment! 99.9% of the beaches are private, no way to access nor parking there. Insane. We should do the same in EU and let the Americans pay for every step they do. How in the world may be possible that normal people cannot even see the beauty of the country? If you are not reach you cannot do anything here. We have been in Italy, Spain, Greece and 99.9% of the beaches are public! You can park along the street. Europeans stay away from Florida it's totally not worth your time and money

I think this beach is much like Siesta Key, which has been ranked tops in the US. you can walk, jog or perhaps even bike on the firmer sand near the water. sand away from water is nice. opportunities to rent waverunners, parasail, kayaks , windsurfers, etc. very nice beach, clean, excellent boardwalk access, public sprays to rinse after leaving beach.

Beautiful beach. Can get crowded on weekend but it is Florida! Nice walking along the sugar sand, most people shelling and the sunsets are some of the most beautiful you will ever see !

During our annual trip to Marco Island, no matter where we're staying, we make sure to spend our morning and several sunsets walking along the beach. It's the most beautiful part of Marco Island and our trip is not complete without our walks and shell collecting. Don't miss this opportunity - sunsets are stunning from there.

No red tide. Beautiful out there! Not too busy. Nice and clean sand. Perfect. The Gulf was warm and blue.

We stayed on South Marco Beach and fully enjoyed walking the beach, collecting shells, and watching the sunset over the gulf. The beach was easy to walk on. There were public access points and parking available, although we stayed at the Apollo condo complex right on the beach. We would highly recommend a trip to South Marco Beach!

Great beach, very large sandy area so easy to space out in today's day of social distancing. Water is generally calm and warm temperature so easy for anyone to get in and enjoy the gulf. If you are into seashells then this is a great place to get some that has easy access. Because there are a lot of shells it can sometimes be tough on feet, so be prepared with some water shoes if you have sensitive feet.

Great place to watch the sunset over the water.

Love the beach at Marco, you have to like shells to love this beach on the gulf as much as I do (don't call it the ocean locals will correct you) wide and clean, and the residents are very protective of the whole island and their beaches and turtles.

This was my favorite spot for beach time as it has easy public access (We stayed in a house.), close parking (though $10/day), less crowded (vs in front of the Hilton) and the Sunset Grill was right there (looked like great food and restrooms available). The Sunset Grill was closed one weekday; I believe it was Tuesday.

We were able to spend a good portion of the day at this beach...it was a little busy and slightly crowded. The surf was not too rough...and the experience was nice.

We then returned to the same area on the beach, right before sunset...and were able to catch some fantastic views. Barely any people on the beach at sunset...and absolutely a cool experience. Definitely make a trip here...right before sunset on a clear evening...and you will not be disappointed.

We only stopped for a brief beach visit at Marco Island as we were returning from an earlier trip to the Everglades, but because it was late afternoon, the crowds seemed to have thinned a bit, and we had an easier time finding parking. This was a beautiful place for shells, sand, and sunsets, and the water was so clear. I can’t wait to return.

Great sand and surf.....dolphins playin this area, beach bar close and can walk to rental areas for water activities or walk along the shore. Tons of shells. Not too deep?...kids can play. Washrooms are not real close, parking area can get busy and they charge. Other beaches you have to walk further to the water. Been coming for over 20 years, so I am biased.

This beach is the easiest access beach...20 min from our RV resort on Tamiami trail.. convenient parking right across the street off Swallow rd...8,00$ for the day ...sand is awesome and water is warm - fabulous sunsets..beach is wide but can sit right by the water. ..if you a shell collector it's a win win...I found the best shells and mini conch shells - hundreds...! There is a sunset grille right on beach to have a quick bite or dinner....Pina Colada are fabulous and beers ard cold...
Calamari and shrimp were yummy....we will make numerous trios here while staying in Everglades area....traffic isn't bad and easy access

We went to South Beach almost every day of our week-long vacation. For the hot months, best to go early, when there is shade cover from the condos until about 9:30. The water is warm and calm-great for our 7 moth old, three year-old, and 5 year-old. Our family saw dolphins and manatees swimming just a few feet from us. The beach is safe and accessible with a parking lot nearby. Overall, just a nice place to build sandcastles and swim.

Beautiful quiet beach. Lots of seaweed this visit, which is unusual, but still ok. Manatee swam up to shallow water on beach this time, so very cool.

Went to Marco island on a day trip. Tried to find the public Beach area and was tricky to find but after asking around we found the parking lot and walkway to the beach. Parking is $8 all day, even if you stay 2 hours. The sand has a variety of sugar white sand and shells/shell sand. Lots of birds like to hang out and are not frightened by you. Big area to walk or hang out in the sun on. It got cloudy when we came so I imagine the sunsets are great.

We frequent South Beach in the morning for great surf fishing depending on the tide and time of year. We are catching pompeneau, and sea trout. Parking is USD$ 8, but it is a bit of a hike to get to the south end of the beach.

Nice beach aa with a lot of shells. Somewhat colder than expected but beautiful to spend a couple of hours.

South Marco Beach is a beautiful beach with lovely turquoise green water!!! The parking is nearby and The Sunset Grill Restaurant is right there on the beach with excellent food and service!!!

We watched people trying to park on and off through the Memorial Day Weekend. On Sunday there was a 2 to 3 hour wait to get into the lot and Monday maybe an hour.. If you are not there before noon forget it. If you live on the Island or are staying here you should drop off the people go back to your rental and have uber or the taxi drop you back to the drop off point. If you are off the island, you are in for a long wait. Families and friends should try to carpool. all the time, as parking is limited.

This beach seems to be popular with sunbathers and fishermen but not much for shelling. It was also very clear that there were areas where the public isn't allowed which didn't make for a hospitable environment.

The white sand covers the beach, shells, dolphins, birds and visitors from all over the world. The evening sunsets are breathtaking. Clean, groomed daily, food and drinks available at several of the resorts. No public restrooms. Several excellent restaurants near the beach and at the Hilton and Marriott resorts.

We recently stayed a week on Marco Island and found ourselves visiting South Marco Beach several times during our stay. Our family would get setup in an area and the women would enjoy the sun & beach and the men would go surf/beach fishing and swimming. We went during the Snowbird Season so the beach did get busy around 11:30am each day but a few mornings we came down at Sunrise (7:30-8am) and the beach is almost empty. Parking lots can fill up during the on-season so I'd recommend getting there around 10am to avoid any logistical problems.

If you go on a weekday it's not terribly crowded. There's a public lot for $8/day a short walk away, and the public access is very cute. The beach is large, long, and clean, and lined with tons of beautiful white sea shells. Great place for the whole family.

The island has great restaurants, beautiful beaches, not over crowded. There’s so much to do yet you will still come home relaxed and refreshed!

Just love the west coast of Florida. Water temperature was a little chilly but it is November.. The white sand is pristine. Shelling was fun too. Watching the sunset was fabulous!

Great beach. Not very crowded in July... but a little hot!! Wonderful white sand. Warm and clear gulf water. Incredible sunsets. So peaceful for a morning walk too

This is a nice wide white sandy beach. It is clean, wasn't very crowded in November, and is a nice place to watch the sunset.

The beach is very clean and roomy. However public parking is very limited. The public bathrooms are located in the parking area and were not well kept. You must cross the main blvd to get to the beach since.

Nice white sands, many shells, Long Beach great for walking. Sunset grille right by entrance. Walk past some big hotels so drinks and food available. Many many sea shells. Water deepens to nice adult level close to beach for soaking. During this time period, Oct. active but not crowded. Free parking with collier beach sticker close. Had great day out at beach. Live full time in Naples. Great for families, great for couples, great for beach lovers, large white sand beach

Collier County parks charges $8 for a day pass here or at Tigertail. This is the closer access to the real beach, whereas Tigertail has a long walk out to the Gulf or wading through the lagoon..

I enjoy going to south beach because there are always seashells to collect and it is not a far walk to the water.

Awesome place. The parking lots down by South Marco Beach are small and it takes some time to find a spot. We went later in the day and watched the sunset. Tons of small conch shells washed up on the beach when the sun went down. Not sure if this is typical or if we just lucked out. This beach seemed more busy than down by tigertail probably because there are condos right there to rent. We have not gone to this beach during the middle of the day but it was worth going in the late afternoon to watch the sunset. The sand here was less Shelly(if that is a word) than down by Tigertail Beach.

Get here early and pay your $10 - before 10 AM. This is a really nice beach that goes for maybe a mile. Plenty of seashells, though the water clarity was disappointing. There are three public parking spots, South Beach, Tigertail, and Turtle Rock - off street parking is prohibited. Other than the ocean, no restrooms. One of the nicest beaches we visited and worth the 30 minute drive from Naples.

We visited Marco Island in May and researched to find out there are two public beaches.  We went to both and this beach is far better than Tigertail beach.  First, if you get here early (i.e. before 10) there is a decent sized parking lot with a short walk to the beach.  Yes there is a walk but it's maybe 3 minutes.   Any public beach on Marco Island has a walk.  Second, the beach is much nicer than Tigertail.  At Tigertail there are lots of shells and the water isn't as clear.  If you don't get here in time to gey a spot at the South Beach parking and you are with friends, drop your friends and beach supplies off at the lot before you drive to the Turtle Lot.  This lot is a good half mile from the entrance so it's not recommended if you have lots of gear.  Loved this beach and definitely rank it higher than Tigertail.  There are more people, but there's a reason, and even with all the people it's still less packed than most beaches on the East coast of Florida.

Beach is crowded with people but it had lots of shells, very clean and lots of fun. The water was calm and the right depth for children to swim

Marco is probably the least affected by red tide on the southwest gulf side, but still had some dead fish and dead baby manatee last week. There is public parking in two lots at the south end. Some restauarants and the renovated Hilton are charging for parking, but still worth it. No Glass! No dogs. The south end does get congested. Walk a little further north out of the crowds. No bathroom facilities on the beach. No lifeguards. A few food on the beach: Sunset Grill, Stilts, Hilton and Marriott and Tigertail. Marco police patrol infrequently. They need to make it a non smoking beach!! Dirtbags just dont care about trying to keep it clean. And you still get families that think they can play their music, loud. Still, better than most public beaches.

At the very end of Marco beach - it's where the shelling is best and a good place for sunsets and surf fishing.

wife and I staying at Apollo condos, and very p!eased and surprised with the beach.
white sand, and tons of shells to collect, little conchs and others. can wade rite into water
and it gradually deepens. nothing yucky on the bottom which is awesome! can walk and walk, beach goes on forever.. sun sets rite there, cant get any better.. 😁

Very nice. A bit sleepy this time of year, but that can be a good thing too. Great beaches, nice restaurants, easy to get around.

Go anyway, even if only to enjoy the warmth of Florida in the winter
People are courteous and no feeling of any unsafe or unsavory bathers

We stayed at the Marriot and walked the beach every day. The public beach going to the right out of the front of the Marriot and about a half mile down as closed and they were doing beach reclamation work. The construction crews worked Mon-Sat and would not let anyone cross that area so be aware. Sunday we walked from the Marriot all the way to Tiger Tail beach and it was AWESOME! Lots of shells to pick and beautiful white sand to walk on. If you want a variety of shells or oddities like sand dollars, get up early! Beautiful Sunsets around 7:45 in April. If not staying at one of the hotels or condos on the beach, there are at least 2 parks along that stretch for parking. There is a long area of sand to get to the beach in most areas so plan to do some walking. Bring lots of sunsceen and comfortable water shoes.

This is our favourite beach, soft very clean sand which appears to be raked and cleaned everyday. Is approx 7 miles long and very wide so never crowded, plenty of chairs, loungers and umbrellas available should you require them.dolphind, pelicans, ospreys to be seen everyday as as many other sea birds.

South Marco Beach is not the best for shelling or the Marco Beach Experience. I just spent 9 days on Marco and we did ALL parts of the Marco Beach. Started at the North End and it was calm, picturesque and nice sand with some shells. Did the South Beach mid-entrance and it was busier with more people, rentals, and wildlife. Same great sand and shells galore. Went to South Beach and it was windy, STINKY, littered with those huge sharp clam shells (?) and sand was not nice. Don't know what people see in South Beach. Sorry South Beach... To explain my review, it was smelly because of the rotting shells during low-tide, the angle of the shore that trapped the shells and dead shell-creatures trapped in the rocks. The angle of the point also was a windy area. If you enter at the south entrance, walk north along the beach until you get to a nicer section!

Used to be nice. Used to be tranquil. Now it is crowded with rude people? Who leaves dirty diapers on the beach? Who thinks it is ok to set up beer pong and loud music 2’ from people reading? No longer the paradise it used to be.

Clean beach with lovely fine sand, plenty of shells and beautiful warm water. There's parking across the street for $8 for all day which is less than a 5 minute walk, the closest toilets are there and there's a tap to wash feet (also one as you come straight off the beach). It does get busy weekday afternoons.

The beach size and sand were great. Parking was a bit challenging to find and parking lot options were small.. bathrooms were near parking lot but none on the beach across the street not real convenient for parents of small children. Water was next to impossible to walk into with a ton of shells under foot… highly recommend water shoes just to experience the water. Shell collecting was nice but painful again without shoes.

Beautiful beach on the Gulf soft white sand
and very close to Sunset Grill delicious food and drinks

Marco Island's South Beach is the best beach on the island! Large beach with lots of room and some of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen.

This is my happy place. The beach and the gulf are beautiful. The attendant at the Residence Beach parking is always friendly and welcoming. And the bathroom is always clean

Better than I expected. Wasn't super crowed on the Monday we went. Parking is limited get there early.

Great food, great view of western horizon. Enjoy it each time we are there. Look for public beach entrance or through Apollo condo building.

Went to the South Beach on New Years Eve. Paid $12 to park only to find the worst smelling beach we've ever been to. Even the water had an awful smell to it. We left after 10 minutes.

Wide and beautiful. I’ve been some other beaches in Florida but this is my favorite and the sunset is amazing. Parking is limited so you might call an Uber, or just walk if you stay close by.

The sand is a beautiful soft texture and very white. The beach is calm with many beautiful shells, and is not crowded.

The best of all are the sunsets on the beach. A perfect end to a perfect day.

A great beach for spending the day on the water, walking or looking for shells. The water is very pleasant and the waves never threatening.

Beautiful, clean beach with easy access from South Collier Avenue in Marco Island!
Convenient availability to food and drink at the Sunset Grill.

This beach is gorgeous! We walked a couple of miles of it and enjoyed shells, birds and several dolphins! It’s peaceful and easy to walk on because it’s mostly white sand. Lovely.

This is a fantastic beach! You can walk forever, great for shell hunting, and nice calm water to play in. There is paid public parking across the street, very convenient.

I would defiantly recommend this beach as a beach lover. Just be aware not to expect the Caribbean.Parts of the beach and ocean floor are rocky although still beautiful. Also, in order to reach the beach from the hotel which was beachfront , (Marriott), you must would over a boardwalk as the dunes between the hotel and beach are protected land. It is about $30.00 per day to rent beach chairs and umbrellas which are well worth it. The beach is clean and well maintained and if you are lucky you will sea the sea turtles laying their eggs in the early morning.

Plenty of space on the beach, plenty of sea shells. If you aren't there early enough you don't get a great parking spot, if one at all.

Don’t miss a trip to South Marco Beach. If you are staying at a Beach front condo you already have access. Public access is available near the Marriot Hotel. Very Short walk over the sand to the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Clear, warm and inviting. Don’t forget an amazing sunset almost every night!

Marco island south has powdery white sand, lots of washed up shells, but not really a shelling beach. Was not crowded, but there were folks on the beach, and in the calm water. Was very relaxing. Bring an umbrella or risk getting fried.

Excellent shelling beach. The only complaint I would have is there is not enough parking. Come early so you can get a parking place.

Beautiful shells, salty water and the sound of the ocean. Walked along the shore and collected seashells in the morning and swam in the afternoon Enjoyed sunsets from the terrace with a glass of wine in the evening

Nice beach if you like shells and coarse sand. We were there with the big waves… not sure if it becomes calm at some point. Hard to park! Many hotels concentrated in South Beach. Good for people watching.

Just had a brief walk but the sand is so soft and the sea so warm! We parked up at the Marriott for five dollars and had drinks in the hotel but you can probably find more secluded or easier spots

We walk to South Marco Beach daily. It's so quiet and peaceful. There hasn't been a time that we haven't seen a dolphin or two or other sea life during our time there.

What a beautiful beach. For sure the nicest beach in Marco and Naples area. The water is so clear and clean and the sand is so white. Loved the food and drinks service. Being able to rent lounge chairs was great.

The water is green NOT blue. No wind, no waves! But we did find a 9-legged star fish so that was cool. Not likely we will return tho this beach was just not that nice.

It's a big beautiful beach and lots of people will be there with you!
It is lined with condo towers and big hotels. The sand is soft.

The sand is so white, clear water, lots of shells, saw several starfish, dolphins, and a stingray! We felt like we had enough space to relax and swim, the sunset was gorgeous, and an easy walk from the public parking (fee). There was no public bathrooms we saw near us on the beach but there was one at the public parking. We definitely preferred this beach over Tigertail!

We were lucky to be able to walk to the south entrance but there is some public parking. The walkway to the beach is shaded and easy to take your days supplies. There is temporary pull off to drop everything so you make it back from parking as needed.

We had a much needed restful day in the sun - the sun and the sand was perfect. The beach was not very crowded and the folks that were there were very respectful and friendly.

Paradise. Easy to walk on white sand, warm Gulf water. Lots of room for social distancing on the beach and in the water. Vacation life at its best.

This was a nice, large beach although it is shelly. Kids should wear water shoes if they are sensitive to this kind of thing. The breeze kept us comfortable on a very hot day. It drizzled for about 2 minutes but the rainbow afterward was there for an hour. Gorgeous. I noticed along the walk to the beach they have a station with lifejackets you can use for your kids - nice ammenity.

It's beautiful there. Came highly recommended by some locals so we went. Beautiful beach with easy access compared to Tigertail. There's a restaurant on it called sunset beach but was warned the food wasn't good. They have decent cocktails though. Ordered beach bread and it was ok but ice cold when it came out.

Big beach with white sand made from shells, recommend beach shoes. There is one public parking lot that we know of with bathrooms. If you enter via the shaded beach entry path, there is a bar/restaurant on the beach. Otherwise, no bathrooms. Get there early if you have a tent, because people begin claiming their spots by 7-7:30am. No umbrella/chair rentals. Lots of shells.

Compared to the other beaches in the area this one is average. The reason for the average rating is because there is construction going on at the end of the beach. It looks like they are rebuilding the beach. Some of the beach is roped off

I took my two young boys here to look for shells and catch a sunset. It was one of the best sunsets I have seen in Florida in my life - and I lived here for 3 years. We came to this beach after the Naples and North Collier beaches were trashed with Red Tide. The sand is soft, the beach is wide and the water is clear and peaceful. We loved every minute of our time here. (Parking is across the street and is $8 for the entire day).

We came to walk the beach and look for shells. The beach is very clean with white sand. It wasn't to crowded but the majority of the people were near the beach access but once you went a little distance away it thinned out greatly. Definitely enjoyed the easy access to the beach compared to the long walk to get to the beach at Tigertail. We found some nice shells also especially walking to the left towards the rocks.

Lots of gorgeous white sand and best for families. Shells for kids to collect and the sea wasnt rough. In fact, you can swim out about 20 metres and you are on another shallow bank! Great for watching the sunset. Take plenty of food and water as I didn't see any shops. Most of the sea front is taking up by big hotels.

Very windy that didn't even allow us to sit on the beach. Only one public parking lot in the entire area (expensive). Few places to eat…

Excellent place, everything very clean, beautiful beach, unbeatable climate, I recommend this place 100%

My family and I borrowed a condo on South Beach. Can't complain. Long stretch of beach that you can walk along, lots of nice shells, great restaurants, condos, and hotels along the beach, I also read that they do yoga and meditation on South Beach near Sunset Grill.

A very nice beach, clean with lots of shells and snails. Highly recommended. You can take a leisurely walk.

Visited South Marco Beach on a weekday morning. We were staying in Ft Myers but had to go south to find a beach without the red tide. We arrived about 11:30 AM and there were about 3 spaces left in the public parking. The only restroom is at the parking lot. Follow the sidewalk across the street to the public access path to the beach. Beach is huge, most people clustered around the public access. Nice long beach to walk

Great for getaways whether solo or with family/friends. TIP: Get there early for sunrise/sunset, avoid going at sun peak [11 am to midday afternoon]

Overall, recommend this beach as South West Florida has one of the best.

Very nice beach with soft white sand. Nice place for searching for shells and watch for dolphins. Parking is hard to find but it is available if you get there early.

Unless you are staying in the many hotels/condos on the beach, Marco Island does not make it easy to use the beaches. Half of this island's homes are vacation rentals, people who often stay for months, yet they are not allowed to use the residence beach where there is lots of parking. Half the time, especially during the week, there were very little cars there. We stayed on the island for 5 months and luckily were able to bike to the beach, There is only one small parking lot for the two beach entrances at the south end. There are no bathrooms unless you go all the way back to the parking lot. The beach is lovely, especially if you like shells. It does not have the nice soft sand like Naples (unless you are a guest at the Marriott). I think Marco needs to rethink parking for the hundreds of visitors that come to the island, pay thousands to stay in one of the many vacation rental homes, and pour lots of money to the local economy.

Nice beach, white sand, calm water, clear and warm, decent shelling. There are high rises but in April still not very busy compared to northeast beaches. Plenty of space in restaurants.

Enjoy the day at the beach - have lunch at Stilts and stay for the Beautiful Sunsets!! Collect shells, walk the beach, wade or swim in the beautiful ocean!!

Public beach. Limited parking. Parking is not free. Short walk from parking lot to access walkway between hotels to Beach of white sand and sea shells. Foot wear recommended, but not necessary. Good beach for collecting sea shells, relaxing or playing in the water.

We went to south beach for the day, gorgeous! Had drinks at sunset grill and then returned to sunset grill for the sunset & apps. Everyone is very friendly in marco, reminded us of lake michigan in the summer ⛱

Nice beach with white sands that don't get hot on your feet. Beach access area provides fresh water to rinse off when done swimming and public parking lot close by at $8.00 for 24 hours. Also snorkeling is decent if you go by rock jetty, you'll see angel fish, tiger fish and others if waters aren't to stirred up. Watch out for anglers though.

We are currently staying at a resort that backs onto South Marco Beach. The beach is very clean with white sugar sand leading to a warm and calm sea. It is very easy to walk up and down the beach stopping off at various resort bars and restaurants if you choose to do so. All in all it's recommended if the plan is to relax, sunbathe and take a dip in the sea!

One of two public beaches on Marco. Public parking is minimal. One walks into a narrow park between two mega hotels to access beach.
The walk is long. About 1,000 yards. Carrying beach chairs, etc., not easy. A beach buggy is a good idea.
Getting there super early in the AM...like before 9 OR going later in day...like after 4 is best bet to get a parking space. Parking has a fee as well.

The most beautiful sunset we’ve ever seen. So beautiful it make me tear up. We enjoyed the easy access to South Marco Beach and it ended up being our favorite beach. (Bring a bag for shells! My hands were full!) Snook Inn was a fun restaurant and right on the water. Inexpensive, pretty good food, watched dolphins in water as we ate. Doreen’s Cup of Joe was our favorite place for breakfast. We stopped at Alvin’s for t-shirts, cute store to shop at. The best food as far as quality was at CJ’s by the Bay. For the two of us we spent about $75. We recommend the seafood platter. Amazing!! LOVED this vacation!!

The beach on Marco Island goes on forever. Start at the far southern tip, a place called South Marco Beach.. you can park nearby (limited so come early) and access the beach through a public walkway.. Once on the beach you can walk all the way up to the north end of the beach (Tigertail Beach) or as far as you want to go then turn back.Bring your beach chairs, towels and umbrella.

The sand is like walking in flour soft easy to wash off when leaving beach. Sand stays cool not to hot on your feet as you walk on the beach. Enjoy a beach that is not so crowded with people. Take a chair umbrella and enjoy the time in the sun and water.

South Marco Beach does not seem to have as many people on the beach because the public parking lot is not very big and fills quickly. Beautiful picture spots with rocks and a great view of all the hotels. Our family had a great time taking photos for family, graduation, and just sunsets.

#southmarcobeach
@flyawaypear

The sand is ultra soft and the water is bright blue! Seashells EVERYWHERE!! SO beautiful! I felt as though we found paradise today

Marco Island is not for us. Very snooty people. Nothing much to do. Beaches are ok. We prefer Fort Myers Beach. People are so much friendlier. When eating out, staff at restaurants were very friendly, but overall the people on Marco Island are SNOOTY. We never go back.

Tons of shells, pristine sand and mellow waves creating the perfect place to wade or for children to play in the ocean.

Great beach. We went to Sunset Grill first and took a drink to the beach with us. Nice clear water, you can see the fish swim by you. My wife enjoyed the sea shell collecting and finding.

This was actually the public beach access in front of the Marriott on Collier St; there is public parking at "Turtle Lot" ($12.. ridiculous!!) across the street. Nice, white sandy beach; great walking, gentle tide, lots of shells.

We loved the beach and our son got married
Great spot to get married and we had great pictures in the sunset

This beach is amazing! The sand is white and fine, and it doesn't get very hot. There's a lot to do on the beach like parasailing, jet skiing and looking for shells. It is a great place!

No public restrooms on or near beach, not a good situation for families. Nice big beach, a few small shells.

If you are staying on Marco Island on the beach then this is a nice walk to the southern end of the beach. The condos on South Marco are VERY expensive, so this is a nice way to walk south from your Marco beach place and see some dolphins and find some shells. South Marco beach has some tide pools at low tide so you can find some cool shells and possible other ocean wildlife. This past March, I found crab and starfish. Had a mother dolphin and her calf swim really close to me on the beach.

Over many years we have made the drive over from the west coast of Florida to spend hours enjoying this beach and especially shelling. Parking is a problem, both for the cost and the limited number of slots in a public parking area near the end of the beach. Yesterday it cost me $8 for the day, but you can come and go with one ticket. There are a lot of restaurants in walking distance. So it might be best to park and leave the car. Another draw back is that besides the entrance we use there are very few other places to get on the beach for those that don't have a beach front condo. Please see my review of Sunset Grill which is right on this section of the beach. It seems like its been decades that we eat lunch there and it gets better every time.

Beautiful beach—it’s clean, wide, and full of beautiful shells. The best thing for me about this beach though is that you can see dolphins from the shore. Dolphins!

We have been to Marco Island several times and have never been disappointed with South Beach. It is laid back yet offers all the thrill stuff from waverunners to parasail to kayak to paddle boards. There is also decent shelling there as well. The water is usually pretty calm which our younger grandkids still like. If you are looking for waves...go to the Atlantic side of Florida. Good beach, relaxation and fun await on South Beach.

First time in Marco Island and probably our last. South Marco Beach has no public facilities and that is not much fun. Every condo is “gated” so if you aren’t staying there, good luck. If you are renting, you need to go back to your room. Parking is possible, and the areas are within walking distance to the beach. There is only one place to rent chairs and umbrellas and they were great, so we would highly recommend them. You can’t blame South Marco Beach for the red tide. You need to look up the warnings before going to any beach on the Gulf. South Marco Beach does have some positives. It was clean, shelling was really good, sunsets are fantastic, yoga was available at a nominal charge, and dolphin watching did not disappoint. Florida needs to put a little money in public restrooms. Siesta Key figured this out!

Though parking can be tough at times, the sunsets are worth it. Be sure to get out of the parking lot withing a half hour of sunset

Enjoyed this location on Marco Island. Clean white sand and lots of shells. The walk is short from the road to the beach. Has a few benches along the way. Water spout for feet only.

too many people and parking is an issue. No bikes or dogs or glass allowed. No rest room unless you go back to the parking lot.

We were amazed by the calm soothing warm waters here.
Nice sandy bottoms and a great place to relax in the sun.

Nothing too much in the way of shelling etc. but still great fun with a different sunset every night!

Place rocks. Miles of walkable beach with bars and restaurants along the way. Plenty of eye candy to admire as well. Highly recommend!

excellent beach with dolphins swimming off shore. Walk toward the breakwater in front of the Cape Marco condos best area for shelling

we have been in search of the perfect beach vacation destination in Florida in the wintertime and a swimmable beach is very high on our list of priorities. Marco Island has a perfect white sand beach between the dunes and the point of high tide; however, I would not call this beach a good beach for swimming or getting into the water. Marco Island also has some of the best shelling I can remember in Florida (including Sanibel). We loved the shells but they made the beach less swimmable and walkable along the water. I would classify this as a great beach to view and not a good swimming beach. But there was plenty of perfect sand between the high tide mark and the resort for dry beach activities!

You cannot walk to the beach on Marco Island because beach access is so heavily restricted. So unless you stay in a resort or highrise condo, you have to drive. And pay 8$ for parking. And come early, because the parking lot is so tiny it fills up quickly.
Marco Island is really good at making visitors feel unwelcome. I would not recommend the island as a vacation destination because of the hostility I felt there.

You can not go wrong at South beach. Great Time, one of the best beaches in Florida. White sand, clear water, clean beach, and it was NOT very crowded when I visited. I will definitely go back when I am in the area

If you like to collect shells, this is a great beach for you -- lots and lots of shells, especially the small conch shells. Water seemed colder here than the other two Marco beaches. Didn't appreciate the tractor working on the sand in the middle of the day with all of the people there.

Just a few steps away from JW Marriott.. Natural beauty.. white sand.. glorious sunsets.. millions of shells of all colors and shapes and sizes.. mesmerized by the vast expanse of magnificent nature.. feeling humbled..

Nice white sand beach. Not too crowded during our week in town. We stumbled upon a few nice shells, but I would go to a less busy beach for better shelling.

The weekend we went the red tide was HIGH in ft. Myers but not in Marco Island. Spent the afternoon here, it wasn’t too hot and we were able to go in the water. Then we ate at the grill that’s next to the beach entrance. They do have public parking here but I don’t remember having to pay. The spaces are limited that’s the bad thing because the parking lot is not very big, however if you eat at the grill you can park there and they’ll validate your parking.

South Marco Beach has beautiful white sand and shells galore. There is public parking for $8 a day and it is a short walk across the street to the public beach. It was not crowded, but this is October. I would imagine it would be much busier in the summer.

The beach is crowded but the waves are amazing. It's a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach - and the parking lot is usually full, so be prepared to wait for a slot to open up. Lots of crushed shells, water shoes/sandals needed at times.

What a great stretch of beach! Soft sand until you get closer to water and then it has a lot of shells piled up. Once past that, easy to walk on beach near water. Shelling is good, but not as varied as at Tiger Tail Beach if that’s what you’re interested in. Only downside is parking. You have to park in a lot about a block away ($8). So if you have mobility issues, that might be a problem. Even if you are dropped off on Collier at beach walk, it’s still a bit of a hike for those that can’t walk far. Nice condos line the beach here. A busy beach but a lovely spot to watch all things around you.......

I looked it up and online, called red tide, some kind og algal bloom that makes toxic. Not so nice lying with running nose and coughing. So the beautiful beach trip was not so nice..

We arrived by 9 on a Saturday and lots of parking was still available. There is a bit of a trek from parking lot to beach so a wagon or beach cart is helpful. We stayed 2-3 hours, returned to condo, and came back for the sunset. Since the $8 parking pass was good for all day, the second trip cost nothing. Beautiful sunset!

This is one of the best beaches in US. It is wide and bright.
The sand is white, fine and amazing. Some of the most amazing sunsets in the world. Enjoy it!

Stayed on north part but went to dinner on south beach. Beautiful beach with amazing views. Clean but a bit more crowded that north.

Great place to relax, enjoy a beverage, watch people, and especially enjoy a sunset. Was not crowded late on Sunday afternoon in early December. Parking is a challenge, especially in midday--we found spot easily in the $10 public lot at about 3:30 though (machine was not functioning--sorry Marco, we owe you next time! This lot would certainly be worth it though--only 1 block, cross street, down tree-lined path another block to the beach. Good location and seemed well-kept, with toilet facilities.) Beach appeared family-oriented, diverse, mix of locals, tourists, day-trippers.

Beautiful beach. Lots of shells. Sand was so pretty. Kid friendly. Don’t have any complaints. Had to pay for parking but that was expected!

Beautiful beach with amazing shells! Very clean! The water is a clear green with no seaweed at all! Nice walkways to the beach from the street.

We visited this part of the beach for sunsets most evenings. It wasn’t too crowded and was very child friendly. We walked the beach to collect seashells and found a wide variety the further south we walked. A few evenings we saw dolphins swimming close to the shore and the sunsets were always breathtaking.

The South Marco beach is a great place to hunt for seashells! Getting to the beach is limited to a few access points. Look for the crosswalks on the road leading to the beach. We happened to access from the southern end and there were just a ton of seashells. I found the surf to be a little rough for swimming.

We were staying at Marriott Crystal Shores. This beach was right out our boardwalk. It was beautiful. White sand, seashells everywhere and not too crowded. I highly recommend walking to this beach and getting out of the way of all the others in the area.

We discovered Marco Island after coming down to Ft. Myers during red tide. It was an hour drive but the closest beach not effected. It is a beautiful beach, as a lot of great shells. It was a little crowded but still plenty of room. The only thing is you have to park across the street then walk a good ways to get to the beach there is only restrooms in the parking lot itself and an $8 parking fee. I would go back again

Walked almost 10 miles per day on this glorious beach, mostly at sunrise, going from one end to the other. The shells, sand dollars, starfish and other creatures we discovered were amazing. White powdery sand and clear water.

One of the prettiest beaches we’ve ever been to. Wide white sands and tons of shells. Regret not bringing my kids to Marco Island when they were small! The sunset view is spectacular. If you can’t find a a parking place, wait a few minutes and one generally opens up. Be ready to walk and those beach wagons are a must if you do bring the little ones.

The beach itself is beautiful but very hard to find and parking is not easy. There is a limited number of beach access points and not all have parking available nearby. Unless you are staying somewhere right on the beach, you may be disappointed.

Nice and quiet, clean beach. Perfect place to relax and find shells. We always stay at a condo on this beach because of location.

We spent every warm, sunny day on beautiful South Marco Beach. Parking was okay because we were there in the off season. I can't imagine what it must be like during peak season. Everything about the beach was enjoyable. The restrooms at the parking area were clean and nice. Loved that the Sunset Grill was right there to grab a quick bite for lunch or a cocktail!! Can't wait to visit again.

It's a beautiful beach, but difficult to walk due to the amount of shells that are mixed in with the sand. Gentle surf, as most of the gulf coast.

How does 82 degree water sound? The water is warm, the vista is amazing, and the sand is white and packed down making for easy walking. That says it all.

My wife and I were married on South Beach so we always make it a point to spend a day at the beach here on our trips to Marco Island. Beautiful white powder sand and TONS of shells to pick up for the shell enthusiasts. Beach is always very clean and well kept. Usually spot dolphins just off shore playing whenever we visit. The only complaint I would ever have is that finding parking can be difficult during season. There is only one public parking lot across from the beach and it isn't that big.

Beautiful beach! The water was clear and they had a boardwalk with a mat so you didn't have to walk through the soft sand. Parking is a few blocks down the road. They charge you $10 and there's a hovering drone to make sure you pay! My husband dropped me and our chairs, etc off at the boardwalk entrance. Not too far of a walk from there for an old fat grandma. No amenities, no bathroom, there is an outdoor shower on the boardwalk. They also had life jackets for kids. Lots of shells which hurt my feet to walk on, wear your water shoes. We picked up a few pretty shells. It was crowded, but not terrible for a Sunday afternoon. In my opinion $10 is too high when they don't even have a bathroom, that I could see. I would come here again, just because the beach is so pretty.

South Marco Island Beach is a wide, white and wonderful beach. We stayed at the Sea Winds condos and thoroughly enjoyed the view! Dolphins pretty much every day!

If you are looking for an area with a lot of action, this won’t make you happy. But, if you want a nice, quiet place to slow down and just enjoy relaxation, then South Marco Island is for you!

Marco Island's beach is very famous and is excellent maintained. If you like a more serene experience then you have to go to the northern part of the beach called Sand Dollar Island where you have to share the beach with birds rather than tourists. But every part of the roughly 6 miles has it's own advantages so there is something for everybody including restaurants at all price and quality levels. Water quality depends on the time of the year and the water releases from Lake Okeechobee. So during the rainy season from June to September you can get an unpleasant surprise in this regard.

Walking up the beach access ramp, we had no idea what we were about to see. We arrived at the south beach for a sunset and became distracted by the pristine beauty of the magnificent white, sandy beach. The entire length of Marco Island beach can be seen from the south beach. It is one of the most beautiful views on the island. ❤️

Lovely beach to view the sunset! If you’re into yoga, there is a group that does yoga on the beach on specific mornings and evenings.

Was there in Mid-September. No Red Tide. Lots of shells. Beautiful weather. Dolphins everyday. Loved it!

One of the top beaches we’ve visited in Florida, beautiful sand, lots of space, miles long and very wide and we even experienced a dolphin feeding some 30 Ft from the shore.

Enjoy this large whitish sand beach with many shells. Flip flops or beach shoes necessary due to shell content. Lots of venture to find various shells large and small. Clean beaches with hotels screening the sand.

This is by far the best beach in Naples area. Lots of space, enough length for long walks, and quiet with a wonderful view. The sunset is spectacular. The sunset grille is a good place for drinks and food and can be accessed from the beach. I highly recommend this beach.

Gorgeous views, low key and not too crowded, just a fantastic beach. Very relaxing, was perfect for our weekend family trip.

This is a wonderful beach for shelling but also for laying out. It is very wide so there is plenty of room to spread out. The public beach parking is a short walk from the beach and is only $8. I want to come back here the next time I’m in the area!

South Marco Beach is a great starting point for a long walk north. Very large beach with soft sand, and great shelling!

Family wedding on the beach in the evening. Beach and weather were awesome. Sand was clean and the sunset was what you would expect.

Most of Marco Island facing the Gulf is lined with condos and hotels, making access to the sea difficult. All the parking ($10) is located across the street from the beach, and walled walkways are provided for the public to access the beach. There are very few parking lots, and one is lucky to find an empty spot. We found better success late afternoon but before sunset. There is a beachside restaurant located at the Apollo Hotel. We enjoyed a tasty burger and fries. I guess we got spoiled by our Caribbean experiences, so while the sand was fine and white, we found the entire sea at Marco lacking the lovely aqua colors we enjoy. I can't say I would hurry back to Marco. The water was nicer at Naples and more accessible.

South beach is beautiful. No beach amenities here but good fishing off the rocks. Parking is at a premium so get here early if you want to park across the street from the access. No restroom facilities on the beach, need to walk back to the parking lot.

For years we having been talking about Marco Island and the lovely beach, water and nightly show. Everyone asks "What is the show?" It is the sunset. Even though there were some evening showers, seeing the lightning through the clouds off shore was mesmerizing. Watching the sunset on a clear night is the best. The water was calm (which is great for someone who never learned to swim) and the animal life both in and out of the water is fascinating. We watched the pelicans, dolphins and fish all week. Yes, the beach is full of shells and you may want to have some kind of water shoe, but for me it wasn't that bad. This has to be my favorite beach.

Soft white sand edged with thousands of shells at the shoreline. Dolphins, pelicans and many other birds will keep you entertained

By and large very wide expanse without heavy crowds, except in certain locations, such as in front of the hotels (marriott and Hilton).

We rented a beautiful home on the south end of the island for one week. 7 adults( grandpa grandma-early 60’s, 4- 30 somethings, 1- 20 something and the 18 month old princess. We utilized the covered pool and hot tub at the home daily( even on the 1 rainy day). However, we also utilized the beach everyday. We walked daily, we sat at the beach, we did some shelling, frequented a few of the establishments for drinks and appetizers. We also dug sand castles, and chased the sandpipers and other wild birds. The sand is powdered sugar soft. The beach is truly one of the best attractions on Marco Island. There is a public parking lot( the turtle lot)- although our rental was a 5 minute walk from the beach. There were stands that were strategically placed at various walkways before arriving onto the beach, that held child sized loaner life jackets that you could borrow for the day, which we found were extremely helpful. There are local organizations who provide this wonderful service. We were so impressed and appreciative of being able to borrow the life jacket whenever we took our granddaughter down to the beach. We all chuckled initially- she was wobbly, but luckily for us the life jacket actually slowed her down a bit. She loved running into the water chasing the birds and the waves. Thank you, Marco Island for yet another memorable vacation with our family.

Well kept sand welcomed us to a wonderful waltz across the beach. Plenty of room on this wide stripe. Parking wasn’t convenient, but visit was well worth it.

Such a beautiful beach but parking is tough. Very often you have to wait for 30 minutes on a line of cars to the parking lot.

First trip to Marco island, wanted to get in some beach time! Went to South Marco beach, white sand and lots of shells!

First.. you have to park across the street up the block in a public lot. Then you have a long walkway to get to the beach access.. The sand is filthy.. then it was full.. and I mean FULL of broken clamshells.. The after seting our chairs up.. I tried to walk to the water.. again... covered with crushed shells..... Made my way to the water... more shells.... I have never see a beach so irritating.. Will never go back.. Please clean this place up!!!

Let me share this interesting scenario. I visited the public parking last weekend around 6 pm with my family. I inserted my debit card to get a parking ticket costing $8,, but my card was charged and the machine failed to dispense the ticket.

I stood there for a while trying to see what was the issue. I left and looked to see if a ranger was in the parking lot, no one.

A lady saw what happened as she was getting ready to leave told me she was sorry about that and it FREQUENTLY happens to folks but several reports have been made and nothing done about the machine.

She gave me her ticket saying its good until 11 pm and again very sorry for my experience of the machine stealing folks monies.

When I checked my bank account, I saw the $8 debited. I called the beach office number and a lady name Mary Ann answered. When I explained to her the scenario, she told me once I used the beach, the $8 stays.

Ok, Understood. Here is the IRONY. Mary Ann said that the lady who gave me the ticket should of been charged and fined by the ranger as the tickets are not transferable.

Oh, I was not aware of this one. I then asked Mary ann, where is it stated on the ticket that this is the rule, since it seems it is a common practice.

Mary ann response,"Sir, I am not sure if its on the back of the ticket since its so small".
Seriously after the speech about violation and she is working there so long.

Even more, is the fact that I was told that a ranger is on duty full time in the parking lot. Hello, he or she is probably on the beach sipping a corona.

I then asked her how come there are no disclaimer signs showing the transferring of tickets are a violation.her response was I will pass that info on to the people at the top.

Now, have you ever heard of such a nonsensical answer.I think of all the places I have visited in the US from East coast to West, COLLIER COUNTY folks must have the LOWEST IQ in the country. No wonder they think they are the best thing after slice bread.

Well folks, just be on the lookout for the ranger and make sure you don't get caught by the machine, cuz chances are when you call Marie Ann, she might just read whats written on the script that has been written since 1962!

Parking is about a 8 minute walk from the beach on Swallow road on the other side of Collier Blvd. Bathrooms and water are available there only. $8.00 to park paid at a meter on-site. Each time we went in the last 12 days the machine never accepted cash, only credit cards. Luckily there are some nice people around that help others out that did not show up with a card. Give them cash and they purchase a ticket with their card. The routine is also that if you are leaving mid day, there is always a line up waiting for parking spaces at this time, most of those leaving offer their paid parking receipt to those coming in as they leave. Really nice gester as we all need some kindness in our daily lifes.

quiet beach. lots of families. Shells were great and found starfish as well. Were lucky to see dolphins in the evening and they put on their own little show for all beach goers!

We thought we would be able to drive and access the beach. Instead, there seemed to be one location to park if you're public...across the road and through a narrow walkway. (There is a lovely spot for residents to park right on the beach. Marco Island looks like a lovely area for locals, but not for someone just visiting the area for the day.

We stayed in a condo that overlooked the beach! White sand and blue water! The beach is a little shelly, however, I have found the best seashells here. There is plenty of room to set up for a long day at the beach. The sunsets are breath taking and a must see. This is our second year on Marco Island and we love it here!

Some of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever see. Limited seating fills early. Bring a chair of a blanket.

Wonderful gorgeous beach! We collected lots of amazing shells. They are literally everywhere :) and! There is a bar right on the beach that sells drinks for the beach. Nice!

Fantastic location. For anyone who likes to collect shells and snails, the beach is a true paradise. Early in the morning is the best time.

One of the major attractions, some say the only one, is the beach and yet tiger tail is disappointing. The south beach gives "Joe Public" access to the golden sands and the Gulf of Mexico waters and is easy to access from the car park. Main issue for me was understanding how car parking charges work and having to pay the all day charge when you just want to visit for sunrise or sunset. The beach itself was a great , even though we are not beach lovers, and we spent a couple of hours walking, taking in all the sights and sounds.

Go in October, and experience a beautiful, white sand beach filled with shells almost to yourself. I couldn't believe how beautiful the sunsets were and how few people were there to enjoy them. We also saw dolphins there almost every evening.

We love going to South Beach during the day and also at sunset. The view is spectacular. Look forward to returning this evening for sunset.

Been staying here for over 20 years. South Marco is my favorite part - if you go up to the north, there is a lot of vegetation separating your condo from the beach. Might want to get an aerial view if you are planning on staying at South Seas.

We wanted to spend the day at the beach. Walked 1/4 mile to rental umbrellas. They were all reserved by time share residents.
Surprised there is only One place to rent. Beware bring your own!

Must Go if in Marco Island.. you can find fishes and dolphins on the beach.. isn’t that crazy 😀.. you can do shelling and water is clear if you want to take a dip.. enjoy 😀😀

Well, first of all when trip advisor talks about public beach access, know it doesn't talk about parking. We found a public beach lot, called Turtle Lot for all day parking. It cost about $12. Then you had to lug all your beach paraphernalia about a block up, cross the busy road and follow the long pathway to the beach. They have a very small sign for public beach access. It would be easy to miss!! Then when you get on the beach, they have coned off small area for non locals or non hotel guests. But if you wanted to rent 2 chairs and umbrella, you have to walk down to the next hut to pay for it. For those three items it cost $45. It was very tiring going through all of that, before you got to enjoy!! But, beach and water very nice!!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to South Beach on Marco Island. Parking ($8) was available approximately 2 blocks away, and a lovely shaded, brick path led to the white sands of this lovely beach.

This is one of the best shelling beaches in Florida and you will find a great abundance of shells!

I did not see any facilities or snack bars on the public beach, though there are probably places inside the upscale hotels which line much of the beach.

There are two public beaches on Marco Island—South Beach and Tigertail Beach. Getting to Tigertail Beach is a bit of a challenge, but getting to this beach is easy and worth it!

The beaches on Marco Island are fabulous - wide with white sand and the warm waters of the Southern Gulf lapping at your toes. You can walk or meander collecting shells for hours, stopping along the way for a bite to eat or a refreshing beverage. I will return to Marco Island the next time I visit Florida.

Great for shelling. Nice calm water. Not crowded. Great beach. Good sports pub on the beach with beach access

We stayed at a condo on south Marco beach. This beach is beautiful with white sand and many seashells along the shoreline. The sunsets are spectacular!!

If you are not staying in a condo on the beach, accessing a beach on Marco can be challenging. There are not many public beach accesses, and even fewer with parking. The parking is $8 or $12 depending on where you go. However, the insider tip is to go and pay for parking in the morning. Then you can come and go (as long as you can find a spot in the afternoon). The $8 daily rate covers all day. For us, we walked on the beach and hunted for shells in the morning, then came back in the afternoon to enjoy the warmth, and stayed for sunset. A great way to have a stellar beach day!

We visited the beach everyday that we were here. Awesome sand and crystal clear water. Great for families and couples!!

Loved this beach. Nice that there are some hotels restaurants on this beach. Close to parking, not crowded, BEAUTIFUL!

South beach has changing facilities, snack bar, and pay parking. Beach is sand and shells at the water. Many varieties of whole shells can be found along with sand dollars and star fish up and down the beach.

Gorgeous beach that will have a lot of small shells along the waterline. Three places renting jet skis and if you want a quiet and relaxing place, this probably isn’t it. Parasails 🪂 were having a busy day and added to the excitement for some and a pain in the neck for others. Would highly recommend staying away from this place as there are several Florida beaches that offer a more relaxing experience.

We park at the public lot and walk through the palms to the beach then we head south to the break water for a lovely walk along the beach. The parking lots can get full at high seasons so go early if you want a space.

Stayed on the beach in condo and beach was hard to walk on without shoes or sandals especially near the water. If you looking for a quite beach with lots of shells, this is your place. They grade it each morning and you can see the turtle marking of where they layed their eggs.

Visit to Marco Island south beach was very nice , the beach was very wide in some areas, clean, surprisingly busy for a holiday week

If you don't have a room on the beach then this is a good place to watch the sunset. It is also a good place to fish off of the rocks or watch the dolphins and manatees swim by in the morning

This beach has beautiful white sand that goes on for miles. While parking is tough here ( across the street off Collier) you should probably plan on getting there early. It's a great place to hang out, relax, and come and watch the gorgeous Marco sunset!
Also, NO dogs are allowed on this beach and the locals are not afraid to tell you so!

They don’t want tourists here, no public parking. Limited beach access! Now we have to drive an hour to get to a real public beach!!!!

Very nice white sand beach loaded with sea shells. Wearing swim shoes recommended. Great for gathering shells. Parking nearby for a fee unless a Collier County resident with parking pass
Bring your beach chair and umbrella , blanket to soak up the sunshine. Don't forget drinks and snacks.

1st time to Marco Island and we loved it!
Love this beach! Nice calm water, clean beaches and beautiful sunsets

Great visits every year. The worse part is leaving to go back home. Great evening sunsets. Enjoy a drink and watch the sun go down at the Sunset Grill. Great time.

Absolutely loved this beach, perfect sand, convenient to other local attractions, lots of lodging and restaurants near by!

The water is crystal clear and you can see the fish while diving. Very nice white sand beach. A bit crowded.

We live on this beach. Watch the parking fiasco at the South lot. If you live on the island, best to get a Resident Beach Membership, the South lot is always empty.

We are staying in North Port but had to drive south to get away from the red tide. We picked South Marco Beach. We got there at 10:30am on a Saturday morning and parked at the public parking for $8. There was a bathroom there and it was an easy walk across the street to the beach. The beach is gorgeous! Powder white sand, clear calm water. No life guards but we saw Marco police officers in a gator and SUV on the beach. Also was marine patrol presence. Best beach experience ever!

I wish we had visited this beach sooner in our trip. The sand is white powdery and the sunset is unbelievably beautiful! Some of our group went swimming while others fished off the rocks (and caught fish). We also saw lots of dolphins swimming fairly close. Highly recommend!! Parking might be an issue but we lucked out.

South Marco Beach is beautiful. It has soft white sand with lots of shells. It is easy to walk and when you do you will enjoy the the beautiful water, birds and sometimes dolphins! Sometimes the water is not so nice, but luckily that has not happened to us too many times.

The best beach in Marco Island. And maybe all over florid. Quiet, pleasant and beautiful atmosphere and scenery. Highly recommended

Don’t panic, you can still go to north beach.
South beach has lost all its sand and beach, rocks are exposed and cleaning crew aren’t attending to it anymore.
Too bad, a lot of memories fishing on the rocks ( can still do that) while friends and family are enjoying the beach ( not great anymore).

It’s still great dolphin sitting area but just the Beach Marco Island was well known for is gone.

Hopefully, the city and county are aware of the problem and plan on rebuilding that soon

We were visiting in Naples for a couple of days, but decided to come to Marco for the beach, because we heard it would be nicer, and less crowded as well.
Beautiful spot!! Easy access to parking (right across the street), and the beach had people there, but it was certainly much more quiet than many of the others!!

Took a nice long walk along this beach collecting shells and enjoying the water, and got to experience an absolutely gorgeous sunset as well!

Definitely worth the half hour drive from Naples to check it out!!

Beach will be packed every day, get there early to park or you are walking. Absolutely the best beach to watch the sunset.

This beach was only .4 miles from our house rental, so we biked there each day. Flat soft sand, but many shells, so wear water shoes or flip flops.
Incredible sunsets.

Update - our first year at the beach was the only time there was bad odor from the dying conch. That was about 4 years ago. Public pay parking can still involve a wait, but people are always coming and going. It is a fun beach to hang out. We always go several times during our typical 2 week visit to Marco.

white sand, great shells, clean water, not so many people. Several kilometers long, 4 public entrances

Its a nice long white sand beach. No red tide so far! If you dont stay in a condo / hotel come early because you dont want to wait for a parking spot. And of course you have to pay 8 dollars / day. So think about this before you go. For a whole day relax its fine but for a hour and two I dont think so. There are so many free parking stop where you cant park and thats imho very stupid. Also I couldnt find any showers or other facilities. I dont need that but not for everybody. Saw lot of marine life. One of the best beaches on the west coast of Florida these days. Solve that freaking parking problems.

Great beach loads of space but suggest getting there early. Lots of sun tents up when we arrived. Really friendly atmosphere and O’Leary of stunning views and space to play games. Parking not easy hence go early

Beautiful views especially at sunset. Local photographer chose this as a place to take family pics on the beach. Gorgeous walkway and gorgeous beach. The rocks are a really cool sight as well!

What more can you say? This is a pristine stretch of beach with white sand and turquoise water. There are lots of shells to be found. We enjoyed watching dozens of pelicans dive for fish and seeing dolphins go by. The water in February was warm in the mid 70's by my estimate. Everyone was in the water. Lovely.

This is a very nice beach. The waters were calm with small waves. In August the water temperature is 90 degrees which makes it perfect for small kids to swim. We spent a week floating and splashing. This beach has a TON of shells, so if you’re into collecting them it’s perfect. It was very sparsely peopled when we visited. So relaxing!

The negatives: it’s a long walk to the water. The beach is getting bigger and that means you have to stroll to the surf. The sand is white but not particularly soft thanks to the many broken shells. Not great for building sand castles and digging.

If you don’t mind walks and shells it’s a lovely place to visit!

Beautiful location, warm water and dolphins what else could you want! We went at the end of August and yes it was hot but it was very quiet and the water was very calm most days.

Perfect place to watch the sunsets!

Great weather, other sea shell collectors out and about. Very peaceful at that time of the day! Always enjoy simply listening to the the waves.

Went yesterday on Halloween to SBMI after reading the trip advisor reviews. I couldn't find the parking so I asked a pedestrian (who happened to also be from Iowa) where to park and she directed me to Swallow and Collier street public parking. I had exactly $8.00 in dollar bills but machine doesn't accept bills. Had to use credit card. Parking was for the entire day.
Restroom at parking lot only.
Walked across Collier and straight to beach.
Beautiful white sand and many small, small seashells.
Red tide very scarce but did see probably 6 dead eels, 1dead crab, and no dead fish.
Water close to shore was clear but murky further out.
Better than Naples Beach.
Foot showers at wooden bridge entrance to beach.
Overall had a great experience and a great day.

Spent the day at this beautiful beach. Enjoyed the water and found some pretty shells. Beautiful part of Florida!

Beautiful sunset view! Easy beach access! Parking directly across street with loading/unloading right by access for dropping off passengers, children, beach gear.