Florida Guide > Other Florida
Marco Island
Ever thought about a trip to Marco Island? We often split our time when we head to Florida and spend some of our time there. Depending on the length of time we are in Florida, we will stay 1 or 2 weeks in the Orlando area and the balance on Marco Island.
After the hectic week(s) of visiting theme parks and the general hustle and bustle that can go with a holiday around Orlando (especially when you have kids along), it is great to head down there and really relax. Accommodation on the Island consists of a choice of hotels, condos and villas. We have stayed at the Radisson where they offer a number of options including one and two bedroom suites. The one bedroom option sleeps 4, 2 in a king size in the bedroom and 2 on the sofa bed in the living room. Many of these rooms have views overlooking the beach and you can usually see Dolphins swimming around from the balcony.
Most of the waterways on the Island are man made and it has been designed so that people can park their boats and jet skis at the bottom of the garden. We have stayed in a particularly splendid waterfront villa, although sadly the boat wasn’t around. We did enjoy sitting on the pool deck and watching the fantastic electrical storms that take place over the Gulf waters!
The Everglades are a stones throw from Marco and a short 20 minute drive will get you to in amongst the mangrove swamps. Everglade City is an interesting place to visit and airboat rides are available here at reasonable cost. Another interesting spot is Turners River Drive, which is about 30 miles from Marco, along the US41 towards Miami. Here you will often see alligators sunbathing on the riverbank as you drive by a couple of feet away!
Personally, we also enjoy the fact that Marco Island is not as commercial as some other areas. They have strict rules governing the erection of advertising signage etc. Being a relatively small community, you won’t find all the normal shopping and eating facilities, although there are enough to cater for most tastes. A nice place to eat is the Snook Inn. Sit outside and you can watch the dolphins cruising past as you eat.
If you want a slightly faster pace of life and the normal shopping malls etc. the city of Naples is about 30 minutes from Marco and has all the normal facilities you would expect from an American city.
Cost wise, the best time to visit is what we would traditionally term ‘high season’, i.e. July, August. This is a real snow bird destination and you will find the cost of accommodation far more reasonable than the winter months.
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