Day Trips from Marco Island: Naples, the Everglades & More

Naples — The Best All-Around Day Trip

Distance: About 20 miles north · Drive time: 30 minutes

Naples is the closest and most popular day trip from Marco Island, and it's worth the short drive. The heart of Naples is Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South — two walkable districts of upscale shops, galleries, and restaurants, great for an afternoon of browsing and a nice dinner. The Naples Pier is a classic sunset spot and a good place to walk.

Other Naples highlights: the Naples Botanical Garden (a beautiful, large garden well worth a couple of hours), the Naples Zoo, The Baker Museum, and the beach at Vanderbilt Beach or Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park. Naples also has the best shopping and dining within easy reach of Marco Island.

Best for: Shopping, dining, a nice dinner out, gardens, a change of pace from the beach.

Everglades City & the Everglades

Distance: About 45 miles southeast · Drive time: 50 minutes

Everglades City is the western gateway to Everglades National Park and the Ten Thousand Islands, and it's a completely different world from Marco Island — a tiny, old-Florida fishing town surrounded by wilderness. From here, you can take an airboat tour into the Everglades, a boat tour through the Ten Thousand Islands, or visit the Museum of the Everglades.

The drive itself (via US-41, the Tamiami Trail) is scenic — you'll cross the Everglades and the Big Cypress National Preserve. Stop at the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk for a short walk through a cypress swamp. It's a full day trip, but one of the most memorable you can take from Marco Island.

Best for: Airboat tours, wildlife, wilderness, a true Florida adventure.

Goodland — Old Florida, 10 Minutes Away

Distance: About 5 miles east · Drive time: 10 minutes

Goodland is a tiny fishing community just over the bridge from Marco Island, and it's a slice of old Florida that's largely disappeared from the rest of the coast. The main attraction is Stan's Idle Hour, a legendary waterfront bar and restaurant with live music (especially on Sundays), cold drinks, and a laid-back, come-as-you-are vibe. It's the kind of place where locals and visitors mix and the afternoon turns into evening.

Goodland is also a good place to rent a boat or book a fishing charter — it's closer to the backwater fishing grounds than the main island. A quick, easy, fun detour, especially on a Sunday afternoon.

Best for: A casual afternoon, live music, old-Florida atmosphere, a quick trip.

Keewaydin Island — By Boat Only

Distance: Just north of Marco Island · Access: Boat only (15–20 minutes)

Keewaydin is an uninhabited barrier island just north of Marco Island, reachable only by boat. It's a day trip that doesn't require a car — just a boat tour or a rental. The beach is beautiful and unpressured, the shelling is excellent, and the wildlife (dolphins, birds) is abundant. Most shelling tours from Marco Island stop here. See our shelling tours guide →

Best for: Shelling, a remote beach, a boat-based day trip.

Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Distance: About 60 miles north · Drive time: 1.5 hours

Sanibel and Captiva are a longer day trip but doable if you want to experience the famous shelling beaches and the Ding Darling wildlife refuge. It's a full day — leave early, shell in the morning, lunch on Sanibel, the refuge in the afternoon, and drive back for sunset. Most visitors pick either Marco Island or Sanibel as a base rather than day-tripping, but if you're curious, it's reachable. See our Marco vs Sanibel guide →

Best for: Shelling, the Ding Darling refuge, a full-day excursion.

Tips for Day Tripping from Marco Island

• Start early: The best day trips start by 8 or 9 AM, especially in summer when afternoon storms build.
• Check the weather: Summer afternoon storms can affect outdoor day trips (airboats, beaches). Mornings are safest.
• Book tours ahead: Airboat tours and boat trips book up in season. Reserve a day or two ahead.
• Don't overdo it: A week on Marco Island with one or two day trips is the sweet spot. You don't want to spend your whole vacation in the car.

Frequently Asked Questions