Fun Things to Do for Kids on Marco Island, Florida

Marco Island, Florida, the largest barrier island of Florida's Ten Thousand Islands and the only developed island, sits off the coast of southwest Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. The island is a popular beach tourist destination offering fun in the water and sun. Not far from Naples and Florida's Everglades, Marco Island is a relaxing getaway for families with interactive indoor and outdoor activities for children.

  1. Beaches

    • Marco Island's major attractions are its white sand beaches, which include the public Tigertail Beach and two residential beaches: Main Beach and South Marco Beach. Tigertail Beach has a children's play area, daily parking, rental of water sport toys, umbrellas and chairs, volleyball courts and a butterfly garden. The beach entrance is at the intersection of Spinnaker Drive and Hernando Drive. The island's residential beaches are accessible with a resident permit, obtainable from the Marco Island Civic Association, if you rent on Marco Island for one month or longer.

    Parks

    • The island operates several public parks that welcome children with tot lots and open play areas, volleyball and shuffleboard courts, picnic areas and lakeside boat docking for families. Mackle Community Park (marcoislandonline.com/attract.htm) has walking and biking areas, a playground, picnic area, soccer, bocce courts, shuffleboard, an indoor games room and a spray water park. The park is on Andalusia Terrace, off Heathwood across from the library.

    Shelling

    • A simple but fascinating activity for kids on Marco Island is to hunt for shells on the beaches while watching sea birds, shore birds, manatees and dolphins from a distance. Shelling is a fun family activity and way to collect souvenirs to bring home. Low tide is the best time to search as the waves recede and reveal treasures of the sea. Mesh bags work well for larger shells and small plastic bags for smaller shells. After collecting shells, you should clean them thoroughly with water and bleach to remove any bacteria. Starfish are fragile and will lose their legs unless you carry them on a flat surface.

    Educational

    • Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center (rookerybay.org) at 300 Tower Road is a park on more than 110,000 acres with a 16,500 square-foot facility and visitors center. The visitor center offers interactive exhibits for children and a 2,300-gallon aquarium, as well as a nature store, gallery and picnic area. On a rainy day, the kids will enjoy the Marco Island Historical Museum on 180 South Heathwood Drive (colliermuseums.com/locations/marco_museum.php) showcases Southwest Florida̵7;s Calusa Indians and its Key Marco Cat, an important archaeological discovery.

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