Pavilion Key

Located in the Ten Thousand Islands archipelago, Pavilion Key is an island which has a long white-sand beach that is known as Pavilion Key Beach.  Mangrove forests are present near this beach. Pavilion Key is a part of a national park named Everglades National Park. If you are planning to visit Pavilion Key, we recommend becoming familiar with the local water currents and tides as it would help in making your boating and kayaking/canoeing trip smoother.  In addition, we also recommend informing the National Park Service authorities present in Gulf Coast Visitor Center about your visit before embarking on your boating/canoeing/kayaking trip to Pavilion Key.

Pavilion Key Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities except restrooms and benches, so plan accordingly.

Pavilion Key Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, camping, fishing, wildlife watching, hiking, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, and boating. If you are planning to enter the water near Pavilion Key Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have dangerous rip currents.  In addition, Pavilion Key Beach and the area around it are known to have unpredictable storms throughout the year. 

Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Pavilion Key Beach including manatees, sea turtles, and dolphins. Sea turtles often use Pavilion Key Beach as a seasonal nesting spot.  You can also watch horseshoe crabs on Pavilion Key Beach. If you like birdwatching, you can also view many kinds of birds in Pavilion Key including white ibis and roseate spoonbills. Pavilion Key Beach has a tent campground near its northern end - this campground offers an amazing waterfront camping experience. However, if you are planning to camp in Pavilion Key, please note that you need to have a wilderness camping permit for the same.  You can visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding permit rules. In addition, campers need to note that racoons are present on this island - these animals often steal food from campers and damage camping equipment. Pavilion Key is a great fishing spot and you can catch many kinds of fish in the water here. However, if you are planning to fish in the water near Pavilion Key, please make sure that you follow the local fishing regulations. Pavilion Key Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Ten Thousand Islands archilegapo. It is important to note that portions of Pavilion Key are closed to visitor access. If you like stargazing, the night sky in Pavilion Key Beach offers an amazing stargazing experience.

Getting to Pavilion Key Beach is difficult - the only way to visit Pavilion Key is via boat or kayak/canoe. In order to visit Pavilion Key, you need to first reach the Gulf Coast Visitor Center of Everglades National Park. This center is present near 815 Oyster Bar Lane in Everglades City. You can use the boat and kayak/canoe launch to launch your watercraft in the water. You can use an aquatic pass named Indian Key Pass to travel to Pavilion Key - Pavilion Key is present to the south of this aquatic pass. 

There are many attractions near Pavilion Key Beach in mainland Collier County. Museum of the Everglades is set in a 1920s building and it is a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. This museum offers a unique insight into the vibrant history of the Everglades region. Smallwood Store is a historic store/museum which was built in 1906 - this historic site is a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. Smallwood Store has a variety of interesting exhibits which highlight the history of South-western Florida’s early settlers and it also has a gift shop. If you are looking for another attraction near Pavilion Key Beach, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park is the largest state park in Florida and it preserves a vibrant portion of the southern Floridian coastal landscape - the park offers many fun activities including biking, wildlife watching, fishing, geocaching, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, picnicking, and boating. The park also has many amenities including boardwalks, a kayak/canoe launch, a native plant garden named the Karen O’Neil Memorial Garden, nature trails, restrooms and visitor centers and the park also has historical sites usually from the Pre-Columbian era.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Pavilion Key Beach in the nearby mainland Collier County.  City Seafood Restaurant & Market has a rustic ambiance and it offers a memorable waterfront dining experience. This restaurant also serves excellent locally sourced seafood. City Seafood Restaurant & Market is especially known for offering delicious stone crabs on a seasonal basis. Camellia Street Grill serves amazing seafood and Southern United States Cuisine including sauteed alligator, chicken wings, fried seafood baskets, burgers, steaks, salads, barbecued dishes, and soups. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Pavilion Key, The Diving Pelican Restaurant & Bar serves amazing burgers, salads, seafood, chicken wings, and fries.

If you are looking for a hotel near Pavilion Key Beach, there are many great options in the nearby mainland Collier County. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa is a 40-minute drive way from Everglades City. This hotel offers many amenities including two restaurants, a lounge, a pool, a spa, a fitness center (open 24 hours a day and seven days a week), two tennis courts, and an activity program for children. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star River Wilderness Waterfront Villas which offers many amenities including a pool, guest laundry facilities, complimentary canoes, a dock, and a boat ramp. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Pavilion Key Beach, the 2-Star Outdoor Resorts of Chokoloskee offers many amenities including complimentary docking space at the on-site marina, coin-operated laundry facilities, hot tubs, sports courts, a gym, and three outdoor pools. In addition, the hotel also offers many amenities including kayaking, canoeing, and fishing.