Keewaydin Island Beach

Located near the Floridian city of Naples, Keewaydin Island - also known as Key Island and formerly known as Kee Island - is a large barrier island that has an unnamed white-sand beach. This beach is approximately seven miles long and is also known as Keewaydin Island Beach. The southern portion of Keewaydin Island is also known as Party Beach due to its festive atmosphere, whereas another portion of the northern section of the beach is also known as Hidden Beach. Many kinds of coastal plants are present near the beach - these coastal plants mostly belong to native Floridian plant species. Keewaydin Island is a part of a state-protected reserve named Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Keewaydin Island does not have significant human habitation apart from a few privately owned homes and privately owned portions of land - one of the famous former homeowners on Keewaydin Island was James Biden, who is the brother of the current President of the United States Joe Biden. The beach was named by CNN as one of the world’s "Top Ten Secret Beaches." in 2014. 

Keewaydin Island does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan accordingly. The beach in Keewaydin Island allows dogs on leash. Getting to Keewaydin Island is slightly difficult as the only way to access this beach is via boat. If you are looking for a ramp for launching your private boat, you can go to the "Boat Ramps and Access" webpage on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website for searching boat ramps located conveniently close to Keewaydin Island. If you don’t own a private boat, you can rent watercraft from the water sport rental concessions present in the city of Naples or in Marco Island and then visit Keewaydin Island. However, the easiest access option for Keewaydin Island is via a ferry - there are many ferry operators present in mainland Collier County who can take you to Keewaydin Island. One of the most popular ferry operators is the Hemingway Water Shuttle that departs from Rose Marina (present at 951 Bald Eagle Drive) in Marco Island.

Keewaydin Island offers many fun activities including hiking, sunbathing, beachcombing, picnicking, camping, wildlife watching, fishing, swimming, kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, scuba diving, snorkeling, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, bodyboarding, water-skiing, wakeboarding, and boating. The water of the Gulf of Mexico near Keewaydin Island has manageable waves, which makes the water here ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, canoers, and snorkelers. Snorkelers and scuba divers also enter the clear water near this beach in order to explore its vibrant biodiversity - depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles - sea turtles also use the beach in Keewaydin Island as a seasonal nesting spot. The water near the southern tip of the beach near Keewaydin Island is also popular with boaters - boaters often congregate here and enjoy the amazing-Instagram-worthy views of the Collier County shoreline. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Keewaydin Island, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents. In addition, we also recommend that swimmers and snorkelers remain cautious while in the water here as a lot of boats are known to pass through the water near the beach - collision with a motorized watercraft can result in grievous injuries to swimmers and snorkelers. 

If you are looking for water bodies with calmer water we recommend visiting the Intracoastal Waterway present on the opposite side of Keewaydin Island shoreline. If you like fishing, you can catch many kinds of fish in the water near Kiawah Island including flounder, trout, and Spanish mackerel. However, if you are planning to fish in the water near Keewaydin Island, we recommend following the local fishing regulations.  If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of birds on Keewaydin Island including pelicans, eagles, hawks, and woodpeckers. In addition, you can also view many kinds of other terrestrial animals on Keewaydin Island including bobcats, deer, wild boar, and the endangered gopher tortoise. The southern part of the beach in Keewaydin Island also hosts a beach party during the first weekend of May - this beach party is organized mainly by locals from Naples and Marco Island, who link together their boats in the water around the beach’s southern end as a part of the festivities. If you like beachcombing, you can find many kinds of shells around Keewaydin Island - this beach has also been named by USA Today as one of the best beaches for beachcombing in the United States. If you like camping, primitive tent camping sites are available at the southern part of Keewaydin Island. However, it is important to note that these sites are available on a first-come-first-serve basis and some of the campsites may be closed during bird nesting season.

There are many attractions near Keewaydin Island in mainland Collier County. The Marco Island Historical Museum has interesting exhibits that offer a unique insight into the vibrant and rich history of Marco Island - the island is known for its immense archaeological value and many unique artifacts have been unearthed here, the most prominent one being the Key Marco Cat (which is housed in Marco Island Historical Museum). The museum also has a gift shop and an amphitheater and it also offers interesting educational programs. Mackle Park (also known As Frank E. Mackle Park) has many amenities including basketball courts, bocce courts, an open field area, picnic areas, a playground, shuffleboard courts, a soccer field, a volleyball court, walking paths, and a water spray park. This park is also a great spot for catch-and-release fishing and you can also occasionally watch alligators here, along with many kinds of birds - the park hosts many fun events throughout the year including a summer program for kids named Camp Mackle, the annual Memorial Day Ceremony, a farmers market, and concerts.  Bayview Park is a waterfront park which is spread over four acres - this park offers amazing views of the Naples Bay and it has many amenities including a boat ramp, restrooms, picnic shelters, and playgrounds. If you are looking for another attraction near Keewaydin Island, Otter Mound Preserve is an approximately two-and-a-half acre preserve which has an artificial mound constructed from discarded shellfish shells by the Native American Calusa people - the preserve also has terraced gardens created from discarded whelk shells, which were created by Ernest Otter (who formerly owned the property) in the 1950s. The preserve also has a tropical hardwood hammock forest - you can explore the preserve’s amazing landscape via hiking trails and you can see many kinds of animals in this preserve including armadillos, tortoises, squirrels, opossums, bobcats (on rare occasions), and more than 60 species of birds.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Keewaydin Island in the nearby Marcos Island. Marco Prime Steaks & Seafood is an upscale restaurant which is known for its outstanding seafood and steaks and it also serves amazing carpaccio, pork chops, steaks, and seafood.  Marek’s Cuisine is set in a vintage home, has an elegant decor, and it serves fantastic island-style cuisine with a special focus on seafood, along with steaks, poultry dishes, pastas, burgers, soups, salads, curries, and risotto. CJ’s on the Bay is a waterfront restaurant which offers amazing views of Smokehouse Bay (especially during sunset) and it also serves excellent dishes for lunch and dinner including pork chops, seafood, burgers, pastas, steaks, poultry dishes, soups, salads, and sandwiches.  Snook Inn offers outstanding dishes for lunch and dinner which exhibit local culinary influences and it also offers live music performances in evenings between Thursday and Sunday. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Keewaydin Island, Hoot’s Breakfast & Lunch offers great fishes for breakfast and lunch including eggs, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, and French toasts.  As another dining option, many small watercraft selling refreshing snacks can also be found along the Keewaydin Island shoreline - one of these boat-shops is Just Beach Burgers - this restaurant sells amazing burgers, fries, hot dogs, and tacos. In addition, this restaurant has also been featured in the Travel Channel.

If you are looking for a hotel near Keewaydin Island, there are many great options in mainland Collier County. If you are looking for a 5-Star hotel,  The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples is a 40-minute drive away and offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a lounge bar, two golf courses, a pool with a coffee shop, a spa, tennis courts, and fitness center. Another great upscale hotel 4-Star JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort that offers many amenities including a pool, a fitness center, a spa, 12 restaurants, and two 18-hole golf courses with complimentary shuttle transport. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Olde Marco Island Inn & Suites offers many amenities including a pool surrounded by gardens, a coin-operated laundry facilities, a bike rental service, a bistro, and loaner facility for beach toys, chairs, and umbrellas. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Keewaydin Island, the 2-Star Conty's Motel is a 20-minute drive away and offers many amenities including a barbecue area, a library, complimentary coffee in the lobby, complimentary breakfast, and a pool.