2025 Marco Island Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)

#cruiseholiday "We stayed at Crystal Shores for a relaxing getaway before our Gulf Coast cruise, and it was amazing! The beachfront location was stunning, with crystal-clear waters and soft sand. Our villa was spacious and had a fully equipped kitchen, making it easy to prepare meals. The resort had fantastic pools, a lazy river, and beachfront dining. The staff was attentive and even helped us arrange transportation to the cruise port. Staying here gave us a peaceful and luxurious start to our vacation. If you're cruising from the Gulf Coast, this resort is a must!"

| Naples & Marco Island South Beach Travelogue. After lunch, it was already late, so we decided to drive to Marco Island to explore this area known for its affluent neighborhoods and famous beaches. 🌎 Transportation and Parking The roads leading to Marco Island are narrow and busy. Public parking is hard to find, as most parking lots belong to hotels or residential areas. After some searching, we finally found a public parking lot at Marco Island South Beach. Although the parking fee was high, the location was convenient. 🏝 First Impressions of South Beach There is an 8-mile-long white sand beach between Marco Island and Keewaydin Island, which is known as one of the top ten hidden beaches in the southern United States. The sand here is white and delicate, and the sunlight glistens on the grains, creating a warm and pleasant atmosphere. However, perhaps my expectations were too high, as I didn't feel the "picturesque" beauty that I had heard about. Maybe it's because the scenery is understated and natural, rather than visually stunning. Whether it deserves to be on the "Top Ten Hidden Beaches" list is subjective, but since it's famous, it's worth seeing for yourself. 🏡 Impressions of the Affluent Neighborhoods Although Marco Island is known for its affluent neighborhoods, the buildings around the beach don't have the "luxurious" feel I imagined. Instead, they lean towards a low-key and comfortable design style. This might be its charm: not ostentatious, but exuding a sense of calm and tranquility. --- ✨ Travel Tips 1. Parking Tips: It's recommended to check parking locations in advance or arrive early to avoid peak traffic. 2. Beach Walk: Bring a pair of comfortable sandals, as the beach is perfect for a leisurely stroll. 3. Manage Expectations: Don't have too high expectations for the "hidden beach" title, and focus more on experiencing the nature and atmosphere. --- 🌠 Travel Summary Marco Island South Beach may not have the most stunning scenery, but its understated charm and unique atmosphere are worth seeing. If you're looking for a place to quietly enjoy the sun and sea breeze, this is a good choice.

Naples Marriott Crystal Coast Hotel. Located at 600 S Collier Blvd, only 3 kilometers from Marco Island Airport, it has a strategic location. There are many famous attractions surrounding the hotel, including Capri Paddlecraft Park, Calusa Park and Marco Island Center for the Arts. The hotel is located on the Otter Mound Preserve, close to attractions such as the City of Marco Island Racquet Center and Ten Thousand Island National Park. Opened in 2009, the hotel has 99 rooms and provides a variety of facilities and services, including multilingual services, ATMs, wireless WIFI, restaurants and 24-hour front desk services. The hotel has a high rating and good user reviews, saying it is clean and the staff is professional and helpful. In addition, Marriott International Group's development strategy in the Chinese market is also worthy of attention. The group uses diversified brands, loyal member communities and destination matrix as its three major growth engines, focusing on digitalization and talent cultivation. As of the third quarter of 2024, Marriott has signed more than 100 projects in China, and the number of new project signings has reached a new high. The group plans to introduce luxury brand hotels to more popular destinations in the next three years, such as Suzhou, Dali, Guangzhou and other places, and at the same time strengthen the layout in key cities, such as Shenzhen and Chongqing! The Naples Crystal Coast Marriott Hotel provides travelers with an unforgettable accommodation experience with its superior location, rich surrounding attractions, and complete facilities and services.

#thingstodo Stunning property, clean and updated rooms and facilities, helpful and professional staff throughout the property. We were here for a wedding and it was wonderful! Food was excellent, beach is gorgeous, restaurants are plenty and lots of variety. The property has several fitness centers (i tried them all and was usually the only one there!). This is an upscale resort that gets what it means! Only 2 complaints: 1. The service at the pool was very very slow. I waited 35 minutes for a Diet Coke and had to ask 3x for it. 2. The parking is a bit of a cluster since it’s 3rd party owned/run. I followed the hotel instructions and paid full price for my stay. My husband did not and got a night for free ($35!). Didn’t love that. Also, it is pricey. $1000 for 2 nights plus $35 for parking per night. I felt that was a lot. But i didn’t dock stars since that’s my personal opinion My wife and I got married here in 2022 and then came back for our Anniversary in 2023. Our wedding day was the best day of our lives and we could not have asked for a better venue! Everything was exactly as we had imagined except better. The food was incredible, the views were breathtaking, and the staff was on point with everything. Katie Mascitelli was our coordinator and she was extremely organized, quick to respond, kind, and incredibly patient with us throughout the entire planning period and she made sure our day was absolutely perfect. She then went above and beyond for us AGAIN for our Anniversary! She went out of her way to make our trip extra special and we truly felt so loved by the entire JW Staff throughout our stay. So much so, that we will most likely spend every anniversary there now :) To say the least, we love this place and cannot recommend it enough.