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Naples Vacation Planner
Empty public beach at the south end of Keewaydin Island
Public beach at the south end of Keewaydin Island, March 2006. Donald H Burke, CC BY-SA 2.5.

On the water

Keewaydin Island

Keewaydin is a boat-access barrier island between Naples and Marco Island. This table is every published way onto it that we could price from the operator: the Marco shuttle, the Naples shuttle, shelling and private trips, and a rental boat. Prices checked Oct 2026. A sandbar-only fare is not on these rate cards. Ask for that on the quote form.

Price a private tripRentals and sunset cruises

On the water: Fishing charter prices · Keewaydin Island · Rentals, cruises, and charters.

Price per person, or per boat when that is how the operator sells it. Prices checked Oct 2026.
Way therePriceTime ashoreDepartureDogsKidsShade and facilities
Hemingway Water ShuttleAdult $44. The rates line lists a child at $24, and the Keewaydin page lists a child at $22. Tax and port fees are extra. Confirm the child fare when you book.The ride is about 30–40 minutes each way. You choose the return boat, so hours on the sand are not a fixed block.Rose Marina, 951 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island. Check in 20–25 minutes early. Free parking.NoA child fare is published. The boat has a wheelchair ramp.35-foot, 34-passenger, partially covered catamaran. Beach chairs and umbrellas can be added. Complimentary water. Bring a cooler and food. No bathrooms on the island. Pack out garbage.
Gulf Breeze Naples water shuttleNo dollar fare is published. The price is set for the number of guests. A group of 7–12 can use two boats, with that price on request.Departures at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Hours ashore are not listed.2880 Becca Avenue, Naples, on this trip page. The company FAQ also lists boarding at 2864 Riverview Drive. Complimentary parking. Arrive 15 minutes early.Yes. A pet cleaning fee applies. Pets stay on the floor or a lap, not on the seats.Allowed from age 2. Under 6 wear a life jacket. Ages 6–13 are the parents’ call. Life jackets are on the boat.Max 6 guests. Beach chair with canopy, umbrella, towel, coolers, shell bag, games, water, soda, and snacks. No restroom on the boat. The island has no bathrooms or garbage cans.
Gulf Breeze dolphin and shelling cruiseFrom $500 for up to 6 people. 3 hours.The 3 hours include a Keewaydin stop to walk, swim, or collect shells that are not live. A separate ashore clock is not listed.2864 Riverview Drive on this trip page.Same pet rule as their other trips: welcome, with a cleaning fee, off the seats.Same child rule: from age 2, life jacket under 6.Water, drinks, snacks, and a shell bag. A canopy is not listed on this cruise. Max 6.
Gulf Breeze private charterFrom $750 for 4 hours, up to 6 people.Hours on the beach are not split out from the 4 hours.Ask which published address is the pickup: 2880 Becca Avenue or 2864 Riverview Drive.Same pet rule.Same child rule.Beach chairs with canopy, umbrella, towel, coolers, shell bags, games, toys, water, soda, and snacks. Max 6. No restroom on the boat.
Rising Tide shelling, Rookery BayScheduled 3-hour tour: member $98.10, non-member $109 per person. A private 3-hour charter is $575 for the boat. A private 2-hour charter is $550.The published time is the 3-hour tour to a remote part of Keewaydin. Hours broken out as ashore are not listed.10 Shell Island Road, Naples. Meet 30 minutes early. No walk-ups.Not listedMinimum age 3 on a scheduled tour. A private charter can be arranged for a younger child.Tringa is a 24-foot Carolina Skiff. Dino Days is a 28-foot pontoon with a shaded canopy and ADA access. Max 6 seats. No alcohol if you bring refreshments.
Rising Tide sunset to full moon3 hours. Member $98.10, non-member $109 per person. Closed May through October.The trip includes the bird rookery and time off the boat on a remote Keewaydin beach. A separate ashore clock is not listed.10 Shell Island Road. Meet 30 minutes early.Not listedMinimum age 3 on the scheduled tour.Same two boats and 6-seat cap. Closed-toe shoes, a hat, sunscreen, bug spray, and water are what they ask you to bring.
Naples Boat Charters eco tour$500 for 4 hours, up to 6 people.The captain stays with the boat. The listing pairs Keewaydin with Tigertail Beach on Marco. Hours on the sand are not split out.Pickup is at a boat ramp. The ramp is not named on the rates page.Not listedChildren under 13 wear a life jacket.Shade is not listed. Guests bring food and drinks. No liquor.
Port O Call boat rentalDeck boat or tritoon: 2 hours $174, 4 hours $274, 8 hours $374, plus 6% tax. Fuel and optional insurance are extra. Holiday rates may apply.The clock is the rental. The marina suggests a cruise toward Keewaydin and also says boats are not permitted in the Gulf of Mexico, so a beach landing is not part of the rental.550 Port-O-Call Way, Naples. Rentals run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The renter must be 26 or older. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, needs a Florida Boater Safety Card.Not listedChildren 6 and under must wear a life vest.Bimini top, GPS, VHF, and Coast Guard safety gear. Deck boat seats 8. Tritoon seats 12.

Hemingway’s large-party and custom sunset trips are arranged by phone at 239-315-1136. A price for those is not published. Gulf Breeze is at 239-662-5574. Rising Tide is at (239) 530-5972.

Private Keewaydin charters and group trips

Tell us the dates, the group size, and whether you want a private charter, a group trip, or a shelling stop. We'll pass the request to local boat operators. The island shuttle from Marco is a published ticket; use this form when you want a boat of your own.

Naples Vacation Planner is free for you. Businesses we pass your request to may pay us a referral fee.

Rules on the island

Mangroves at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Heather Henkel, U.S. Geological Survey, public domain. Rising Tide runs the reserve’s boat tours from 10 Shell Island Road.

Hemingway and Gulf Breeze both describe Keewaydin as having no bathrooms. Gulf Breeze also says there are no garbage cans, so trash comes back on the boat. Hemingway asks guests to pack out garbage, leave live seashells, and leave the vegetation alone. In summer, stay on the designated paths and do not touch turtle nests.

Camping rules come from the Rookery Bay boat-tour page. Areas south of San Marco Road are closed to camping from April 1 through October 31 for nesting sea turtles and shorebirds, and are day use unless a sign says otherwise. Portions of the reserve north of San Marco Road, including Keewaydin Island, stay open to camping year-round unless posted. Camping is primitive, only in designated areas, with no permit and no reservation. It is first-come, first-served. Camping outside those spots can mean being asked to leave.

Dogs are a boat rule, not a single island rule in the sources above. Hemingway does not take dogs. Gulf Breeze does, with a cleaning fee, and pets stay off the seats. The rental and Rising Tide listings do not say.

Shelling

A fig shell on the beach at Lovers Key State Park
A fig shell (Ficus papyratia) on the beach at Lovers Key State Park, in Lee County. Bob Peterson, CC BY 2.0. This shell was not photographed on Keewaydin.

Take empty shells only. Hemingway says not to take live seashells. The Gulf Breeze dolphin cruise stops at Keewaydin to collect shells that are not live. Rising Tide’s barrier-island shelling trip is the reserve tour to a remote stretch of the island, at the member and non-member prices in the table. Public beaches with parking, if you are not taking a boat, are on the shelling page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hemingway and Gulf Breeze both say the island has no bathrooms. Gulf Breeze adds that there are no garbage cans. Hemingway says food and drink vendors are not on the island every day, and tells guests to bring a cooler. Gulf Breeze shuttle trips include snacks and drinks on the boat. Rising Tide asks you to bring water and does not allow alcohol with the refreshments you bring.
Not on the Hemingway shuttle. Gulf Breeze welcomes a well-behaved pet, charges a cleaning fee, and asks that the pet stay off the seats. The other listings do not say. Ask the captain before you arrive with a dog.
Rookery Bay says camping on Keewaydin stays open year-round unless posted, in designated primitive spots only, with no permit. South of San Marco Road, camping is closed April 1 through October 31. Day visitors still need a boat. There is no camp store and no bathroom.
Only the Hemingway shuttle lets you pick the return, and even then the hours ashore are the gap between boats, not a published block. The Naples shuttle lists morning departures and does not list a return clock. Tour prices are for the whole trip. The Port O Call rental clock is 2, 4, or 8 hours, and those boats are not allowed in the Gulf.

Tours and activities

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Search Keewaydin shelling tours on Viator or GetYourGuide. Pick the operator and date on their site. For a private boat, photos, or a charter quote, use the quote form first.

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