The natural reserve at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach Florida includes the Shell Island barrier, which is 7 miles long. This stretch of undeveloped beach, coast scrubland, and pine hammocks divides St. Andrews Bay and the open Gulf of Mexico. Shell Island is a refuge for wildlife, marine creatures, and beach enthusiasts looking for a day out in a serene natural setting far away from the condominiums or resorts that line the shore to the north.
Begin and end your Shell Key adventure at historic Fort De Soto, a military outpost constructed during the Spanish American War, listed in the “National Register of Historic Places”, and Pinellas County’s largest park. Fort De Soto Park includes 1,136 acres of five interconnected islands.. Explore the fort that is still equipped with 12-inch rifled mortars and two British breech-loading 6-inch Armstrong rapid-fire guns. Fort De Soto has been rated the number one beach in the entire United States.
Shell Key is great for swimming and shelling. Shell Key is also home of a large nature reserve, where half of the island has been blocked off to allow native seabirds an area of unspoiled beach. Have fun and sun!
Groups of 20 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each ticket at Shell Island Ferry when they pay in a group.
Shell Island can only easily be reached by boat. Shell Island Ferry offers visitors the best, most secure, and fastest way to reach Shell Island. Since 1999, the Shell Island Ferry, which is officially the Shell Island Ferry service provided by St. Andrews State Park Marina to Shell Island has been transporting guests there for many years.
Shell Island cannot be reached by water. Visitors must travel by boat to reach it. Shell Island Ferry serves as the official Island Ferry. This ferry has been serving guests to and from Shell Island for many year.
Shell Key is also home to a large nature preserve. Guests are restricted from half the island, which allows for the turtles and seabirds to enjoy a section unaffected beach. This area is home countless nesting birds and nesting tortles.
Visitors to your pitch may come on site, after paying the daily admission fee, £10.00 per car, between 8am till 8pm. During busy times when the site is full no day visitors will be admitted on to site.
About an hour drive
Shell Island is an actual island in the St Andrews Bay off of Panama City Beach, about an hour drive from Destin.
When you visit Shell Key, you are essentially in the wilderness. There are no toilets – there is no running water – no trash cans or any other modern conveniences. It is up to you to bring everything you need to survive – and, more importantly – to leave nothing behind except footprints
There is no limit to the activities you can experience at or on Shell Island! You can swim, snorkel, paddleboard, go kayaking, sunbathe, hunt seashells, go hiking, have a picnic, and more!