For Panama City Beach residents looking for unspoiled white-sand beaches, Shell Island is a must-see spot. There is plenty of beach space on the island, as well as calm inshore waters that are ideal for snorkeling and swimming. The waters around the island are home to many colorful tropical fish, sea turtles, and dolphins. You can explore the Shell Island interior by foot, where you will find rare birds and other wildlife.
Shell Island can only been accessed by boat. Shell Island Ferry allows visitors to access Shell Island in a safe, easy and quick manner. Since its inception, the Shell Island Ferry is the official Shell Island Ferry Service of St. Andrews State Park. It has been ferrying guests between Shell Island and the St. Andrews State Park Marina for many years.
Panama City Beach is home to the undeveloped Shell Island beaches, which are a major attraction. To spend a day in Shell Island, take the Shell Island Ferry.
Shell Island is only accessible by boat. The Shell Island Ferry makes it easy, safest and fastest to get there. The official Shell Island Ferry service for St. Andrews State Park has been operating since many years.
There is no time limit on your stay, but you must catch the last Ferry off the Island at the end of the day. Please be sure to check the daily schedule when purchasing your Ferry ticket.
You can start and end your Shell Key adventure from historic Fort De Soto. It is Pinellas County’s biggest park and a military outpost built during the Spanish American War. Fort De Soto Park is 1,136 acres with five interconnected islands. You can still see the fort's 12-inch rifled mortars, and two British breechloading 6-inch Armstrong rapidfire guns. Fort De Soto was voted the best beach in America.
This is an exclusive trip! If you're looking to visit an uninhabited barrier island with warm water, white sand and shelling, the ferry to Shell Key departs from Fort De Soto boat ramp. The ferry boat runs every day during the spring and summer, and almost every day in fall and winter. It takes about twenty minutes to reach the island. This ride offers many chances to see dolphins, turtles, manatees, and more! On the ferry boat, we often see seabirds as we travel to Shell Key.
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!