Shell Island Ferry Vacation Rentals
Shell Island has no public restrooms. There is no trash removal company. Island visitors are required to take any trash they bring with them to the Island.
This trip is one of a kind… If you want to travel to an uninhabited barrier island with white sand, warm water, and shelling galore, our ferry to Shell Key from the Fort De Soto boat ramp is a great choice for you and your family! Our ferry boat operates daily in the spring and summer and nearly every day in the fall and winter. The ride to the island is about twenty minutes and offers great chances to spot dolphins, sea turtles, and even manatees! We also often spot seabirds on the ride to and from Shell Key aboard the green ferry boat.
The Shell Island Ferry offers a discount of 20% off the price of each ticket for groups of 20 or more people when you pay as a group.
Shell Island has no public restrooms. There is no trash removal company. Island visitors are required to take any trash they bring with them to the Island.
Yes, you can bring your own coolers and beach chairs. You should bring your own beverage containers and food packets when you leave the island.
Shell Island can only be accessed by boat, and the Shell Island Ferry is the easiest, safest, and quickest way for visitors to reach Shell Island. As the official Shell Island Ferry service of St. Andrews State Park, the Shell Island Ferry has been ferrying guests between the St. Andrews State Park Marina and Shell Island for many years.
Shell Key is also considered a large nature reserve. The island's nearly half is locked to guests. It allows native seabirds as well as sea turtles to have a small section of undisturbed beach. This preserve is home of many nesting birds, nesting turtles.
* We pick-up and drop off approximately 2.25 miles down the Island at the State Park Docks* We don't drop off behind Jetty area* It takes about 15 minutes to get to our dock on the Island.
Once you get there it is all worth it, as it is the most beautiful water I've ever seen. It is like you are swimming in a pool it is so crystal clear. We didn't know what to expect with this so we went planning to spend a few hours on the island. Come expecting to spend all day!
Shell Island is technically only an island at high tide, and although the land is privately owned, the footpaths across it are open to the public.
Shell Island is a nature preserve with no restrooms or any other visitor facilities such as trash receptacles, picnic tables, or shade pavilions. There is no trash removal service. Island visitors are asked to be responsible and take everything they bring to the Island with them when they leave.
Shell Island is seven miles of undeveloped scenery between the Gulf and St. Andrew Bay. At one point, Shell Island was inhabited by Native Americans, Spanish Settlers, and even pirates.