Ship Island Ferry
Panama City Beach's undeveloped Shell Island is a top attraction. Shell Island Ferry: Take the Shell Island Ferry to enjoy the sugar-white sandy beaches and emerald-green waters of Shell Island.
At the southernmost tip of Panama City Beach Florida is the natural preserve St. Andrews State Park. This park includes a 7-mile-long barrier island called Shell Island. This undeveloped stretch of beach, coast scrubland, pine hammocks and white sand separates St. Andrew Bay form the open waters of Gulf of Mexico. Shell Island is a sanctuary for marine wildlife and beach-lovers who are looking to enjoy a day at the beach in a beautiful natural setting, far from the condos and resorts to the north.
In the early 1990s, the Shell Island Sandbar (south of Pass-a-Grille Beach) joined with the neighboring island to form one contiguous Island. Pinellas County was granted a lease by the State of Florida in order to establish Shell Key (a.k.a. Shell Island) was declared a Wildlife Preserve in 2000. Shell Key is now a Florida paradise on a strip of pure white sand.
Panama City Beach's undeveloped Shell Island is a top attraction. Shell Island Ferry: Take the Shell Island Ferry to enjoy the sugar-white sandy beaches and emerald-green waters of Shell Island.
For camping enthusiasts, we offer an overnight experience on Shell Key! All you need is your “camper” ferry ticket, a camping permit from Shell Key, and all your camping gear to have an epic night under the stars! This is an unbelievably unique opportunity to camp out on a secluded island.
Shell Key has great swimming and shelling once you are on the island. Shell Key is home to a large natural preserve. This protects nearly half the island and allows the native seabirds to enjoy a portion of the undeveloped beach. You can have a great day in the sun by getting out there!
The Ferry ride is always possible to spot dolphins, and snorkeling around Shell Island may bring you closer to them. We do not offer dolphin encounters because these dolphins are wild and in their natural habitat. Check out our Panama City Beach dolphin tours for a great chance to see dolphins.
Shell Island Ferry, family-owned since 1928, is still in operation. We are Shell Key's only official ferry company.
Shell Island is on the west coast of Wales about 7 miles north of Barmouth. There is a road leading to there that you drive on, but at certain high tides the sea covers the road.
Sand dollars, moon snails, conch shells, pin shells, periwinkles, whelk and olive shells are just a few of the indigenous seashells found here. And, as long as there are no creatures living in them, there is no limit to how many of these one-of-a-kind souvenirs you can take home with you
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 Island Ferry, the Shell Island Ferry has been ferrying guests between the mainland and Shell Island for many years.