Marco Island

Friday October 24

It was definitely not a beach day.  It was too windy so I decided to make it an exploration day and headed to Marco Island to have lunch and check out the area and their beaches too.  Marco is part of Collier County and my beach pass is good on their beaches too.

Marco Island is the furthest you can go on the west coast before heading across Alligator Alley ( Interstate 75) to Miami.  It was a bit of a drive for me....about 45 minutes....so I was interested in seeing the beach to see if it would be worth it for a future trip there.  Check my response later in this blog.

I drove onto Marco Island and it reminded me of Long Beach Island.  There were plenty of restaurants and businesses ( even a McDonald's...I surely thought one would NOT be there since it seemed pretty exclusive) and the streets were lined with expensive houses.  Surprise surprise.  Another rich person's paradise.  I saw a sign to turn off the main road for Old Marco Island and decided to check it out.  Here's what I found....

This is what the street lights look like though out the entire town


I found a lunch spot when the road came to the end and I looked to the right.   I was hungry and was glad to find this restaurant.

It was the best fish lunch/dinner that I have had since arriving here.  I had a grouper sandwich that was moist and very tasty.  There was a salad bar and bread too!  Weird....most restaurants in SW Florida do not serve bread with meals unless you ask and pay for it as a side.  Maybe they are watching my weight for me!  LOL. It's good for the waistline but I have left many a restaurant hungry because of that missing salad and bread.

 A sign I saw located near the bar.  Too funny

I decided to eat on the deck that had picnic tables.  Mine was covered just right with an umbrella which provided some much needed shade as the sun was pretty direct on this dining spot.   Here are some views from my table.

As I was leaving the restaurant after a great meal I saw this.....my next purchase?   No way!!

The waiter from The Snook Inn told me that if went back to the main road and followed it,  it would dead end at the end of the island and I would see everything.  As I headed back to the main road, Collier Boulevard, I saw a sign for Tigertail Beach but decided to continue to the end and go to the beach on the way back.   Here are some of the sites I saw along the way.

As I headed back towards the beach I saw the sign to Tigertail Beach and took a left and went through a road with more expensive houses on it.  I made a left onto Hernando and there it was...Tigertail Beach.  Finally!

A placard describing the area of Tigertail Beach. 

The beach was completely empty except for one couple.  It was a small beach in a cove. Even though the wind was strong this beach was pretty protected from the wind but still empty.  Surprising.   I decided that I was glad to see it but would not come back and make it a beach day here.  The sand was packed down hard almost like dirt and it didn't even look like a beach although it was.  Not very comfortable unless you sat in a chair while catching some rays here.  I stayed long enough to take some photos and I was back in the car in less than 10 minutes.

As I left the beach area I saw some of the most unusual mailboxes....at least in my lifetime.  However, these mailboxes, made out of concrete, were most appropriate for the area.

The undecorated seahorse

The dolphin

The decorated seahorse at another house.


These people have way too much disposable income.  I am glad that I live where I do!