The scenic, fun ride to Shell Island is only five minutes long. Passengers are dropped at the serene cove behind Shell Island Ferry. It's a great place for children and a short walk from Shell Island Beachfront.
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!
In the early 1990’s, the sandbar just south of Pass-a-Grille Beach known as Shell Island joined with its neighboring island to the south to form one contiguous island. In 2000, Pinellas County acquired a lease from the State of Florida to establish Shell Key (a.k.a. Shell Island) as a Wildlife Preserve and today, Shell Key is a pristine white sand strip of Florida paradise.
Shell Island is a popular spot for Panama City Beach tourists looking for unspoiled white sand beach experiences. It has plenty of beaches and calm waters, making it a great place for swimming and snorkeling. In the surrounding waters, you will find many tropical fish, dolphins, as well as sea turtles. Shell Island's interior can be explored by hiking.
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 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.
Any shells with no living creatures inside can be kept. For empty shells that aren't broken, you can snorkel or go knee-deep in the water away from the beach landing and main boat landing.
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 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 can only be accessed by boat, and the Shell Island Ferry is the easiest, safest, and quickest way for visitors to reach Shell Island.
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