There is nothing I love more than a day at the beach. Feeling the sun on my face, dipping by toes in the sand, and playing in the water is a “Perfect Day” in my book. Recently my daughter and I spent some time in Panama City Beach and discovered a new favorite beach, well it’s an island really. That place is Shell Island. Have you been? We found ourselves coming back here again and again. Let me tell you why you should visit too!
Shell Island Florida
Gulf Coast beaches have a special place in my heart. The warm Gulf water means I can visit throughout the year and the water is actually warm enough to get in during the late spring or fall. Plus the pristine white sand beaches are spectacular!
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Panama City Beach has 27 miles of beaches and all are worthy of a visit. But Shell Island is different because of what it DOESN’T have. These are the reasons why you should visit Shell Island in Florida on your next visit.
Unspoiled Natural Beauty
If you like beaches without a ton of people or buildings, this is the place for you! Shell Island is an undeveloped barrier island between St. Andrew Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The area stretches out for 7 miles with no hotels, no restaurants, no food stalls, no trash cans, no picnic tables, no buildings. It’s natural beauty for as far as you can see. It’s unspoiled beauty.
The island offers crystal clear emerald waters and pristine white sand beaches. It is a great place to go fishing, swimming, kayaking, or just lounging on the beach soaking up some sun! There are also plenty of opportunities for bird watching as well.
See Wild Bottle Nosed Dolphins
When it comes to nature, there is never a guarantee that you’ll see animals in the wild. But here on Shell Island you have the best chance to see sea turtles from time to time, but almost always dolphins. A large pod swims in the waters around the island and can often be seen swimming and feeding in the area.
Note: I say “see” not “swim” with dolphins. It’s illegal in Florida to swim with wild dolphins. So when you spot them, remember to stay a safe distance away and don’t try to touch or feed them.
St. Andrews State Park
St. Andrews State Park is the most visited state park in all of Florida. As a whole, the park is a must see when you are here. Shell Island Beach is a small part of St. Andrews. Its west end has the state park designation, but because this area is only accessible by boat, there are less people than you’d expect.
Tip: Bring everything you may need for the day. There are no concession stands on the beach. So be sure you bring enough food, water, mineral sunscreen, bug spray, beach umbrella, etc.
How to get to Shell Island
Shell Island FL is accessible only by boat or other watercraft. If you didn’t bring a boat, you can rent one from a local marina or hire a charter for the day. It’s well worth the effort to get there, though.
The boat ride is really nice and gives you a chance to see the surrounding area and local birds. We went in early October and it’s as if we had the whole place to ourselves. We arrived around 10am on a weekday and here were just a few people on the island. Talk about relaxing!!!
If you are taking day trips or just don’t want to stay at a resort with a shuttle service, the state park offers a ferry service that drops you off at the state park docks behind the Jetty area. Then you walk to the public beach.
The local Shell Island Shuttle also shuttles beach goers from St. Andrews State Park to Shell Island. They also offer snorkeling trips, dolphin tours, boat rentals, shell island fishing trips and more!
Most shuttles take about 15-20 minutes to get to the island and take you through St. Andrew Bay.
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Shell Island Beach Activities
The last reason for coming to Shell Island is for recreation. The area got its name back in the day for having an abundance of shells. Visitors come and do some seashell collecting here. I found that the more visited areas, where the boats pull up and near the shuttle boardwalk, are a little scarce on shells. But walk down the beach and see what you can find. I’m a firm believer in “Leave No Trace” and “Take Only Memories” when it comes to being outdoors, so we just gather, take a picture, and put shells back for others to find.
Tip: After living in Eastern NC for years, I found that the best time to hunt for seashells was after a storm passed.
The area is also perfect for snorkeling. It’s one of the best places in Panama City Beach. Shallow pools can be found with fish and sea life. Plus the clear water in the Gulf is perfect to get out with the family. So bring your snorkeling gear or rent it from a local tour operator.
Panama City Beach is a great place for families to vacation. There is plenty to see and do both on and off the beach. Be sure that on your next visit to plan at least one full day to come and relax on Shell Island. Also check out these other Panama City Beach articles to help you make the best of your time here.
- Have a Fun Active Weekend with Teens in Panama City Beach, Florida
- If you want to get off the beach, check out these Panama City attractions for all ages.
- Also check out our favorite Panama City Beach restaurants
Need more family travel destination ideas for Florida? How about..
- 4 Days in Tampa Bay
- Things to do in Delray Beach with Kids
- The 2023 Guide to the Best Family-Friendly Florida Beaches
- Discover these 19 Things To Do in Central Florida – No Theme Parks
- 5 Marriott Resorts for Families Searching For An Outdoor Adventure
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- AIRFARE
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- LODGING
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- For camping and RV campgrounds, find the ideal location with Campspot.
- PACKING
- Travel in style with a suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or handbag from Away and Eagle Creek.
- For packing cubes, we love these from Eagle Creek and these reusable silicon bags for a 3-1-1 bag from Stasher.
- TRAVEL PLANNING
- Looking to start travel hacking and want a place to keep track of it all? There’s the free TravelFreely site.
- For budgeting help, get our road trip budgeting tips here.
- ATTRACTIONS/ACTIVITIES
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- Groupon for discounted local attractions and event tickets
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- Find information on local trails with the AllTrails App.
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- LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
- We use and recommend Rosetta Stone to learn a new language. We bought the $179 lifetime option with unlimited access to ALL 25 of their languages.
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Lived in FL all my life and have never been to Panama City Beach. Need to make the trek… it looks beautiful!
I can almost feel the soft sand between toes when looking at your pictures. This place sounds like a perfect destination for a quick getaway. Not too many people and excellent snorkeling make this an ideal place for me.
This looks like such a beautiful beach…and has given me some much needed sunshine on a dreary afternoon in the UK! Thank you so much for linking up to #fearlessfamtrav.
we visit Florida several times a year – Orlando and Naples, have not been up to the Panhandle but its a place I’d like to go!