Marco Island Travel and Things to Do Guide

As part of a 17-square-mile barrier island beach experience, Marco Island event venues and luxurious yet casual resorts offer access to stunning white-sand beaches. A variety of outdoor activities, such as canoeing, kayaking, sailing, dolphin watching, shell hunting, and deep-sea fishing, await attendees once business is done.
Located 18 miles south of Naples, Marco Island is 30 miles from Southwest Florida International Airport, 90 miles from Fort Lauderdale International Airport, and 120 miles from Miami International Airport.

There are no stand-alone convention venues in Marco Island; meeting venues are found in beachfront resort hotels, small boutique properties, private rental homes, and high-rise condominiums in a variety of settings. Topping the list of meeting-oriented options are the 810-room JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort (100,000 square feet of meeting space), the 310-room Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa (15,000 square feet of meeting space) and the 91-suite Marco Beach Ocean Resort (5,500 square feet of meeting space).


Beyond hotel ballrooms, special event venues in Marco Island include the 90-foot Marco Island Princess, a 149-passenger party boat; Tigertail Beach, which has sandy beaches, volleyball nets and courts, a butterfly garden, a boardwalk, and a concession stand; and the Rookery at Marco Golf, a Robert Cupp Jr.-designed golf course with a veranda, private dining room, and executive meeting room.

Dining is more than an afterthought on this restaurant-rich island, especially for seafood lovers, who relish fresh shrimp, scallops, crabs, lobster, and grouper. For a waterfront dining experience with live music seven days a week, the Snook Inn has been a local favorite for more than 30 years. To add even more variety, groups can sample the amenities, restaurants, attractions, and museums of nearby Naples.