Take a ferry ride with us to Shell Key. Pack like you're on the beach. Sunscreen, towels, bathing suits and sun protective hats are essential. Shell Key is an unspoiled island. It doesn't have a toilet or shop so bring water and food.
Begin and end your Shell Key adventure at historic Fort De Soto, a military outpost constructed during the Spanish American War, listed in the “National Register of Historic Places”, and Pinellas County’s largest park. Fort De Soto Park includes 1,136 acres of five interconnected islands.. Explore the fort that is still equipped with 12-inch rifled mortars and two British breech-loading 6-inch Armstrong rapid-fire guns. Fort De Soto has been rated the number one beach in the entire United States.
You may be able to see dolphins on the Ferry ride. Or, you might even spot them while snorkeling around Shell Island. These are wild dolphins and we don't offer scheduled dolphin encounters. Our Panama City Beach Dolphin Tours offer a great opportunity to see dolphins.
Undeveloped Shell Island's pristine beaches are a popular attraction in Panama City Beach, Florida. You can spend the day on Shell Island enjoying the sugar-white sands and emerald waters.
You have no time limits, but must get off the Island by the end the day. Check the Ferry schedule before purchasing your ticket.
In the early 1990's the Shell Island sandbar, located just south of Pass-a-Grille Beach, was joined to form one contiguous Island. Pinellas County obtained a lease from Florida in 2000 to create Shell Key (a.k.a. Shell Island was established in 2000 as a Wildlife Preserve. Today, Shell Key is a beautiful white strip of Florida paradise.
You can keep any shells that aren't inhabited. If you are looking for empty, unbroken shells in your area, it is worth snorkeling or wading at least knee-deep.
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.
There is no limit to the activities you can experience at or on Shell Island! You can swim, snorkel, paddleboard, go kayaking, sunbathe, hunt seashells, go hiking, have a picnic, and more!
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.
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.