Things to do nearKice Island

Kice Island is part of the Ten Thousand Islands region of southwest Florida, a vast mosaic of mangrove islands, shallow bays, and tidal passes that stretch along the coast between Marco Island and Everglades City. The area has long been recognized for its ecological significance, and much of the surrounding water falls within the boundaries of the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The island itself remains in a largely natural state, shaped by Gulf storms, tidal forces, and the slow accumulation of shell material over centuries.

Visitors come primarily for the shelling, and Kice Island has earned a quiet reputation among serious collectors. The beaches face the open Gulf and catch shells carried northward along the coast, including some of the largest horse conchs found anywhere in Florida. Beyond shelling, the island offers straightforward beachcombing, birdwatching along the wrack line, and the simple pleasure of standing on a shore with no buildings in sight.

The mangrove forest that borders the interior of Kice Island supports a dense population of nesting and foraging birds throughout the year. Bottlenose dolphins are frequently spotted in the passes nearby, and loggerhead sea turtles nest on the beaches during summer months. The water surrounding the island is shallow and clear, making it easy to observe fish and rays moving through the grass flats from the shore.

Kice Island offers something increasingly rare along the Florida coast: a stretch of undeveloped shoreline where the natural environment remains the main attraction. For anyone drawn to wild coastlines, exceptional shelling, and the quiet immensity of an undisturbed estuary, it is well worth the boat ride out.