A quieter beach at Marco Island's south end.
South Marco Beach is in Collier County, Florida, on the Gulf coast.
South Marco Beach trades Tigertail Beach's paid park entrance for free but limited street parking, a few miles south on the same island. Neither a lifeguard nor restrooms are on site here, so plan accordingly before heading down. Tigertail Beach is about three miles north and Naples Pier a longer trip at nearly sixteen miles.
Today's flag, water temperature, surf, wind, UV and tide times for South Marco Beach load on this page automatically. Conditions change through the day, so nothing on this page is a substitute for the flag flying when you arrive.
Amenity details are Coasti's own notes and can go out of date. Fees, lifeguard seasons and dog rules are set locally.
Flags run from green for low hazard to double red for water closed — see what each flag color means.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Naples (Gulf of Mexico) (8725110).
Weather and marine forecasts come from the National Weather Service at Marco Island Airport (KMKY).
Red tide readings come from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission monitoring map.
Red tide starts with Karenia brevis, an alga that is a normal part of the Gulf and doesn't need to be introduced from anywhere. It only turns into a problem when conditions let it bloom, typically through late summer. South Marco Beach and Tigertail Beach sit about three miles apart, and even at that distance a bloom can reach one and miss the other. See today's statewide red tide status.
That depends on the flag and the surf, and both change through the day. Coasti shows the posted lifeguard flag when a current one exists, and estimates from surf, wind and rip-current risk when it does not. Today's answer for South Marco Beach loads at the top of this page.
South Marco Beach has no lifeguard station, so no official flag is posted here. Coasti estimates the flag from conditions instead.
Parking at South Marco Beach is free. Limited street parking. Fees and lot hours change, so check locally before you go.
Dogs are not allowed on the beach at South Marco Beach. Nearby rules vary, so check locally before you go.
More Collier County beaches · All beaches Coasti covers · Red tide status · What the flags mean