My wife and I are going to Marco Island in February. Does any one have any suggestions about riding in this area? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

marco is a sweet place to ride although you have to watch out for the manateee areas. you ride around the island out in to the gulf. if you go to the radisson hotel, they offer guided rental tours through the mangroves behind the island. if you are bringing your own ski's, i don;t think they would have a problem if you tagged along. also, you can crusie up and down the back channels where all the homes are. makes for an enjoyable cruise.

also - go to the beach bar at the marriott hotel. ask for bobbi grueber. tell him the costello's sent you. he is a good friend of the family

have fun and ride safe

Dan Costello
Team Adrenaline Racing #575
Novice/Beginner Closed Course
Expert Endurance
609-221-8777

bring a wetsuit! the gulf can be very nippy.

as far as boat ramps, nothing to conveinetly located to gulf access (that i remember), there are parking areas and that you can drag (not literaly) your ski down the beach and plop them in, HOWEVER you better have a ATV to help you out especially gettting your ski back up the beach.

i launched at the foot of the big bridge on the north end of town on the mainland side then rode around

I rode around there on my new 'ski the week between Christmas and New Year's. Be very aware of the tide schedules if you go exploring the mangrove trails, and leave time to make it thru all the no-wake zones back to your launch point by 5, it gets dark quick after that and the mangroves can get a little confusing if you don't know your way around (like I didn't)! Also instead of riding outside on the gulf, you can head out that inlet on the north side then right back in into the marked channel leading all the way to Naples (if you follow that and make a left off the channel at marker 33, it takes you to a really sweet boating type beach on Kiwi island, actually it's some long Indian name I can't remember that starts off sounding like Kiwi, you can see it on your chart - so you'll have Kiwi beach on your right and "Little Marco Island" on your left, beautiful hangout beach either way.) Or keep going all the way to Naples and there are plenty of on-the-water restaurants when you get there.
Even better go out the south side of the island towards Coon Key and then go south exploring the incredible 10,000 Islands (get a local chart), miles and miles of funky islands and mangrove trails, leave lots of time and definitely take a gps and chart to help figure out where you are and find your way back, and again you should make sure to know when the tide is coming in and out.

Also you can launch for a slight fee at Calusa Island Yacht Club in nearby Goodland (about a 5-minute drive from Marco, San Marco Drive all the way down to Goodland where you'll make a right just before the bridge, then you'll see the sign for the marina on your right) - nice facilities, good ramp, lots of parking, water for flushing, nice helpful people, a ship's store and gas dock right by the ramp. (My step-dad keeps his boat stacked there, and I kept my trailer and 'ski parked there while I was on vacation.)

There's also a well-stocked West Marine store on the main drag (951), on the east side of the street, north end of town.

richforman

Thanks for all of the information. We will be taking our ski with us. We look forward to the visit. Thanks again.