Barrier Island Shelling Tour

Great experience! Just wish it was longer and not so rushed! Thanks Nate!

This was our first visit to Marco Island and first shelling experience so we have nothing to compare it to. We feel the tour was overpriced but Captain Gary was pleasant and knowledgeable about the area.

We went on the shelling tour, captain was great, weather was wonderful, and boat trip was enjoyable. I think this trip would be great for those visiting the area for the first time - you get to explore and understand more about the wildlife, islands, etc. As we have been to the area many times, I expected to see some hidden shelling spots or learn more about the shelling tips and tricks, but unfortunately wasn’t able too. Again, great tour for newbies to the area though.

Capt. Gary was a pleasure! We had a really great time! Very good staff and operation!

Captain Gary was great. Gave us a great tour from the water!

Nate was great. We were the only ones on the tour. He tailored it to us which was great. Honey Bear is a sweetie.

Great experience! Great tour

We celebrated our 26th anniversary in Marco Island and decided to book a shelling tour—and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. Our captain, Gary Weeks, was truly the sweetest person and such a refreshing example of great service. It’s been a long time since we’ve experienced someone so attentive and passionate about what they do. From the moment we stepped on the boat, Gary explained everything clearly—where we were headed, how long it would take, and what we’d be doing. He’s fun, incredibly knowledgeable, and full of fascinating history as a 5th‑generation Marco Island historian and (I believe) 3rd‑generation fisherman. He’s run his own business and now shares his love for the area through shelling, dolphin‑watching, and historical tours. The boat ride itself was lovely—almost an hour of spotting dolphins, watching birds, and enjoying the peaceful water. When we arrived at Shell Island, we were blown away. The concentration of shells is unbelievable… truly millions. I filled a bag and a half and could’ve stayed there all day. It’s a dream for shell lovers and a great outing for families. Gary is laid‑back, helpful, and pointed us toward the best areas to explore. A few tips: bring water shoes (you won’t want to walk barefoot on all those shells), pack snacks and sunscreen, and remember there are no restrooms on the boat or the island. I also recommend choosing a morning tour since Florida afternoons often bring rain. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. If you’re visiting Marco Island, this tour—and Captain Gary—are absolutely worth it.

We had captain Nate and it was amazing! No complaints! His first mate honey bear is adorable. He found us amazing shells, sand dollars and dolphins! He knew the dolphins wanted to play and for 5 minutes had dolphins jumping through the wake of the boat.

Nate was our Captain. Polite, knowledgeable and funny. He found an island with practically no one else there and we beached the boat and shelled for over an hour. Nate had his adorable puppy on board with us and he was a perfect addition to the ride. Saw a pod of dolphins on our way back to the marina. They road the wake from the boat! Fantastic site! Great day. Thank you Nate.

We truly enjoyed our trip. Roger was kind and informative.

We had a wonderful family experience with Captain Nate at the helm. He was welcoming and knowledgeable. We were able to visit 2 islands and found plenty of shells. We also got to see some dolphins which was a bonus. We had a great time and 100% would go again! A special perk was having his puppy on the boat with us! We loved the puppy snuggles, puppy kisses and interactions! Definitely a trip our family will not forget!

Best time and guide was so patient and accommodating with us!

Captain John did a fantastic job ! Entertaining. Knowledgeable Friendly. Not enough good things about our trip and John we can say We found so many fabulous Shells with John’s help

This was an incredible morning! Capt John was outstanding…very attentive to us and very informative about the area, birds, etc as we were boating to each place. At the 1st island, we did shelling. Capt John was helping us dig, identifying various shells, and really attentive to our individual likes & needs. Then, we hit an island for sand dollars. Again-Capt John was great! This tour was amazing…ask for Capt John!

Captain John was super helpful and very knowledgeable. We shelled and John found some dolphin to come out and play. Highly recommend!!!!

Captain John was an awesome tour guide. I have never gone shelling before and I can say it was a very great experience. My husband and I had a blast. Captain John had given us recommendations on local restaurants to eat at after the trip. He spoke a little about the osprey bird and some knowledge about them, once we got to the island he gave us tips on where to go and what to look for. He was very patient and didn’t seem overwhelmed or annoyed. He showed some passion in his job and what he does and I thought that was great. It makes for a better trip.

It was a great time! They only thing I would have changed is getting the kids good water shoes. Our guide was fantastic!

Wonderful and unique excursion. Captain Nate was personable and knowledgeable. Highly recommend for the shell and sand dollar hunters.

Capt Nate was fantastic. He showed us the ropes and helped us find unique shells. We had a fantastic time. I would totally recommend this tour.

Captain Nate is an outstanding naturalist and captain. He shared with us tidbits about the wildlife in the area as well as how to find good shells. He even found some interesting one for us to take home! The pic does not capture ALL of the shells. We just highlighted the sand dollars! I would definitely recommend this shelling tour!

Our tour included stops at Caxambas Sandbar and Dickman's Island, just a short 15-minute boat ride from the departure point. Along the way, our captain chatted with us about the local ecosystem and offered shelling tips. The boat was comfortable with cushioned seating and railings. This is an excellent small-group option for exploring the Ten Thousand Islands and getting closer to nature. I found sand dollars and a live starfish, which brought to mind that simple yet powerful story: “It mattered to that one.” And as they say about the elusive J shell, sometimes the shell finds you.

We had such a great time on our shelling tour with Captain Thomas. He was super friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip fun and relaxing. He took us to some beautiful spots where we found tons of amazing shells, definitely some of the best we’ve ever seen! The boat ride was smooth and scenic, and we even saw a few dolphins along the way. Captain Thomas made sure everyone felt comfortable and really took the time to help us find and learn about different shells. If you’re looking for a fun and laid-back day out on the water, we definitely recommend this tour. Thanks again, Captain Thomas!

Excellent trip. Captain Nate is extremely knowledgeable and willing to share information with you. He also ensures your comfort and satisfaction throughout the trip. Highly recommend!

Nate was a great host, very informative and quite friendly. Helped a couple of Cape Codders get to know Marco a lot better, I recommend this trip trip and guide heartedly 😇😎🦾🥰🥰🥰🕺🏻🦅😉

We had a wonderful day with Captain Thomas! Sun, Shell Hunting (found a bunch), etc. We leaned about the area and what shells we found. Thomas was upbeat, knowledgeable, funny and even found us a few Sand Dollars.

Great trip. Captain Thomas was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. He answered all our questions about the environment and the amazing animals we spotted along the way. Our science loving son gave the adventure a 10/10.

Very nice way to spend the morning. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we were able to a lot of dolphins and water fowl on way and back from shelling.

We had a great trip with Thomas! He is very knowledgeable and shared a lot of interesting information with our group, which ranged in age from 8-53. He took us to a great island for shelling and we found some treasures! Thanks for a great afternoon—we loved it.

We absolutely loved our shelling tour with Captain Nate on Florida Island Tours! It was truly a highlight of our trip, and a memory we will cherish for a long time. Captain Nate was fantastic, and taught us about the area around the 10,000 islands, the shells, and what makes Marco such a great shelling destination. If your looking for the right tour to take, look no further than Florida Island Tours!

Super captain Gary was awesome. He not only took us to 2 different islands for shelling he gave us a history of Marco Island. It was great

Captain Gary was outstanding. Took us to shell island, saw dolphins and got a bonus history lesson. It was just the perfect outing I needed with my family.

Gary was very friendly, pointed out noteworthy scenery and wildlife. We went to two islands and were able to find some nice shells on both. It was fun to find some live whelks which we returned to their home.

Absolutely fantastic! We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Captain Nate, boating and beachcombing. Will definitely do this again next time we’re in Southern Florida. Exactly what we were hoping for! Thanks for the adventure.

We saw a pod of Dolphins and they swam with us for 10 minutes which was a great treat for my grandchildren.

Great tour of the islands. Saw many Osprey, bald eagles, along with other water fowl AND finding the beautiful shells on the beach. The Captain had great knowledge of the area, wildlife, and history of the area. Highly recommend

Captain Nate was fantastic. He put us right in the middle of the dolphins. We could see dolphins the entire time. Saw close to 50 dolphins and then did some amazing shelling. We will most likely make it an annual event

We loved searching for shells on a sandbar and looking At turtle tracks. We found sand dollars too which was pretty special! Captain Nate was awesome!

Had a fantastic time and found many beautiful shells. Enjoyed the entire trip and our guide was very informative and friendly.

This was an amazing tour! Nate showed us what we needed to know and helped us find some amazing shells! We had a wonderful time and as an added bonus we got to see quite a few dolphins too!

Captain Nate and Captain Jules were great, very friendly and informative on our tour. They were accommodating which made for a pleasant trip. And they knew where to find the best shells. I would definitely do this again!!

Was an all out enjoyable experience. Captain Nate went out of his way to show us Dolphins who played in our wake. Then we took the long smooth ride to the shelling island. Captains make getting on and off the boat as easy as possible and help you locate the areas of abundant shells. Captain Nate was full of information about it all and was glad to answer any questions. We would and will do this tour again with more family. For the price I recommend this trip to all. Enjoy.

What a great experience! Capt. Nate and Jules were great hosts. We found a lot of quality shells and Capt. Nate put on a great talk. We learned a lot of interesting facts and history. They went above and beyond. The ride through the mangroves was really interesting and included dolphins, the dome houses and other cool sights. We will definitely charter Capt Nate and Jules again! They definitely know what they're doing and their boat was clean, easy to get in and out of and provided great shade.

My girlfriend and I came all the way from Hawaii to go shelling in world famous kice island and were not disappointed! Went on a 4 hour shelling tour this morning with captain Nate and found the most amazing shells! He also went out of his way to find a few rare shells to give us to make sure we didnt go home empty handed even though the islands were loaded with great shells! One of the highlights for us was that we really wanted to find sand dollars and at the last place he took us, we found two sand dollars but even more, he went out on his own and found a bunch and gave them all to us! Definitely Recommend this shelling tour company and captain Nate! You won’t be disappointed!

Captain Nate of Florida Island Tours was an awesome tour guide! We saw a pod of dolphins and Captain Nate got them to play with us! We also collected bunches of beautiful shells and a couple sand dollars, and learned about the Cape Romano Dome House. My sister and I had so much fun we just might have to do it again next year!

We had the best time with Captain Nate & Jules! They are so fun and helped us find some awesome seashells. Captain Nate knew so much about the wild life & seashells, we learned a lot and the weather was incredible. We even lucked out and saw some dolphins along the way. We could have shelled all day, we will definitely be back!!