Can you swim to Shell Island

Shell Island Wales Boats


Our Private Sunset Tour is the perfect way to see Shell Island and the Sunset in a unique and beautiful way. You will be accompanied by a knowledgeable captain guide on an unforgettable adventure.
You can choose from pontoon boats for family fun and cruising, or Boston Whalers for fishing. Half-day and full-day rentals are available.


Beach bike rentals are available at the St. Andrews State Park Campground Camp Store. Ride around the campground loops and park roads as well as on the 2-mile paved bike trail that wanders through the park. It’s a great way to see deer and other park wildlife. The Park also features two short and easy hiking trails that give walkers a close look at native pine forest and coastal scrub habitats.
This is just a brief overview of some of the many recreational opportunities available at one of the most popular attractions in Panama City Beach: Shell Island. For more detailed information and plenty of pictures, explore our website. Or join us on the Shell Island Web Cam and preview the beauty of the park while you plan your trip. You can also give us a call at (850) 756-7535 or drop by 203 Jase Cr,Panama City Beach, FL 32408 to book your trip to shell island.

Why Is Shell Island Called Shell Island

Ice Cream

Ice Cream


Shell Island, a popular spot for snorkeling in Panama City Beach is the best. Start your adventure with Shell Island Boats.
Shell Island Boats can carry 6 people per boat, while our Large Family Cruiser boats can hold 15 (children included). You can be in the water quickly with your snorkel gear on without having to splash or disrupt large groups, which often scares the dolphins.

Can you snorkel at Shell Island


Both novice and advanced kayakers will enjoy the waters surrounding St. Andrews State Park. There are many interesting beaches to explore, as well as great snorkeling and swimming spots. For experienced paddlers, you might want to cross to Shell Island or paddle out to the pass to do some sea kayaking. A rental package which includes a boat ride and kayaks on Shell Island is the best and most safest way of kayaking on Shell Island.
A Shell Island boat rental is a great way of enjoying a Shell Island day. A pontoon boat is safe, stable, spacious, easy to use, and a great way to explore Shell Island. With your private pleasure boat, you can cruise the blue waters of St. Andrew Bay or play on the white sands at Shell Island.

Can you snorkel at Shell Island

Beach


On the south-eastern end of Panama City Beach Florida, the natural reserve of St. Andrews State Park includes the 7-mile long barrier island known as Shell Island. This undeveloped stretch of white sand beach, coastal scrubland, and pine hammocks separate St. Andrews Bay from the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Shell Island is a haven for wildlife, marine animals, and beach lovers looking for a day in a pristine natural setting away from the resorts and condominiums that line the beach to the north.
Shell Island is a local must-see location for Panama City Beach visitors looking for the unspoiled white-sand beach experience. The island offers plenty of beach space and peaceful inshore waters where swimming and snorkeling are great. Colorful tropical fish, dolphins, and sea turtles are common in the waters around the island. On land, hiking the interior of Shell Island is an opportunity to explore rare coastal plants, bird, and wildlife communities.

Shell Island Panama City


You can explore Shell Island with your friends and family with one of our well-maintained Shell Island Pontoon Boat Rentals.
The Shell Island Boats will be one of your most memorable experiences while on Panama City Beach.

Can you snorkel at Shell Island

Bottle Nose Dolphins


St. Andrew Bay is home to one of the world’s largest resident populations of bottlenose dolphins. These are the iconic gray dolphins that most people are familiar with from television, movies, and marine parks. Shell Island Pontoons has dolphin tours that offer you the chance to watch wild bottlenose dolphins in their natural setting. It’s a unique opportunity that is sure to create unforgettable Panama City Beach vacation memories. Join us on one of our Panama City Beach Dolphin Tours for a dolphin encounter that will be the highlight of your Panama City Beach visit.
The Grand Lagoon is an excellent place to enjoy a Panama City Beach snorkeling adventure. Our snorkel tour captains know all the best spots around the St. Andrews State Park jetty and out on Shell Island. Explore marine habitats that range from sand bottom to shallow grass flats, to the rocky faces of the jetties. You can expect to see tropical fish, crabs, rays, and if you are lucky, a sea turtle or some of the resident bottle nose dolphins. If you don’t have your own snorkel gear, high-quality equipment is available for rent or you can get it as part of a complete Panama City Beach snorkel tour package.

Frequently Asked Questions

Though the area boasts an average of 320 days of sunshine per year, late spring, summer and early fall offer some of the warmest air and water temperatures. Plus, by avoiding a visit in March or April, you'll dodge the deluge of college students who descend on the area's ivory sands every year for spring break.

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.

It is usually referred to as a barrier island that separates the waters of St. Andrews Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. But strictly speaking, it is now a peninsula rather than an island. Shell Island was an actual island in the past, right after the St.

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!