Dreading Summer Beach Crowds? Visit These 3 Untouched Florida Islands

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It may seem like avoiding summer beach crowds, especially in Florida, is a daunting task — almost as if you have to settle for fellow vacationers taking up your space with loud children and retirees whose swimwear choices suggest they last saw a mirror in the 90s.

Despite what seems like an impossibility, the experts at Southern Living revealed a trio of pristine Florida islands off the radar from the masses.

Instead of becoming just another face in the crowd in Miami or realizing Destin hasn’t been a secret for decades, consider going off-path to a few little known white-sand paradises this summer — and one of them was also just featured by Travel + Leisure too as Florida’s ‘last unspoiled’ beach town, making it all the more enticing to visit sooner rather than later.

Visit these unspoiled Florida islands to avoid the crowds this summer:

Shell Island: Hop Aboard A Ferry To Secluded Shores

Wanna guess what Shell Island looks like? Let’s just say it lives up to the name; the type of place you may really want to sell seashells down by the seashore.

Getting here is a fun adventure in its own right as you’ll first have to hit up another less crowded hideaway, St. Andrews State Park ($4 admission).

Split between the Gulf and St. Andrews Bay outside of Panama City, this idyllic paradise is mainly known for sweeping uninterrupted views, shelling, and common dolphin sightings.

But to level up your vacation, you’ll definitely want to hop aboard the Shell Island Ferry from St. Andrews to Shell Island for, yes, even better opportunities to shell and even more serene seclusion away from the hordes of vacationers on seemingly every other notable Florida beach town.

The ferry runs Tuesday through Saturday every hour from 10am to 1pm, but make sure you’re not left behind at the last pick-up at 3pm.

What’s known as the ‘Jewel of Panama City’, Shell Island, stretches 7 miles. Given that there are few people compared to Panama City proper, it feels like this barrier island goes on forever, like your very own private oasis lined with glowing white sand and crystal clear waters great for swimming and/or snorkeling.

St. George: The Heart Of Florida’s ‘Forgotten Coast’

Florida has so many popular destination, it’s hard to believe there’a stretch of coastline deemed ‘forgotten’.

That’s because the 28-mile shoreline of St. George Island is still a low-key vacation spot where locals outweigh noticeable tourists.

You won’t find the usual eyesores like many of the South’s most popular beaches, with Hard Rock Cafes and Senor Frog’s taking away from the authentic aspects of town—there’s not even a Starbucks.

Instead, you’ll find happy locals welcoming you to their beloved shores with recommendations for the best seafood and sunset views. St. George Island State Park is likely the answer for sunsets, and Paddy’s Raw Bar for the fresh catch of the day.

There’s no denying how authentic St. George feels as an ‘Old Florida’ getaway without chain hotels and resorts towering over their beautiful beaches.

You won’t find any recognizable accommodations here, just beachfront rentals like the Island Suites or cozy inns steps from the beach like the Buccaneer Inn.

Keewaydin: Florida’s Footprint-Free Final Frontier

While vacationers indulge in Marco Island’s opulence, there’s another island nearby you’ve likely never heard of before.

Keewaydin Island receives few visitors, but those in the know absolutely love the 8 miles of pristine, untouched white sand.

As you might suspect, there are no hotels on Keewaydin, but it makes for the ultimate crowd-free beach day, just like aforementioned Shell Island, where you’ll want to catch the Hemingway Water Shuttle, as there’s no connecting bridge.

Once here, you’ll only feel its right to laugh at everyone else who’s stuck elbow to elbow at one of Florida’s many household name beach towns, all while you feel like you’ve found the edge of the world with gleaming white-sand beaches, vibrant turquoise water, and one-upping Portland’s famous food truck scene with the pull-up boat Just Beachy Burgers.

This has to be what Jimmy Buffett was talking about, right?

While some visitors come prepared for a picnic, others can’t wait for the food boat to arrive between 11am – 3pm ‘most days’ — yeah, it’s that type of place.

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