Park Summary for Print - Cayo Costa State Park

Birds in tree overlooking sunrise at Cayo Costa State Park.

Welcome to Cayo Costa State Park

With nine miles of beautiful beaches and acres of pine forests, oak-palm hammocks, and mangrove swamps, this barrier island park is a Gulf Coast paradise. The park is accessible only by private boat or ferry. Visitors may see manatees and pods of dolphins in the waters around the park, as well as a spectacular assortment of birds. On the island, visitors can swim or snorkel in the surf, enjoy the sun, and picnic in the shade. Shelling is especially good during the winter months. Nature trails provide opportunities for hiking and off-road bicycling. Saltwater anglers can fish from their boats or throw a line out into the surf. An amphitheater provides educational programs about the islands ecology and history. For overnight stays, the park offers primitive cabins and tent camping. For ferry information and reservations call (239) 283-0015, located at Pineland Marina, 13921 Waterfront Drive, Pineland, Florida 33945, due East of Cayo Costa and West of Cape Coral and N. Ft. Meyers.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Cayo Costa State Park, please call 941-964-0375.

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Hours of Operation

Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.

Driving Directions

Cayo Costa State Park is located directly south of Boca Grande and West of Pine Island and N. Ft. Meyers. Accessible only by passenger ferry or private boat. The passenger ferry, Tropic Star of Pine Island departs from Pineland, Florida (Pine Island). Reservations are required on the ferry service. There is a fee for the ferry service.Call Tropic Star of Pine Island at (239) 283-0015.

Park Fees

Admission Fee:

$2.00 per person. Please use the honor box to pay fees. Correct change is required.

Tent Camping Fee:

$22.00 per night, plus tax.

Cabin Fee:

Cayo Costa Cabins (primitive)

$40.00 per night, plus tax.

Jug Creek Cottages

$90.00 per night, plus 6% sales tax and 5% bed tax or $540.00per week (7 nights), plus 6% sales tax and 5% bed tax.

Jug Creek Cabins are located in Bokeelia on Pine Island. Please call Tropic Star of Pine Island at (239) 283-0015 for reservation information.

Boat Camping Fees:

$20.00 per night, plus tax, per vessel.

Activities at Cayo Costa State Park

	Beaches The island is approximately seven miles long and has nearly nine and one-half miles of pristine beach on the Gulf of Mexico. This beach is perfect for shelling, swimming, snorkeling, fishing, hiking, and sunbathing.
	Bicycling Enjoy a leisurely bike ride on our trails, which meander through our beautiful barrier island. Bicycles are available at the ranger station for half or full day rental.
	Boating Our bayside docks offer ten boat slips where boaters may camp onboard their boats with our bayside restroom facilities conveniently located for their use.
	Cabins Cabins are available on Cayo Costa. Each cabin sleeps up to six people. Each cabin is furnished with three bunk beds and a table. The cabins are very primitive and do not have electricity or any other amenities. They are centrally located to bathrooms and showers. There are grills available for cooking. Each cabin is conveniently located to the beach area and nature trails. Tent camping sites are available for up to 8 people per site. There is a picnic table and a ground grill provided at each site. The sites are centrally located to bathrooms and showers and conveniently located to the beach area and nature trails. Cayo Costa has modern restroom facilities, conveniently located in the camping areas, equipped with flushable toilets and cold water rinse-off showers. Potable water is also available at the restrooms. Access to the island is by Ferry Service from several Charter Boat Services. Visitors must carry in all food and drinks, as there are no facilities on the island. All items must be taken off the island upon departure. For more information on camping in our park simply click on the Reserve America link. Clicking on the park map or selecting one of the camping area links just below the park map will allow you to see a map of the individual campsite locations. Select any campsite icon to see a detailed description of the individual campsite and what it has to offer.
	Campfire Circle Three fire circles, located in the camping area, offer campers a place to relax and enjoy a taste of the Real Florida.
	Canoeing & Kayaking Kayak rentals are available through Tropic Star of Pine Island Call (239) 283-0015 for more information.
	Concessions TropicStar, our state concessionaire ferry service, makes several trips daily to the Park. Kayaks and canoes are also available for rental through TropicStar. For more information on the ferry service visit their website at Tropic Star Cruises. The ranger station houses our gift shop where you may purchase a souvenir of your visit. There is also ice available for sale by the scoop. And, our rangers are a source of valuable information on the island’s history, natural and cultural resources.
	Facilities Bathroom facilities are available and ADA accesible. Facilities are also available at the bayside/boat slips and conveniently located for boat camper use.
	Fishing Surf fishing can yield catches of flounder, snook, trout, redfish, snapper, whiting, sheepshead and tarpon. Do you need a Fishing License?
	Interpretive Programs Located in the day-use area, our amphitheater provides a centralized location for our interpretive programs. These programs, given by our rangers, cover a wide variety of topics including the history of the island and interpretation of the natural resources found on the island. These programs are scheduled for Fridays at 1:30 PM. On Saturday nights from October through May, there are slideshow programs for our overnight visitors.
	Nature Trails Enjoy a leisurely walk on our nature trails, which meander through our beautiful barrier island. Along the way you can see many species of birds, including several rare and endangered, that visit our island in the spring and fall, during their migratory journeys. Some of these species use our island’s natural resources for their nesting activities.
	Pavilions Pavilions are available for rent or on a first come first serve basis. Please call the park for more information.
	Pet Camping Tent camping sites are available for up to 8 people per site. There is a picnic table and a ground grill provided at each site. The sites are centrally located to bathrooms and showers and
	Pets Pets are allowed in this park, however, not on the beaches or in the cabin area. They must be well-behaved and kept on a six-foot, hand-held leash at all times. Pets must not be left unattended, nor taken into restroom facilities or onto playground equipment. Service animals are welcome in all areas and buildings of the park, as required by law.
	Picnicking A picnic pavilion, restroom facility, tables and grills are available on the island.
	Scuba Scuba diving can be done off of the beaches
	Showers Cayo Costa has modern restroom facilities, conveniently located in the camping areas, equipped with flushable toilets and cold water rinse-off showers. Potable water is also available at the restrooms.
	Snorkeling Snorkel in the pristine, blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. You must provide you own equipment.
	Swimming Enjoy swimming and snorkeling in the pristine, blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Our 9 miles of beautiful beaches are excellent for sunbathing and collecting shells, contributing to the overall wonderful experience.
	Wildlife Viewing Manatees, porpoises, and a multitude of shorebirds are just a few of the wildlife you may observe during your visit. Sea turtle nesting season begins in May and continues until September. These nests are protected by law and easily recognized by the wooden stakes used to mark them.

Special Events for Cayo Costa State Park

There are no events listed at this time. Please call our park for more details on possible future events.

Cayo Costa State Park Ranger Programs

Cayo Costa State Park History

Cayo Costa State Park is located on one of Florida’s largest unspoiled barrier islands. Accessible only by boat, Cayo Costa is located 12 miles west of Cape Coral in Lee County and is part of a chain of barrier islands that shelter Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound. The island, consisting of 2,506 acres, contains unique tropical vegetation and it looks much as it did 500 years ago when the first Europeans arrived here. Because it occurs in the area of transition between the temperate southeastern coastal plain and tropical south Florida, the vegetative composition of Cayo Costa is unique among barrier islands.

A prominent feature of the area includes an extensive beach and dune system fronting the Gulf of Mexico. The interior of the island contains a mixture of pine flatwoods, oak-palm hammocks and grassy areas interspersed with palms. Mangroves dominate the park’s shoreline along Pine Island Sound.

Cayo Costa State Park Volunteer Information

Volunteers can do many things -- greet visitors, conduct tours, help rangers remove exotic plants or maintain the natural beauty of a beach, waterway or trail.