Cape Romano

Cape Romano is suitable for a day trip from the mainland or a camping or hiking adventure in Florida. The cape is located on a secluded island, reachable only by boat, kayak, canoe, motorboat, helicopter or sea plane. There are ramps south of Marco Island, located at the Caxambas pass Park. Overnight camping is permitted on the island, but there are no facilities, so you will have a rustic, beach camping experience. Romano is located about five and a half miles south of Marco Island and northwest of Ten Thousand Islands, located in Collier Country. The Calusa Indians were the first residents on the cape. It was later a stopping point for Ponce de Leon on his way to Florida from Puerto Rico. The cape was hit hard by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, where the storm made its first landfall. Later, in 2008, Tropical Storm Fay also affected the island. The island is located in the Gullivan Bay, which makes for a great, relatively undisturbed beach. Fishing is a popular pastime on the island and many of those who make the trip for camping or hiking also do some fishing. The island is occasionally a party destination and without official clean up crews, things can get a little messy, so watch where you walk. Another downside to the cape is the plethora of mosquitoes. Like most of Florida, the atmosphere is ripe for them, so bring along plenty of repellent.