Club Regency of Marco Island

Club Regency of Marco Island. I started the visit to this resort with an advantage. I was just moving over from Sanibel Island to Marco Island. I was excited to be able to extend my trip to Florida by staying at this my second resort for the week. I do this as a resort writer, but more than likely I would just stay a week at the same resort if I was traveling.

I can tell you this is a neat experience. Being able to see what several resorts offer and compare them on a single vacation is fun. Also, after doing this on several trips, I have gotten good at packing and unpacking while traveling effort.

Video by Tripoyer

Day One Arrival at Club Regency of Marco Island

Moving from one resort to another is much easier than that long 14-hour drive down to this part of Florida for me. That made this stay start off very positively. In reality, the hardest thing was planning my day between the 10 AM check-out at one resort and the 4 PM check-in at the next.

Normally in each country or the sunshine state, as many call it. I would just head to the beach. But I did not want to get overheated, or sunburned and then not have anywhere to go take a shower for a few hours. I would save the beach for tomorrow.

Instead of the beach, I opted for a small boat rental. I had recently used a jet ski in the area but saw an alligator so mentally I wanted more boats around me on this outing.

My goal was simple: I wanted to go out south of Marco Island and see the abandoned dome homes where erosion has claimed them back from their small island perch. It does not take global warming on climate change to swallow up islands, just a single hurricane will do.

After my boat trip, I headed back to check-in. Then shower and rest. The salt air and water tend to take energy right out of you.

Recent Reviews

Access to the ocean was great along with the sunsets. Plenty of room for 2 couples, and lots of parking.
Lots of places to eat along the strip, and the pool and hot tub are excellent

Great place to relax and enjoy. On the beach. Wonderful restaurants and some walking distance.

Lovely suite and comfortable setup. It truly feels like a home away from home. We had the 2 bedroom suite located on the beach and the view was perfect. All you hear are the sounds of the ocean and the wildlife in the vicinity. The pool area is beautiful and all together, the resort is visually pleasing. The beach access is literally right in front of you and is also a great area for shelling. The Regency definitely has made a return guest out of me.

Club Regency is a family fun place. The suites are roomy, full of a kitchen with everything you need. No elevator, which is great because it’s only 2 floors. I would HIGHLY recommend it. The young adults in the group go to the Clubhouse to play games. We have been going for over 10 years. My kids are fully grown now with kids of their own. They still love it. We love going out to see the sunset.

I’ve been coming to Club Regency for about 8 years now and love every visit! It’s a family-friendly location with easy access to the beach and a beautiful private pool. The rooms can comfortably fit 6 occupants, and we often invite our friends and family over to join us for the stay.

One of the smaller resorts on the island which is so nice because it doesn’t get crowded. Very clean and updated units with a nice pool and private beach access. We have been coming here for 20 years and absolutely love it.

All Checked In

After getting sorted and retrieving my bags from my car, I headed to put some beer in the fridge and take a nice hot shower to get the salt off of my skin. The water was not rough today, but you still get some on you in a tiny boat.

One nice thing about moving from one resort to another is if you have a small cooler you can even transfer your few items from the fridge at resort one to another resort with you and prevent any waste, or added shopping trips. I do not have a Yeti cooler but I do have a small 5-day cooler and the ice had not even started to melt after 6 hours in the hot car. That is impressive.

Villa Amenities

Resort Amenities

I chose a local spot for dinner and walked over because it was so close to the resort. I wanted to get settled in in the new room and also shower and change, so I felt fresh for dinner and I wanted to go for dinner to the JW Marriott, one of the restaurants here because every night weather permitting they have fire dancers. Fire dancing is something fun that feels Polynesian and I love the Polynesian culture and that whole island vibe.

For dinner, I chose the Kane Tiki Bar and Grill. The food was, but the setting was perfect. I think my waitress was a little disappointed that I did not fill my table with guests, but I assured her for great service I tip like a 4 top. Using the industry lingo, she realized I likely worked in a restaurant at some point, so she loosened up.

The sunset show, fire dancers, food, drinks, and service were hard to not be impressed by. I was certain I spent too long at my table for my waitress’s mind, but I tipped her very well, so she was a happy person when I left for sure. I do like good service.

I had just stayed at nearby Eagle’s Nest and you can view my experience while at that resort here.

Day Two Beach Time

Wow, these beaches are the best in this area of Marco Island. The position of the resort next to all the features of the Marriot is nice and they welcome the resort owners and guests here with open gracious arms.

Marco Island is part of a stretch of 10,000 islands, mostly mangrove islands that are at best temporary habitats for many sea birds, and more than a few alligators. The area is amazing to go with a group and go on Kayaks to see most of the local fauna and flora. This is an excursion that most fit visitors would enjoy. I would just make sure to go with a group and with an experienced guide, given alligators and other common dangers in the area.

Marco Island beaches feel untouched, even though you know others are here. It may be the limited beachfront access that gives this island and its beaches the feeling of exclusivity.

Here are some cool island facts:

Marco Island is 6 miles long, by 4 miles wide.

There are 100 miles of man-made waterfront canals on Marco Island, and the majority of homes are waterfront locations.

Marco Island is linked to the mainland by 2 bridges–one way in and one way out!!

Trip Advisor voted it the #1 island in the U.S. and #4 best island in the world in 2014.

It is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and some of the best seashell collecting too!

In the mid-1500s, Spanish explorers arrived and named the island “La Isla de San Marco.”

The island was not developed until 1870 when Thomas Collier founded the village of Marco.

The Olde Marco Inn is still operating on the north end of the island.

The true visionaries who built the modern Marco Island as we know it today were the Mackle Brothers–who purchased the island for $7 million.

The “Key Marco Cat”–on loan from The Smithsonian–was crafted around 500–1,500 years ago.

Marco Island is home to one of the most important archeological sites in North America, and along with uncovering the Key Marco Cat, there were also Calusa Indian burial mounds and artifacts that were discovered in the area. We honor these in several museums throughout the island and surrounding area.

Day Three Museums

Today I chose to see the local museums because it is raining outside. This does not happen all day often in the area. At most, you usually have afternoon storms. But today there was a storm system coming through, so instead of beach fun, I moved on to indoor activities.

I started out at the Marco Island Historical Museum. I am a museum guy. For some reason, I have always liked them. It likely is because my grandfather took me to many when I was young and I caught the bug. I also had some amazing trips to the Smithsonian with my Father during my developmental years.

This museum does a good job of covering the island, its native people, and the amazing history of this island. If you make it to the museum before April of 2026 you can see the Marco Cat on display which is thought to be one of the finest examples of pre-Columbian art in the world. It is on loan from the Smithsonian, and the exhibits here seem to be of that high Smithsonian quality. The people who crafted these clearly have a passion for history and culture.

The secret to the quality of the artifacts found on the island in the late 19th century was the soil or muck that they were found in. It had the right balance of chemicals to prevent oxygen from damaging the wooden artifacts. It is said that some artifacts found here are the greatest examples in the world of pre-Columbian art and time period.

The museum also did a great job of talking about the development of the island in the 1960s. I found the entire process fascinating and the men who took it on impressive. Eventually, they would be beaten down by environmental concerns from the State and Federal Governments but the travel treasure of these islands remains for hundreds of thousands to enjoy each year.

If you too want an amazing escape consider this resort on impressive Marco Island and book through TZort.