Driftwood Dreams on Beer Can Island (Greer Island) Longboat Key, Florida
Updated July 2024
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Beer Can Island
Beer Can Island, located on Longboat Key in Florida is known for its picturesque blend of sandy shores, striking driftwood formations, and crystal-clear waters. This island is 45 minutes north of Siesta Key beach, also known as Greer Island. This tranquil setting offers an escape from everyday life as you relax on the beach, comb for seashells, take a picnic lunch, and capturing an amazing sunset.
This island is known to provide beach access for boaters. Over the years, boaters were known to leave beer cans on the island before they left, which is where the island gets its name. We didn’t see any beer cans during our trip so it is defiantly cleaner than it would have been during that time. We also didn’t see any boaters docked at this location while we were there.
**There is also a Beer Can Island in Tampa so make sure you google the right beach. This is not actually an island although it was in the past.
Parking at Beer Can Island
This is a secluded beach and can typically be busy although it was not busy during our time there. Parking can be a challenge as there is limited parallel parking along the street next to the beach entrance. You will want to park on N Shore Road in Longboat Key Florida. There is no fee to park here and there is probably only room for about 10 cars. I recommend getting there early to get a parking space. We arrived a little after 9am and were lucky to find several parking spaces on a Saturday. If you are unable to find parking close by you can park across the bridge and walk.
Victoria from Florida Trippers has directions for parking at Coquina Beach and walking to this location. It is about a 2-mile walk.
GPS: 27.43659, -82.68937 location to the beach entrance which is also the area for to street parking
This beach is FREE to visit. There are no facilities at this location and no lifeguard.
Driftwood on beach
One of the reasons I wanted to visit this beach was for the beautiful pictures I saw of the driftwood on the beach. Unfortunately, a few years ago the area was cleaned up of most of the driftwood for preservation of the beach and to allow access for boaters. But, they did however leave a small section of the driftwood still on the beach on the northern end.
After parking we walked along the beach to the end of the island where the driftwood still remained. This beach is wide with plenty of room to set up a canopy or your beach chairs and relax for the day and have a picnic lunch.
The driftwood made for a beautiful backdrop of this already gorgeous beach. This fallen tree made the perfect spot to sit and take pictures while enjoying the view. The root system of the tree is amazing.
A balancing act.
Large boulders on the beach
When the area was cleaned of the driftwood, huge rocks were placed at certain locations to prevent erosion. The rocks make for some beautiful pictures as the waves crash upon them. I didn’t see the sign until afterwards, but they do not want people climbing on the rocks for safety reasons.
Mangroves
There are mangroves that line the beach which provides an excellent opportunity to go hiking or hang a hammock on the tree and enjoy the ocean sounds as you relax or read a book.
Seashells
Some beautiful smaller seashells can be found on this island. I like to spend time searching for seashells at each beach we visit. I keep them in a large wooden bowl we have in our living room so we can enjoy the ocean vibe anytime. We use our seashell bags to collect our shells as we comb the beach. This bag zips up so we do not lose our shells as we continue to search for more seashells.
I love this picture below. How do plants grow from the sand?
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The areas on this island that we explored were very clean. The sand was soft and during our visit the waves were pretty erratic. There was a storm brewing so that is likely why the waves were that extreme. I imagine that the waves are not always this dramatic, it made it more fun for my kids as they played in the waves with their stand-up paddle board.
This is a beautiful, secluded beach to spend the day at. It was not busy at all and the people that were there were coming to take pictures with the driftwood as well. There is plenty of room on this island to explore or spend the day soaking in the sun while having a picnic or taking advantage of the natural beauty for picture taking opportunities.
I recommend you check out this island. Just remember to come early so you can get a good parking spot next to the entrance or you will have to walk aways to get there but it is totally worth the trek!
Enjoy your next beach journey,
Meet the author: Jennifer
I am a girl who loves to travel with my family and enjoys sharing expert family travel advice. I am a content creator and influencer on Instagram with years of travel experience and provide readers with advice, tips, and details on adventurous family travel and tips on saving money while boondocking or traveling across the US. You can usually find me dreaming up our next epic vacation or outside exploring natural landscapes. I am a fearless roadtripper who isn’t afraid to explore new and off the path adventures.
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