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Picnic Island

4.6 ★★★★★ 241 Google reviews · Waterfront wedding venue in St James City, Florida · 1.9 mi to the beach

Public beach · permit required

Nature preserve featuring an island and a sheltered bay for boating and relaxing.

Plan your tour

  • Setting waterfront venue, 1.9 mi to the beach — verified by its distance to a real shoreline

At a glance

Picnic Island Park, St James City, FL 33956

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On the property

What couples name in their reviews of Picnic Island and what the venue states on its own site — the fastest way to tell what's actually here before you drive out.

Dock or Marina 2 mentions

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From the reviews

Great little place to explore, especially when winds are too rough to go up to sannibel, Captiva or Cayo. We went 3x and found some amazing shells. Not much of a beach, but plenty of room to set up chairs and watch boats go by. Had a small pod of VERY active dolphins come within about 10 yards of us yesterday...

★★★★★ — Jill, May 2022

Excerpts from public Google reviews, filtered to comments about the wedding and the setting. Read all 241 reviews →

Getting married at Picnic Island

Picnic Island is a public beach or park, so a ceremony here almost always needs a permit from the managing city, county, or state parks office — and the rules matter: many public beaches cap your guest count, set ceremony windows, and restrict what you can set up (some ban chairs, arches, and amplified sound entirely). There's no on-site coordinator, catering, or weather backup, so you'll bring your own vendors and a rain plan. The payoff is a stunning setting at a fraction of a private venue's cost. Start with our public-beach permit guide, then call the local office to confirm this season's rules.

More beach venues near St James City

The Waterfront Restaurant & Marina

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2.0 miles away

Off the Charts Inn Island Resort

4.8 ★★★★★ 249 reviews

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Unfussy rooms & suites featuring marina views in a relaxed hotel offering boat docks & a food truck.

2.2 miles away

Marriott Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa

4.3 ★★★★☆ 3,018 reviews

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Ocean view All-inclusive breathtaking beach settingstaff who go above & beyond

Upscale resort offering 3 outdoor pools, 4 restaurants & a spa, plus a cafe, an indoor pool & a bar.

2.3 miles away

All beach venues near St James City, FL →

Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and couples' reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this venue? Claim your listing — it's free.