Palm Island Resort wins 2026 Best of Florida Award

Palm Island Resort has been named a 2026 Best of Florida Award winner, recognizing its secluded barrier-island setting off Florida’s southwest Gulf Coast. The award underscores the resort’s appeal as a car-ferry-access-only destination with private beaches, recreation, dining and destination-wedding appeal.

Why it matters: - Palm Island Resort’s award reinforces demand for a Florida getaway built around privacy, limited traffic and a slower pace. - The recognition also highlights a tourism model that combines lodging, recreation and dining in one isolated island setting.

What happened: - Palm Island Resort was named a 2026 Best of Florida Award winner on September 20, 2026. - The resort sits on a bridgeless barrier island off Florida’s southwest Gulf Coast and is accessible only by car ferry or boat. - The resort said the award reflects guest loyalty and the property’s long-running focus on a secluded island escape.

The details: - Guests drive their vehicles onto a car ferry, park in the resort’s main lot for the length of their stay and move around without gas-powered vehicle traffic inside the resort. - The property offers two miles of private beach. - The resort has five heated pools. - Palm Island Resort has eleven tennis courts. - Tennis Resorts Online named Palm Island Resort among its 2026 Top 100 Tennis Resorts. - The recreation program includes golf carts, bicycles, kayaks and fishing charters. - Rum Bay Restaurant sits across the bay and is reached by water taxi. - Couples use the resort for destination weddings, including barefoot ceremonies with the Gulf as a backdrop. - Residences in the resort community are individually owned. - Villas, condos and homes can become available when owners choose to list them for sale. - The resort said more information is available here.

Between the lines: - The award points to a broader market for experience-driven travel, where the journey itself is part of the appeal. - Palm Island Resort is positioning scarcity and separation from mainland logistics as core differentiators. - The ownership model gives repeat visitors a path from guest to resident, which can deepen loyalty to the property.

What's next: - Palm Island Resort said it plans to keep investing in the island experience. - The resort also plans to make thoughtful enhancements while preserving the qualities that have defined it for decades. - The company is tying the award to its long-running “Memories at the Speed of Old Florida” identity.