Marco- Island’s beaches and sunsets have won it a place among six finalists in competition for the Most Beautiful Small Town in the United States in contest sponsored by USA Today and Rand McNally. 

Two judges arrived Monday.  Local boosters are treating the judges to a sailing and shelling excursion, a sunset dinner cruise and helicopter fly over.  There’s also plenty of time in their schedule for beach combing.  Communications Director for the Collier Visitor and Convention Bureau JoNell Modys said just being nominated is a shot in the arm for the community.

“It’s incredibly significant.  Just through all the both  traditional and social media exposure just raising the profile so that more and more people are aware of what a lovely place Marco Island is” she said.

Marco Island has a population of about twenty thousand.   Other towns in the running include the northern California city of Pacifica, and our neighbors to the South Coral Gables. 

The winner will be announced at the Destination Marketing Association annual conference in New Orleans at the end of July and will be featured in USA Today.  The winner will be featured in USA Today.