[1] It is managed by the State of Florida's Coastal Office, in cooperation with NOAA, within the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Keewaydin Island is monitored nightly for Loggerhead turtle nesting activity by The Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

They wanted to avoid the pattern on barrier islands at the time, such as Fort Myers Beach, where local residents were 85% against dense development, but zoning laws and large property owners held sway.

Locals and visitors can relish the experience of a visit to a pristine barrier island and its ecosystem.

Most commonly known for the south tip of the island, where local boaters congregate at the end of the 8 mile long isthmus, where they can park their boat on the shore and enjoy people watching and the beach and scenery.