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A whole island, a dock, a pool, and a moat full of fish can belong to your group for a week in the Florida Keys. The price math surprises people, since splitting the cost among friends or family brings the per-person figure to roughly $223.
There are no neighbors, no crowded beach, and no line for the hammock. The island runs on solar power, sits just offshore from Marathon, and is a quick boat ride from groceries and restaurants.
Families come back year after year, some for the third or fourth time. Keep reading to learn where it is, what you can do there, and how the trip actually works.
A Rock Off Marathon Worth Knowing
Some vacation rentals come with a view of the water. This one comes with water on every side.
East Sister Rock Island is a private island rental reached through 99 Ocean Dr E, Marathon, FL 33050, in the Florida Keys. The mainland address is where the journey starts, since the island itself sits a short boat ride offshore.
The property is listed as a vacation home rental, and the setup is simple. Your group books the island, and for the length of the stay, nobody else is there.
That means one house, one pool, one dock, and a ring of ocean all to yourselves. It is rare to find that kind of privacy in Florida, and rarer still to find it this close to town.
The island holds a 4.9-star average across 79 Google ratings, which says a lot about how stays tend to go. Guests mention wanting to return before they have even left.
For a state packed with theme parks and busy beaches, a quiet rock with your own name on it for the week is a very different kind of Florida trip.
The $223 Math Behind a Private Island
The words private island usually suggest a celebrity budget. Here, the trick is splitting the bill.
When a group shares the cost of the full rental, the per-person figure lands around $223, according to the headline math. That puts a whole island in the same conversation as a nice hotel room.
Groups who have stayed here include families with grown kids, graduation parties, and even a business retreat. Bigger groups make the numbers friendlier.
It also helps that the island is not cut off from daily life. Guests point out that a Publix, restaurants, and bait shops are only minutes away by boat and car.
So you can stock up on groceries and cook in the full kitchen instead of eating out every night. That keeps the extra spending down.
Exact rates and dates are handled through the official website, floridaisland.com, so check there before planning around a number. The value pitch is clear, though.
A shared week here can cost less per head than plenty of crowded resorts, and nobody has to fight for a pool chair.
A Moat That Works Like an Aquarium
Most islands have a beach. East Sister Rock has a moat, and it may be the star of the whole place.
The water channel wraps around the island and is full of marine life day and night. Guests describe it as a personal aquarium they can swim through.
The list of animals spotted is long. Barracuda, parrotfish, moray eels, angelfish, puffer fish, stingrays, starfish, octopus, conch, lobster, tarpon, and nurse sharks all show up in guest accounts.
Some guests have even seen manatees. Dolphins make regular appearances too, sometimes nearly every morning.
The moat is a great fit for people who want to snorkel but feel nervous about open ocean. It offers reef life without a long swim from shore.
One tip comes up often. Wear water shoes, since sea urchins live along the rocks.
Some families bring underwater scooters to loop around the island. Others simply float and watch the show below.
Fishing Right Off the Dock
Anglers tend to get a little giddy here, and for good reason.
Guests report catching fish straight off the dock and from the back rocks of the moat. Pompano and tarpon are among the catches mentioned.
Others list barracuda, grouper, snapper, grunts, needlefish, red drum, and mahi mahi. That is a solid variety without ever leaving the property.
Some families fish from sunrise to sunset. One group returned a second year mostly because the fishing was so good.
Just beyond the moat, there are chances for spearfishing for those with the skills and gear. Several guests have grilled their own catch on the porch.
Sombrero Reef is also a short boat ride away for people bringing their own boat. It gets high praise from repeat guests.
The house rule here seems simple: pack the rods, because the fish are basically waiting at the front door.
Kayaks, Paddleboards, and More
Paddling around your own island sounds like a movie scene. Here it is just a normal afternoon.
A kayak and paddleboard are available for guests to use. Groups often take turns circling the island through the moat.
A graduation group spent much of its week this way. They spotted sharks, dolphins, barracuda, eels, and conchs while paddling.
Some guests bring their own gear too. Powered kayaks have made the trip with returning families.
The business retreat group got an even bigger lineup. Their host helped arrange snorkeling, scuba, tubing, fishing, and windsurfing.
Activity options can depend on what you bring and what is arranged ahead of time. It is worth asking the host about your plans.
Between the paddling, swimming, and fishing, the island makes it easy to stay busy. It also makes it easy to do nothing at all.
Life on the Wraparound Porch
A porch that circles the entire house changes how a vacation feels.
The wraparound veranda gives a full 360-degree view of the ocean. Guests spend much of their time out here instead of inside.
Several hammocks hang along it. Afternoon naps in them come up again and again as a highlight.
Adirondack chairs sit in different corners too. Many guests start the day out here with coffee and the sunrise.
For couples or anyone wanting quiet time, steps lead down to concrete platforms around the island. Each faces a different direction and gets the sun at a different time of day.
Even pets can enjoy it. With approval, dogs are allowed, and some have happily taken laps around the porch.
Somehow, a simple loop of decking ends up being where most of the best moments of the week happen.
Pool Days and Game Nights
Salt water all around, yet the pool still draws a crowd.
The in-ground pool ranges from waist deep to a little over five feet. Resort-style loungers surround it and overlook the helipad and the ocean.
Many guests spend most of their days right here. A swim, a rest, and another swim seems to be the routine.
When the sun drops, the deck has a pool table. Games become a nightly habit for many groups.
One family summed up their week as games, pool, grilling, and ocean, then repeat. Their sons in their early twenties loved it as much as anyone.
That kind of easy rhythm is a big part of the appeal. Nobody needs a schedule.
Between the water and the games, boredom does not get much of a chance on this island.
Off the Grid, With Comforts Intact
Here is a fun fact: the whole island runs off the grid.
Solar power handles the electricity. A generator kicks on only rarely, when needed.
Bedrooms are cooled with split AC units. The main living area relies on many sliding glass doors and the steady sea breeze.
Guests can choose to open up the house or close it for climate control. The host explains the solar batteries and pool valves during the first tour.
Being off the grid does not mean roughing it. The house has high-speed internet, a fully stocked kitchen, a grill, and quality beds and pillows.
Guests call it spacious, modern, and beautifully furnished. Several say there was nothing they wanted that was not already provided.
It is a neat balance of sustainability and comfort that many travelers do not expect from a solar island.
Getting There by Skiff
The commute is about three minutes long, and it happens by boat.
Guests park on the mainland in a gated community. Parking is described as secure, with room for three cars or more.
The host meets guests at the dock on the first day. From there, everyone rides to the island for a personal tour.
During the stay, a family skiff is provided for trips to shore and back. That makes grocery runs and dinners out easy.
Groups can also bring their own boat. One family drove theirs down from Tampa, and the host pointed out deeper water routes for the larger boat.
A smart tip from past guests is to buy supplies before the first crossing. Once settled, many people never want to leave.
Key West is under an hour away for a day trip. Some guests plan one, then skip it because the island is too good to leave.
Hosts Who Pick Up the Phone
A private island can feel a little intimidating at first. Good hosts make that worry fade fast.
East Sister Rock Island is family owned and maintained. Wes is the name that comes up most, along with Elena and Jaz.
Guests describe quick replies by call or text. Questions get answered almost right away.
The first-day tour covers how everything works. That includes the solar system, the pool, and the boat.
One family had to reschedule at the last minute due to a medical situation. They were grateful for the understanding they received.
Hosts also check in during stays to make sure things are going smoothly. It adds peace of mind for first-timers.
Many repeat guests say the hosting is a big reason they keep coming back, sometimes for three or four years running.
Who Should Book This Island
So, is a week on a private rock right for your crew?
Families seem to love it most. Groups celebrating milestones, like graduations, also find it a great fit.
Anglers, snorkelers, and paddlers get a lot of value from the setting. People who simply want quiet hammock time do too.
Sunrises and sunsets come up in nearly every guest story. The dock is a favorite spot for watching them.
The listing shows the property as open 24 hours, but stays are arranged through floridaisland.com. Pets may be allowed with approval.
Summer seems popular, with some families returning each season, including during Mini Lobster Season. Booking ahead makes sense.
For a group willing to split the cost, this island offers something hard to find anywhere in Florida. Your own patch of ocean, a short ride from town, and a week where nobody else is around.
