Naples

An upscale beach town in southwest Florida, famous for its white sand and sunset pier, with the Everglades and Ten Thousand Islands to the southeast.

Naples lies on the Gulf of Mexico in Collier County, southwest Florida. One of the wealthiest cities in the US, it's known for fine white-sand beaches, its sunset pier, golf courses and refined dining, with the Everglades right on its southeastern doorstep. The area divides into three parts. First, the city and its beaches: the pier, Third Street South, Fifth Avenue South and Tin City are clustered in the old town, and heading north you'll find Clam Pass, Vanderbilt Beach, Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park and Barefoot Beach. Second, to the south: Marco Island, Tigertail Beach, Rookery Bay Reserve and Keewaydin Island, which is reachable only by boat. Third, the wetlands to the east: the bald cypress boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Fakahatchee Strand along US 41, Big Cypress National Preserve, and boat tours and airboat rides in Everglades City and the Ten Thousand Islands. The best time to visit is the Nov–Apr dry season, which is sunny with little rain and temperatures of about 20–27°C; it's also peak season for migratory birds and birding, and hotel prices are at their highest. May–Oct is hot and humid with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and Jun–Nov is hurricane season. Hurricane Ian badly damaged coastal facilities in 2022 and some sights are still being repaired, so check what's open before you go. Getting around is mainly by car: Southwest Florida International Airport (in Fort Myers) is about 40 minutes' drive away, and Naples Airport has a few flights; from Miami, the Tamiami Trail across the Everglades takes about 2 hours. Plan on 3–4 days. Local specialties include stone crab (in season mid-Oct–May), grouper sandwiches and waterfront dinners at seafood restaurants.

Top sights

• Naples Pier – Naples' city landmark, a wooden pier extending about 300 meters into the Gulf of Mexico. At sunset, dolphins and pelicans can often be seen…
• Naples Botanical Garden – A tropical and subtropical botanical garden covering about 170 acres, linking themed gardens for the Caribbean, Brazil and Asia with boardw…
• Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary – North America's largest virgin bald cypress forest. A 3.6-km boardwalk crosses the swamp, where you can see alligators, wood storks and owl…
• Everglades City & Ten Thousand Islands – The western gateway town of Everglades National Park. Cruise through the mangrove islands of the Ten Thousand Islands, or take an airboat t…
• Fifth Avenue South – Naples' old main street, lined with palm trees, open-air restaurants, galleries and boutiques. It is the top choice for an evening meal and…
• Third Street South – A historic shopping district a few blocks from the pier, known for boutiques, galleries and long-standing restaurants. The Saturday farmers…
• Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park – A state beach on the northern edge of Naples with about 1.6 km of natural white sand. It is often ranked among the best beaches in the Unit…
• Vanderbilt Beach – The most popular public beach in northern Naples. Resort hotels line the shore, the sand is wide, the water is calm, and the sunsets are sp…
• Clam Pass Park – A beach reached only after walking about 1 km along a boardwalk through mangroves. On the way you can spot fiddler crabs and waterbirds, an…
• Barefoot Beach Preserve – An undeveloped natural beach north of Naples, about 2.7 km long, known for shell collecting, birdwatching and sea turtle nesting.
• Keewaydin Island – An uninhabited barrier island reachable only by boat, with about 13 km of unspoilt beach. Ferries, kayaks and dolphin tours can take you th…
• Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens – A zoo set in a century-old tropical garden. Boat tours take you around the primate island, and you can feed giraffes and see Florida panthe…
• Tin City – A market of tin-roofed buildings on Naples Bay, converted from an old oyster processing plant. It has souvenir shops, seafood restaurants a…
• The Baker Museum (Artis—Naples) – An art museum inside the Artis-Naples arts centre, focusing on American modernism and Mexican modern art. It features glass art by Dale Chi…
• Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve – A mangrove estuary reserve between Naples and Marco Island. Its environmental learning centre has exhibits and an observation bridge, and k…
• Marco Island – A resort island south of Naples with a crescent of white sand, luxury hotels and seafood restaurants. It is the northern gateway to the Ten…
• Tigertail Beach – A lagoon beach on the north shore of Marco Island. At low tide you can wade across the lagoon to a sandbar, a great place for birdwatching…
• Smallwood Store – A stilt-built wooden trading post from 1906 on Chokoloskee Island. Its shelves and goods are preserved in their original state and tell the…
• Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park – A swamp forest known as Florida's orchid capital. An easy boardwalk among giant cypress trees offers alligator sightings, and the interior…
• Big Cypress National Preserve – A vast wetland preserve north of the Everglades. Along Route 41 you can see alligators and walk boardwalks, and visit the Clyde Butcher gal…

Where to eat

• The Turtle Club – A beachfront restaurant on Vanderbilt Beach where you can dig your toes in the sand and watch the sun set over the Gulf…
• USS Nemo Seafood Restaurant – An award-winning seafood fusion restaurant tucked into a shopping street, whose miso-grilled Chilean sea bass has long…
• The Dock at Crayton Cove – A casual seafood spot in Old Naples on the waterfront, operating since 1976, known for Gulf grouper dishes and bay view…
• Campiello Italian Restaurant – An upscale Italian restaurant in a historic building on Third Street South in Old Naples, featuring open-flame grills…

Itineraries

• Florida Grand Loop Tour – Starting in Miami, explore the Keys, the Gulf Coast, Orlando, and St. Augustine.