Situated on Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, Naples is a mecca for fine dining, shopping, a historic downtown area, and art galleries. It’s also an amazing family getaway with wide, sandy beaches and jaw-dropping attractions. If you’re planning a trip to the Naples area, this guide will help you discover the best of Naples.
How To Fully Enjoy Your Naples Beach Trip
Naples Best Beaches
Naples is part of what is known as the Sunshine State’s Paradise Coast. Expect sugary, white sand beaches, tall palms, and calm, turquoise waters at beaches like the following.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass Beach
Delnor-Wiggins Pass Beach is actually one of the state’s parks. The entrance fee is the standard $6 for a state park in Florida. It’s one of the best beaches in the area if you’re looking for a little seclusion.
The park has a concession stand, and you can rent beach equipment like umbrellas and paddleboards.
Clam Pass Beach
The Naples Grand Resort is located on Clam Pass Beach. The resort loves to share amenities with the county beachgoers, such as a great concession stand with a tiered deck and tables. A golf cart limo takes visitors from the parking lot to the beach.
Vanderbilt Beach
Vanderbilt Beach in North Naples is the place to go for a stunning sunset view over the Gulf, and it’s convenient to a parking garage. It’s also the beach Ritz Carlton guests use. Sip on a signature cocktail from the Ritz’s tiki bar and have lunch or a cone of ice cream at the Beach Box across the street.
Naples Pier Beach
Sunsets are also spectacular at the Naples Pier Beach. Spread a blanket under the pier for a shady picnic, and then go for a long walk to admire the gorgeous beach homes along the way.
Loudermilk Beach
Near the south end of Naples, Loudermilk is the best beach for families with kids. There’s a park with a playground, and it’s a good beach for sandbars and tide pools.
Naples Must-See Attractions
Naples Botanical Gardens
Naples has one of the best Botanical Gardens in the nation. In fact, you could designate an entire day of your vacay to the 170-acre gardens. Enjoy rotating exhibits, have a picnic lunch by one of the ponds, or at a sit-down restaurant.
For the kids, there is the Children’s Garden with splash fountains, a treehouse with a climbing tower and bridges, a child-sized cottage, a butterfly house, a sidewalk chalk area, and a butterfly house that adults will also enjoy.
Collier County Museum
Like anywhere, Naples has a history and heritage to be proud of, and it comes alive at the Collier County Museum. Kids and adults alike will be fascinated by the dioramas and exhibits that chronicle the unique history of the area that goes back 10,000 years.
Learn all about the Spanish explorers, the Calusa and Seminole natives, and prehistoric animals. Visit the five-acre garden on the museum grounds to see relocated historic buildings like a 1926 Florida cottage and a simulated Seminole village. The museum also features a WWII Sherman tank and a 1910 locomotive.
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens
Florida’s nationally accredited zoo at Caribbean Gardens is like no other. Rather than simply a walk-through zoo, you can take a guided tour through islands filled with monkeys, see a show in an open-air theater, and hand-feed a zebra.
In addition to favorites like lions, parrots, and cheetahs, the Naples Zoo has unusual creatures like the African honey badger, an animal only seen at four zoos in the nation. And glass walls let you get a close-up and safe view of panthers, bears, and more.
Best Naples Tours and Cruises
Naples Sightseeing Tours and Cruises
Hop aboard the Naples Princess, an elegant 105-foot yacht for sightseeing, lunch, or a sunset dinner cruise. Relax and enjoy tropical drinks and hors d’oeuvres while the Captain narrates interesting facts and tales about the local history. You’ll spot wildlife like dolphins, manatee, bald eagles, and osprey, as well as see some stunning waterfront homes along the way.
The Princess is a luxury, climate-controlled yacht. It’s available for private charters, weddings, and other celebrations. They also do specialty tours like wine tastings and psychic cruises throughout the year. Complimentary parking is available, and the yacht is wheelchair-accessible.
Naples Best Eco-Tour
Join Captains Carol and Barry on a Naples and Marco Island Manatee Tour. Choose from a one-and-a-half hour eco-tour or a three-hour sunset tour in the remote Florida Everglades. The sightseeing tour boat can carry up to six passengers and is covered for protection from the harsh Florida sun.
You’ll get to have an up-close visit with the gentle manatees. These gentle, endangered animals, also known as sea cows, grow up to 12 feet long and weigh as much as 3,500 lbs. Along with the manatees, you’re sure to spot a group of playful dolphins.
