Trip to Southwest Florida from Naples to Sarasota
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
In this article, a description of the cities, attractions, beaches, and recommended hotels along the southwestern shores of Florida.
In an additional article about West Florida, a description of travel destinations further north from Sarasota to Tampa covering the central part of West Florida.
A description of trips in Northwest Florida provided in the article Trips and attractions in Tallahassee, Destin, and Panama City Beach completes our articles on the West Coast of Florida from south to north.
Why is it worth traveling in West Florida?
Florida is a popular state among Israeli tourists who arrive primarily for a trip to Orlando abounding with amusements and of course to Miami , the largest and most famous city in the state located in East Florida. Furthermore, accommodations in Florida are among the cheapest in the US, as are the prices for car rentals and fuel!
But Southwest Florida specifically has a lot to offer travelers of any composition or style. The most beautiful beaches in Florida, with the whitest and softest sand, are concentrated in the west of the state alongside charming and diverse tourist sites.
West Florida lies on the Gulf of Mexico, from Marco Island in the south to Pensacola in the north.
Less than 200 kilometers separate Naples, the southernmost city in West Florida, from Sarasota, featuring amazing sandy beaches, a multitude of islands—many connected by bridges to the mainland—piers, picturesque towns, and nature reserves of marshes, rivers, and plenty of mangroves (aquatic plants).
How to get to Naples or Sarasota?
The closest major airport to Naples is the Fort Myers airport (Airport code: RSW) located about 35 minutes (50 km) north of Naples.
The primary airport closest to Sarasota is: Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (Airport code: SRQ).
Both of these airports have direct flights from a variety of destinations throughout the US served by most American airlines.
The international airports closest to Southwest Florida are:
Miami International Airport (Airport code: MIA), located about two hours (200 km) from Naples and 3:30 hours (360 km) from Sarasota.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Airport code: FLL), located about 1:40 hours (180 km) from Naples and 3 hours (330 km) from Sarasota.
Orlando International Airport (Airport code: MCO), located about 3:30 hours (310 km) from Naples and two hours (220 km) from Sarasota.
It is ideal to combine a trip to West Florida with a trip to Orlando and/or Miami, and for nature and landscape enthusiasts, also with a visit to Key West and the road leading to it. Of course, it is perfect to finish a visit to Florida with a Caribbean cruise departing mainly from the ports of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, but also from the ports of Port Canaveral (near Orlando) and Tampa (the only cruise port in West Florida).
Weather and When to Visit:
The weather in Southwest Florida is tropical: long hot summers, and short, pleasant and dry winters. The wet season in the area is from May to October (with the main rains falling from June to September) and the dry season is from November to April. Hurricane season is from June to early November.
In summer, the average temperature is 33-34 degrees Celsius during the day and 22-23 at night. In winter, the average temperature during the day is 22-23 degrees Celsius and 11-12 at night, with the coldest month being January. Spring and autumn are short and pleasant transitional seasons. There are more than 300 sunny days in Naples and its surroundings (rain usually falls in the afternoon).
It is recommended to visit the area from mid-November to the end of April.
Naples and its Surroundings
The itinerary begins in the city of Naples, located at the southern end of the West Coast. Naples is known for its many recommended beaches which were selected by the American Travel Channel as one of the ten best beaches in the USA. Naples is also known for its art galleries and its many golf courses, to the point where it is considered the "Golf Capital of the World."
For more on trips in Naples, see the full article: Trip to the City of Naples, Southwest Florida and its Surroundings
Including information on shopping, recommended hotels, and trips in the city and its surroundings: Everglades Park, Marco Island, nature reserves, and more.
"Fifth Avenue South" bustling in the center of Naples:
Everglades National Park near Naples:
Trip from Naples to Fort Myers:
Sanibel and Captiva Islands
When continuing the trip north from Naples along the West Coast of Florida, do not miss a visit to Sanibel Island: this island is the first in a long chain of elongated islands, followed by Captiva. Details about them are provided in the article on Trips to Fort Myers and its Surroundings.
♦ Fort Myers
The next destination is Fort Myers.
The city of Fort Myers is known for its recommended beaches, shopping, fishing, and many other vacation activities in and around it.
It is also famous for being the location of the winter estates of inventor Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, which can and should be visited.
There are beautiful nature reserves and parks in the city and its surroundings, as well as charming towns and islands nearby.
You will find details on Fort Myers and its surroundings in the article: Trip to the City of Fort Myers and its Surroundings
The number one tourist site in Fort Myers is the Edison and Ford Winter Estates:
Nature Reserve: Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers:
Matlacha Islands
Further along the itinerary, you reach the Matlacha Islands, located about a 25-minute drive west of the center of Fort Myers (25 km), which are connected by bridges to the mainland similarly to Key West, but this area is less long and less commercialized. I also expanded on these islands in the article on Fort Myers and its Surroundings.
One of the bays with private houses and piers in Matlacha:
From Fort Myers, the itinerary continues north for about an hour and a quarter (120 km) until Sarasota. On the way, it is recommended to visit the town of Venice and Myakka River Park.
Myakka River State Park
For nature lovers, it is recommended to extend the drive by about 20 minutes and stop (about half an hour southeast of Sarasota) at Myakka River State Park, considered one of the oldest and largest state parks in Florida. It features boat tours and plenty of walking trails on elevated wooden platforms through characteristic vegetation and birdlife. The park also has an elevated canopy walk called The Myakka Canopy Walkway, where you walk at a height of about 7.5 meters above the park floor and enjoy particularly impressive views. This is a wonderful place for bicycle enthusiasts with a comfortable 11 km paved trail through shady hammocks, along marshes, and to the lake. The park is very popular with kayakers because it has many waterways, including 22 km of the Myakka River flowing through it. Kayaks and fishing equipment can be rented at the visitor center. There is also a cafe and restaurant on site.
Venice
About 30 km (40 minutes) south of Sarasota, it is recommended to stop in the town of Venice, which is considered the "Shark Tooth Capital" of the world. It is a charming and colorful historic town that served as the winter home for the Ringling Brothers (the famous circus owners), with a main street featuring Italian-style buildings filled with shops,
galleries, restaurants, and cafes, known for its water sports and its many high-quality golf courses. Its beaches are full of fossils and shark teeth. It is especially recommended to visit Caspersen Beach, which is abundant with fossils.
♦ Sarasota
Sarasota is a small city of 52,000 residents with a 56 km sandy coastline featuring wonderful beaches. There are 1,000 golf courses in and around Sarasota. No wonder it was chosen by TIME magazine as the best small city in the U.S. Sarasota has a large community of artists and is full of galleries and art shops, and is also known for its many high-quality restaurants. Every year, about 4 million tourists visit the small city.
Details about the city in the full article: Trip to the City of Sarasota in West Florida including recommended trips, hotels, and attractions.
Beaches in Sarasota:
The Ringling Brothers Museum of Art and Circus in Sarasota:
