Trip to the City of Naples, Southwest Florida and its Surroundings
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
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. It has over 100 art galleries and so many golf courses that it is considered the "Golf Capital of the World" (it has the most golf courses per capita than anywhere else in the world). Perhaps this is why many wealthy people have made it their home, or at least their second home, in the winter season. It is considered one of the cities with the highest percentage of millionaires in the USA and the highest in Florida. Naples is also considered a "fisherman's paradise" thanks to the many reef islands adjacent to it.
The number of permanent residents in the city is only about 22,000, but in the winter months, 300,000 residents live there, arriving to enjoy a warm and sunny winter far from the frozen and grey states where they reside for the rest of the year.
A quarter of Naples' area is water: bays, natural pools and salt marshes.
How to get there?
The closest major airport to Naples is the Fort Myers airport (Airport code: RSW) located about 35 minutes (50 km) north of Naples.
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).
♦ Recommended hotels in Naples:
The most luxurious hotel in Naples. A 5-star resort with two pools, a spa, sauna, tennis court, gym and a video game room. Spacious rooms designed for 2-4 people. The resort has seven restaurants and a bar, as well as a beauty salon, hairdresser, business center and car rental agency. Internet and parking for an additional fee.
A 4-star resort featuring a marina, two swimming pools and six tennis courts. The hotel has a large variety of rooms ranging from double rooms to 2-3 bedroom suites with a living room suitable for up to 6 people. Each room has a balcony overlooking the marina, river or canal. Each room has a jacuzzi tub. The resort offers (for an additional fee) rental of various types of boats and bicycles, as well as free shuttles to the beach. There is a cafe and restaurant on site. Free internet and parking.
Home2 Suites By Hilton Naples I-75 Pine Ridge Road
A comfortable suite hotel with suites in various sizes suitable for 4-6 people. Each suite has a microwave. The price includes breakfast. The hotel has a pool, gym, garden furniture and a barbecue for guest use. Free internet and parking.
In Bonita Springs, a prestigious suburb north of Naples:
Latitude 26 Waterfront Boutique Resort
A high-quality boutique hotel on the water with studio rooms for 2-3 people and up to giant suites with two bedrooms and a living room for 5 people. Some rooms/suites have a water view. Some rooms have a balcony. Each room has a microwave. Near an excellent beach called Barefoot Beach. The hotel has a pool, jacuzzi, and free bicycle and kayak rental for hotel guests. Continental breakfast included in the price. Free internet and parking.
South of Naples - on Marco Island, on the most beautiful beaches:
A 4-star resort with a private beach, swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym and spa. All rooms are suites with a bedroom and living room and include an equipped kitchen and balcony and are suitable for 4 people. The hotel has a restaurant and bar. Free internet. Parking for an additional fee.
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.
Ordering guided tours in Naples from GetYourGuide.com:
Popular Tourist Sites in Naples
Naples has a long pier, Naples Pier, which was built as early as 1888 and since then has seen fires and various hurricanes and was rebuilt from time to time. It is one of the historical symbols of the city. The pier length is about 300 meters. The pier adjacent to the beach is wonderful and long with turquoise water and white sand teeming with fishermen. From the edge of the pier, you can often watch jumping dolphins. A perfect place to watch the sunset from.
The Naples Botanical Gardens, are impressive gardens covering an area of about 700 dunams with tropical and sub-tropical vegetation from different regions of the world such as Brazil, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. The gardens also include a conservation of 100 dunams of local flora and fauna, including a bird watching tower, butterfly gardens and more. Those arriving in the area before Christmas will be able to visit the gardens at night illuminated with colorful lights for the holiday.
Naples also has a very nice zoo located inside lush tropical gardens, Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. The zoo is famous for the fact that you can get very close to the animals, almost within reach.
There are also various museums in Naples. Particularly is the antique car museum, Revs Institute, known for its rare car collection focused on unique cars and their preservation. The impressive building has over a hundred antique cars. It is recommended to take a guided tour of the museum.
A nice way to tour the city among its various sites is by sailing on the water shuttle service, a cruise connecting the various entertainment, vacation and shopping areas in the city.
Shopping
Naples has charming shopping and entertainment areas. The most popular: Waterside Shops, an impressive open shopping center with a variety of luxury shops and brands. Louis Vuitton shops alongside Rolex and Tiffany in a lovely place with fountains, palm trees, seating areas, restaurants and sculptures.
In the city center is "Fifth Avenue South," with shops, galleries, bars, cafes, restaurants, spas and many events and festivals are held there. Everything is in a lovely design that attracts even those who are not shopping fans to wander through the well-maintained avenue.
Tourist Sites in the Naples Area
Everglades National Park
Naples serves as an excellent starting point for visiting the "Everglades" National Park, especially in its western part located about 40 minutes' drive (50 km) southeast of the city.
In this part of the park, the Museum of the Everglades is also located, Collier Museum of The Everglades, featuring permanent and changing displays on the flora and fauna in the park and on the history, heritage and culture of the local residents.
You can tour the Everglades Park independently, but it is recommended and recommended to tour it on a guided tour departing from Naples: Western Everglades Adventure Tour
Additional nature reserves in the Naples area are Big Cypress National Preserve and Picayune Strand State Forest. Bird lovers must not miss a visit to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, considered one of the most recommended places in the entire USA for bird watching. In the reserve are elevated boardwalks from which there are excellent views of birds, some of which are endangered.
Marco Island
Marco Island is an island connected to the mainland at the most southwestern point of Florida, about half an hour's drive south of Naples (about 30 km). It is the largest of a chain of 10,000 islands and islets located south of Naples. Marco Island is a resort island filled with large hotels along long beaches with soft white sand. The island was chosen by "TripAdvisor" users as the most popular resort island in the USA.
Ordering guided tours in Naples from the Viator website:
It is especially recommended to spend time there at Tigertail Beach, which has long beaches on one side and a saltwater lake with mangroves on the other. Address: 430 Hernando Dr, Marco Island, FL 34145. This is a great place for kayaking and SUP, bird watching, swimming and shell collecting. You can rent jet skis, boats and water sports equipment there, and for those seeking more peace, you can also rent cabanas near the water. More information on the website: https://www.tigertailbeach.net/
Did you know? Naples is the only place in the world where a "Swamp Buggy Boat Race" is held annually, Swamp Buggy Races. The traditional race has been held for 70 years every March.
