Home > Florida > Naples

Naples, Florida Attractions.

Fronted by 10 miles of sugar sand PUBLIC coastline, the best Naples, Florida attractions start on the beach or in the water. Pristine and shaded Lovers Key Beach in nearby Bonita Springs is a good choice for seclusion and relaxation. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area offers it all: fishing, beachcombing, watersports, and all the amenities. Fishing is a popular Naples, Florida attraction, and anglers explore the fertile waters of Rookery Bay and Ten Thousand Islands to catch mackerel, pompano, grouper, red snapper, snook, bluefish, and shark. The Naples Fishing Pier is over 1000 feet long and features a shop selling snacks and bait. Charter boats are available to take fishermen to the Gulf for half-day and full-day excursions. Boats may also be rented for use in Naples Bay and other inland water as well as in the Gulf.

Wildlife and nature sanctuaries grace the list of Naples, Florida attractions, and include Everglades National Park, J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildflife Refuge on Sanibel Island, Audobon Corkscrew Swamp Wildlife Preserve, Clam Pass Sanctuary, and Caribbean Gardens.

Corkscrew Swamp Wildlife Preserve is an 11,000 acre sanctuary which protects North America's largest remaining stand of ancient bald cypress, 600-year-old trees as tall as 130 feet, as well as endangered birds, such as wood storks, which often nest here. This Naples, Florida attraction is a favorite destination for serious birders. The lush and entertaining 52-acre Caribbean Gardens: The Zoo in Naples, established in 1919 as a botanical garden, now serves as a nationally accredited zoo and incorporates land and water habitat for a wide range of wild animals.

The City of Naples and surrounding Collier County have excellent golf and tennis facilities, with over fifty golf courses in the County, many the work of top golf designers such as Tom Fazio and Jack Nicklaus. Two resorts have their own golf courses and others provide guest access to nearby private clubs. Several semi-private and public courses welcome golf travelers. A highly acclaimed local golf school teaches the basics and finer points of the game. Several professional golfers have homes in and around Naples, and the region hosts a senior PGA event.

Excellent tennis facilities are in Cambier Park and more, and top players compete each year in local events such as the Nuveen Masters Tournament.

The fine arts are enjoyed at Naples Museum of Art and the Naples Philharmonic Performing Arts Hall. The first full-scale art museum in Southwest Florida, the Naples Museum of Art features an impressive 15 different galleries, highlighting paintings, sculptures, and drawings, with major permanent collections concentrating on both the American Modern and Ancient Chinese genres. The Naples Philharmonic hosts more than 400 eventseach season. This 99,000 square foot facility includes the 1,200-seat main hall and 200-seat Black Box theater. Other museums in Naples include the Collier County
Museum and unique Teddy Bear Museum.

For more information on Naples, Florida attractions, contact the Naples Visitors Center at 895 Fifth Avenue S.; phone 239.262.6141.

Be sure to check out Naples, Florida vacation rentals by owner houses, villas and condos for luxurious, yet affordable accomodations - many times less than the cost of a cramped, stuffy, less-than-clean hotel room.

NAPLES, FLORIDA ATTRACTIONS:

BAREFOOT BEACH PRESERVE
Lely Beach Road
Bonita Springs, Florida
Greater Naples, Florida attraction
239.498.4364

The 342-acre Barefoot Beach Preserve is a quiet place, accessible via a road around the corner from the buzzing public beach. It has picnic tables, a nature trail and learning center, a butterfly garden, and refreshment stands. COST: $4.

BONITA SPRINGS PUBLIC BEACH
Hickory Boulevard at Bonita Beach Road
Bonita Springs, Florida
Greater Naples, Florida attraction
239.461.7400

Bonita Springs Public Beach, at the south end of Bonita Beach, has picnic tables and a restaurant next door. COST: Parking 75¢ per hr.

DELNOR-WIGGINS PASS STATE RECREATION AREA
11100 Gulf Shore Drive N at Route 846
Naples, Florida attraction
239.597.6196

The well-maintained 189-acre Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area has guarded beaches, barbecue grills, picnic tables, a boat ramp, an observation tower, rest rooms with wheelchair access, bathhouses, showers, and lots of parking. Fishing is best in Wiggins Pass, at the north end of the park. Rangers conduct sea-turtle walks in summer and kayak tours year-round. COST: $5 per vehicle with up to 8 people, $2 for single driver, $1 for pedestrians and bicyclists. OPEN: Daily 8-sunset.

CARIBBEAN GARDENS: THE ZOO IN NAPLES
1590 Goodlette Road
Naples, Florida attraction
239.262.5409
www.caribbeangardens.com

The lush and entertaining 52-acre Caribbean Gardens: The Zoo in Naples, established in 1919 as a botanical garden, today draws visitors curious to see lions, African wild dogs, Bengal tigers, lemurs, antelope, and monkeys. Central exhibits include Tiger Forest, Panther Glade, and African Oasis, but it's the shows that distinguish this nationally accredited zoo. The presentations in Safari Canyon mix live animals with videos of the creatures in their natural habitat. The Primate Expedition Cruise takes you through islands of monkeys and apes. Youngsters can amuse themselves in three separate play areas, and there are meet-the-keeper times and alligator feedings as well. www.napleszoo.com. COST: $15.95. OPEN: Daily 9:30-5:30; gates close at 4:30. Prices Admission $16 adults, $9.95 children 4-15, free for children 3 and under

The only zoo in Florida to have rare, Indochinese tigers and a supporting cast of lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, and African wild dogs, Caribbean Gardens is an oasis of animal activity. In addition to the standard caged animals, the zoo also has boat rides, primate islands, a large display of flora, and close encounters with kangaroos, alligators, and pythons. You can see them on a boat safari that slinks through spectacular lush tropical gardens and the islands of Lake Victoria, the place here where monkeys, lemurs, and apes call home. Everyone gets to handle some of the animals and reptiles at the "Scales & Tails" area. The Safari Canyon presentation is a cool multimedia presentation that combines video, music, and live animals that swim, leap, stalk, and slither around the natural rock-work theater that's only a splash away from the audience. You will easily fill 3 to 4 hours here. Should all this animal activity make you hungry, a Subway branch sells sandwiches, and there are picnic facilities on the premises.

KORESHAN STATE HISTORIC SITE
Tamiami Trail
Estero, Florida
Greater Naples, Florida attraction
239.992.0311

Tour one of Florida's quirkier chapters from the past at Koreshan State Historic Site. Named for a religious cult that was active at the turn of the 20th century, Koreshan preserves a dozen structures where the group practiced arts, worshiped a male-female divinity, and created its own branch of science called cosmogony. The cult floundered when leader Cyrus Reed Teed died in 1908, and in 1961, the four remaining members deeded the property to the state. Rangers lead tours, and the grounds, planted with exotic gardens, are lovely for picnicking. Canoeists paddle the woods-fringed Estero River, and there's camping. COST: $3.25 per vehicle with up to 8 passengers; $1 per cyclist, pedestrian, or extra passenger. OPEN: Daily 8 AM-sunset.

PALM COTTAGE
137 12th Avenue S
Naples, Florida attraction
239.261.8164

Houses in 19th-century South Florida were often built of a cementlike material made of sand and seashells. For a fine example of such tabby construction, stop by Palm Cottage, built in 1895 and one of the Lower Gulf Coast's few tabby homes. The historically accurate interior contains the simple furnishings of the period. COST: $6. OPEN: Sun.-Fri. 1-4; winters Tue.-Sat. 1-4, summers Wed. and Sat. 1-4.

COLLIER COUNTY MUSEUM
3301 Tamiami Trail E
Naples, Florida attraction
239.774.8476

To get a feel for local history, stop by the Collier County Museum, where a Seminole chickee hut, native plant garden, swamp buggy, reconstructed 19th-century trading post, steam logging locomotive, and other historical exhibits capture important developments from prehistoric times to the World War II era. www.colliermuseum.com. COST: Free. OPEN: Weekdays 9-5.

NAPLES MUSEUM OF ART
5833 Pelican Bay Boulevard
Naples, Florida attraction
239.597.1900

The cool, contemporary Naples Museum of Art, around the corner from the Waterside Shops in the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts, has provocative, innovative pieces, including American miniatures, antique walking sticks, ancient Asian art, and traveling exhibits. Dazzling installations by glass artist Dale Chihuly include a fiery cascade of a chandelier and an illuminated ceiling layered with many-hued glass bubbles, glass corkscrews, and other shapes that suggest the sea; alone, this warrants a visit. www.naplesphilcenter.org. COST: $6. OPEN: Tues.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. noon-5.
Hours Tues-Sat 10am-4pm; Sun noon-4pm
www.thephil.org

Prices Admission $6 adults, $3 students
Season Closed Mon, Memorial Day, July 4, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and Aug 1-Labor Day

Naples Museum of Art

If anything's a sign of the emerging sophistication of a sleepy seaside town, it's the appearance of this three-story, 30,000-square-foot art museum, attached to the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts. The first full-scale art museum in Southwest Florida, the Naples Museum of Art features an impressive 15 different galleries, highlighting paintings, sculptures, and drawings, with major permanent collections concentrating on both the American Modern and Ancient Chinese genres. Touring shows and exhibitions bring a welcome element of eclecticism to the museum, whose very structure, including a 90-foot by 45-foot glass dome and 14-foot entrance gates, is a dramatic work of art on its own. Tuesdays through Saturdays October through May, there are free guided tours at 11am and 2pm.

TEDDY BEAR MUSEUM
2511 Pine Ridge Road
Naples, Florida attraction
239.598.2711
www.teddymuseum.com
Prices Admission $6 adults, $4 seniors, $2 children 4-12, free for children under 4
Season Closed New Year's Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas
Another family favorite, this entertaining museum contains 3,000-plus examples of stuffed bears from around the world. They're displayed descending from the rafters in hot-air balloons, attending board meetings, sipping afternoon tea, and even doing bear things like hibernating. Unless you are a rabid bear fan or have kids, however, a trip to this museum is not unlike one to, say, Toys "R" Us.

A life-size Three Bears House and a "libeary" stocked solely with books about bears keep company with the more than 5,000 bears from around the world on display at the Teddy Bear Museum of Naples. Oil heiress Frances Pew Hayes, an area resident, had the log structure built when she ran out of room to keep the bears in her home. Some are just an inch high, while others are as tall as a basketball player; some are handmade, while others come from by well-known manufacturers such as Gund. The stuffed bruins by Stieff are superb, and the collection of Herrmann Teddy Originals is the largest anywhere. www.teddymuseum.com. COST: $8. OPEN: Tues.-Sat. 10-5.

NAPLES NATURE CENTER
1450 Merrihue Drive
Naples, Florida attraction
239.262.0304

On 14 acres bordering a tidal lagoon teeming with wildlife, the Naples Nature Center includes an aviary, a wildlife rehabilitation clinic, a natural-history museum with a serpentarium, and a 3,000-gallon sea-turtle aquarium. Short trails are dotted with interpretive signs, and there are free guided walks and boat tours on the mangrove-bordered Gordon River several times daily. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent as well. www.conservancy.org. COST: $7.50. OPEN: Mon.-Sat. 9-4:30.

EDISON-FORD WINTER ESTATES
2350 McGregor Boulevard
Fort Myers, Florida
Greater Naples, Florida attraction
239.334.3614

Thomas A. Edison's Winter Estate, Fort Myers's premier attraction, pays homage to the prolific inventor who gave the world the stock ticker, the incandescent lamp, and the phonograph, among other inventions. Donated to the city by Edison's widow, the 14-acre estate is a remarkable place with a laboratory, botanical gardens, and a museum. The laboratory is just as Edison left it when he died in 1931. Edison traveled south from New Jersey and devoted his time to inventing things (there are 1,093 patents to his name), experimenting with rubber for friend and frequent visitor Harvey Firestone and planting some 600 species of plants collected around the world. Next door is Henry Ford's Winter Home, the more modest seasonal home of Edison's fellow inventor, automaker, and longtime friend. It's said that the V-8 engine in essence was designed on the back porch. One admission covers both homes. www.edison-ford-estate.com. COST: $15. OPEN: Tours Mon.-Sat. 9-4, Sun. noon-4.

CORKSCREW SWAMP SANCTUARY
16 mi east of I-75 on Rte. 846, Bonita Springs, FL, USA
Phone: 239/348-9151
Nature Preserve
Bonita Springs
User Rating:
Rate It

To get a feel for what this part of Florida was like before civil engineers began draining the swamps, drive 13 mi east of Bonita Springs (30 mi northeast of Naples) to these 11,000 acres of pine flatwood and cypress, grass-and-sedge "wet prairie," saw-grass marshland, and lakes and sloughs filled with water lettuce. Managed by the National Audubon Society, the sanctuary protects North America's largest remaining stand of ancient bald cypress, 600-year-old trees as tall as 130 feet, as well as endangered birds, such as wood storks, which often nest here. This is a favorite destination for serious birders. If you spend a couple of hours to take the 2¼-mi self-guided tour along the boardwalk, you'll spot ferns, orchids, and air plants as well as wading birds and possibly alligators and otters. A nature center educates you about this precious, unusual habitat with a dramatic re-creation of the preserve and its creatures in the Swamp Theater. www.audubon.org. COST: $10. OPEN: In season daily 7-5:30, off-season daily 7-7:30.

Philharmonic Center for the Arts
5833 Pelican Bay Blvd.
Naples, Florida 34108 attraction
239-587-1900
www.naplesphil.com

The Philharmonic Center for the Arts was
opened in 1989 and is unique as it features both performing and visual arts in a single complex.
The Naples Phil. hosts more than 400 events
each season. Located in Naples, Florida, it is a
99,000 square foot facility with two stages. The main hall seats 1,221 and their smaller Black Box theater seats 200. In addition, the center has art galleries, general meeting rooms and two sculpture gardens. It is also home to the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and the Naples Museum of Art.

On the water...

Sports & Outdoors

Baseball

Boston Red Sox. Fort Myers is the spring-training home of the Bosox. City of Palms Park, 2201 Edison Ave., Fort Myers, PHONE: 941/334-4700.

Minnesota Twins. The Twins prepare for the major-league season at the Lee County Sports Complex. Hammond Stadium, 1410 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy., Fort Myers, PHONE: 941/768-4278.

Biking

Clem's Bicycle Shoppe of Naples. Try this place for rentals by the hour, day, or week. 8789 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, PHONE: 941/566-3646.

Bike Route. On Sanibel Island, rent bicycles by the hour or by the day at Bike Route. 2330 Palm Ridge Rd., Sanibel, PHONE: 941/472-1955.

Jim's Rentals. On Captiva Island, rent bikes by the hour or day from Jim's Bike & Scooter Rental. 11534 Andy Rosse La., Captiva, PHONE: 941/472-1296.

Scootertown. Bike rentals are available at this shop. 845 Bald Eagle Dr., Marco Island, PHONE: 941/394-8400.

Boating

Boat House of Sanibel. Powerboats are for rent here. Sanibel Marina, 634 N. Yachtman Dr., Sanibel, PHONE: 941/472-2531.

Jensen's Marina. This place rents little powerboats perfect for fishing and shelling. Captiva, PHONE: 941/472-5800.

Naples Watersports at Port-O-Call Marina. This operator rents 16- to 25-ft powerboats. 550 Port-O-Call Way, Naples, PHONE: 941/774-0479.

Canoeing & Kayaking

Tarpon Bay Explorers. Canoes, kayaks, and equipment for exploring the wildlife refuge can be rented here. 900 Tarpon Bay Rd., Sanibel, PHONE: 941/472-8900.

Fishing

Fishing is popular in this part of the world, and anglers head out to catch mackerel, pompano, grouper, reds, snook, bluefish, and shark.

Deebold's Marina. Party-boat and private fishing charters can be arranged here. 1071 San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers, PHONE: 941/466-3525.

Captain Pat Lovetro. Call Captain Lovetro for half-day, six-hour, and full-day trips. Sanibel Marina, 634 N. Yachtman Dr., Sanibel, PHONE: 941/472-2723.

Deep Sea Charter Fishing. If you want to attempt to catch some fish, ask for Captain Tom. Boat Haven, Naples, PHONE: 941/263-8171.

Lady Brett. Fishing and sightseeing trips on this boat depart twice daily. Tin City, Naples, PHONE: 941/263-4949.

Factory Bay Marina. Fishing-boat rentals as well as offshore charters are available. 1079 Bald Eagle Dr., Marco Island, PHONE: 941/642-6717.

|| frommers - active pursuits

Boating -- Powerboat and WaveRunner rentals are available from Naples Watersports, at the Old Naples Seaport, 10th Avenue South at 10th Street South in Olde Naples (tel. 239/435-9595); from Club Nautico, at the Boat Haven Marina, 1484 E. Tamiami Trail (tel. 239/947-3999), on the east bank of the Gordon River behind Kelly's Fish House; and from Port-O-Call Marina, also behind Kelly's Fish House (tel. 239/774-0479).

Cruises -- The Gordon River and Naples Bay from the U.S. 41 bridge on 5th Avenue South to the Gulf are prime territory for sightseeing, dolphin-watching, and sunset cruises. The double-decked Double Sunshine (tel. 239/263-4949; www.ladybrett.com) sallies forth onto the river and bay daily from Tin City, where it has a ticket office. The 1 1/2-hour cruises usually leave at 10am, noon, 2pm, and an hour before sunset. They cost $23 for adults and $11.50 for children under 12.

The Sweet Liberty (tel. 239/793-3525; www.sweetliberty.com), a 53-foot sailing catamaran, makes 3-hour morning shelling cruises to Keewaydin Island. The vessel then spends the afternoon on 2-hour sightseeing cruises (you'll usually see dolphins playing in the river on this one) and 2-hour sunset cruises on Naples Bay before docking at Boat Haven Marina on the east side of the Gordon River Bridge. Shelling cruises cost $35 for adults, $15 for children; sightseeing and sunset cruises cost $25 for adults, $15 for children.

For a good deal more luxury, the 83-foot Naples Princess (tel. 800/728-2970 or 239/649-2275; www.naplesprincesscruises.com) has narrated breakfast, lunch, and sunset dinner cruises from Port-O-Call Marina, on the eastern shore of the Gordon River. With extensive buffets, the sightseeing, lunch, sunset, and dinner cruises are good values at $23, $28, $29, and $42 per person, respectively. Call for schedules and reservations.

Fishing -- The locals like to fish from the Naples Pier. The pier has tables on which to clean your catch, but watch out for the ever-present pelicans, which are master thieves. You can buy tackle and bait from the local marinas (see "Boating," above). The pier is open around the clock, and admission is free. No fishing license is required.

The least expensive way for singles, couples, and small families to fish without paying for an entire boat is on the 45-foot Lady Brett (tel. 239/263-4949; www.ladybrett.com), which makes two daily half-day trips from Tin City for $50 for adults, $45 for kids under 12. Rod, reel, bait, and fishing license are included, but bring your own drinks and lunch. Its sister boat, the Captain Paul, goes on half-day backcountry fishing trips, departing daily at 9am. These cost $45 for adults, $40 for children.

A number of charter boats are based at the marinas mentioned under "Boating," above; call or visit them for booking information and prices.

Scuba Diving -- Kevin Sweeney's SCUBAdventures, 971 Creech Rd., at Tamiami Trail (tel. 239/434-7477; www.scubadventureslc.com), which also has a base on Marco Island (see section 5, later in this chapter), takes divers into the Gulf, teaches diver-certification courses, and rents watersports equipment.

Tennis -- In Olde Naples, the city's Cambier Park Tennis Center, 755 8th Ave. S., at 9th Street South (tel. 239/213-3060; www.cambiertennis.com), is one of the country's finest municipal facilities. In fact, it matches those found at many luxury resorts. Play on its 12 lighted clay courts costs $10 for 90 minutes. Book at the pro shop upstairs in the modern building, which has restrooms but no showers. The shop is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 5pm.

Watersports -- Good Times Rental, 1947 Davis Blvd. (tel. 239/775-7529), rents WaveRunners, Windsurfers, skim boards, snorkeling gear, and other beach equipment. Hobie Cats and windsurfers can also be rented on the beach at the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, 851 Gulf Shore Blvd. N. (tel. 239/261-2222), and at Clam Pass County Park, at the end of Seagate Drive (tel. 239/353-0404).