With my parents now splitting their time between Seattle and Naples, I’m lucky to have a home in two uniquely beautiful places. Last year, I spent endless days lounging on Naples’ stunning beaches and taking full advantage of the town’s fantastic shopping, but hadn’t explored much beyond that. During my visit this past month, I set out on a mission to document the best things to do in Naples, Florida.

Here are the top eight that I found:

KAYAK THROUGH THE MANGROVES

Most visitors to Naples do themselves a huge disservice by never venturing to the mangroves. It’s a side of Florida that is less well-known but, in my opinion, should be your #1 priority when visiting.

Check out Up a Creek Kayak Tours for a guided excursion through pristine Rookery Bay ( located about 30 minutes away from Naples ). Owned by the nicest married couple, Susan and George lead a small group kayaking through the waters of the bay, stopping to check out small animals native to the area and educating guests on the mangroves. It’s the most incredible escape from the mainland, a chance to be out in open air AND a great core workout 🙂

VISIT NAPLES PIER

Naples Pier is by far Naples’ most popular tourist attraction, but you shouldn’t let that deter you from visiting it. To get the 1,000 ft. pier to yourself, I recommend visiting it at sunrise. Though it’s not easy waking up that early, you will be rewarded with a beautiful, serene view of the sun rising over the Gulf of Mexico 🙂

Not too far from the Naples Pier is the Naples Historical Society’s famous Historic Palm Cottage. This cottage is Naples’ oldest home and was built in 1895. The home itself is filled with antiques and the architectural style is an incredibly rare example of tabby mortar. If you’d like to add a little more to your visit to the Naples Pier, consider visiting the Historic Palm Cottage, where the Naples Historical Society hosts guided tours.

RELAX ON THE BEACH

You are in Florida after all! And luckily for you, there is no shortage of beautiful, white-sand beaches in Naples.

If you’re staying at a world class resort like The Ritz Carlton Naples, you’ll have your own private beach!

If your accommodations don’t include beach access, I recommend checking out Lowdermilk Park for a fun, family-friendly option or Barefoot Beach Preserve for something more low-key.

 

dress: Faithfull the Brand || hat: Hats by Olivia

TREAT YOURSELF TO A SHOPPING EXCURSION

Another activity I couldn’t not include because Naples does have some spectacular shopping.

dress: The Jetset Diaries

If boutique stores are what you love, check out 5th Avenue and 3rd Street in downtown Naples. They are both stretches of small stores and open-air restaurants that you could easily spend hours exploring.

About 10 minutes North of downtown Naples is Venetian Village, an open-air shopping center located right on Venetian Bay. The photo above was taken right outside the Village. It’s a gorgeous, scenic area as you can see!

Last, but definitely least, is Waterside Shops. An open-air shopping center with stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co. and Gucci, Waterside offers a more high-end experience. That said, they do have a variety of more affordable retail stores like J.Crew and Anthropologie, so don’t let the valeted Lamborghini and Tesla in front deter you.

EAT FRESH SEAFOOD

You cannnnnot visit Naples without eating Stone Crab claws. And oysters. And clams. And really all seafood.

I recommend The Dock at Crayton Cove. It’s a very casual restaurant right on the bay and you are guaranteed to have some of the most delicious and fresh seafood of your life.

GO ON AN EVERGLADES AIRBOAT TOUR

Read about my experience on Captain Jack’s Airboat Tours here.

In addition to a tour of the Everglades, Naples offers outdoors and nature-loving enthusiasts a slew of activities to participate in. Head north of Naples to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Travelers visiting the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary will find themselves at the gateway of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Lucky visitors might spot the endangered wood stork, limpkin, and barred owl.

And if you’re traveling with a family and are in search of kid-friendly activities, the Naples Zoo and Naples Botanical Garden are great outdoor choices.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors

In addition to a tour of the Everglades, Naples offers outdoors and nature-loving enthusiasts a slew of activities to participate in. Head north of Naples to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Travelers visiting the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary will find themselves at the gateway of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Lucky visitors might spot the endangered wood stork, limpkin, and barred owl.

And if you’re traveling with a family and are in search of kid-friendly activities, the Naples Zoo and Naples Botanical Garden are great outdoor choices.

DEVOUR ORGANIC GELATO

Adelheidi’s Organics on 5th Avenue is my favorite place in Naples to go for a sweet treat. With flavors like lavender, rose, peanut butter and strawberry basil, everyyyyone can find the perfect scoop. AND, no preservatives or artificial ingredients are used, so you can feel doubly great about your choice 🙂

Here’s my personal favorite – peanut butter in a cinnamon sugar cone:

Hit Up Tin City

Tin City is an eclectic collection of local shops and restaurants. You can spend a whole day exploring Tin City’s food, shopping, and tourist attractions right on the waterfront. You’ll find local wines, soaps, and handcrafted jewelry — making perfect souvenirs for your friends and family. And when you need to refuel after a long day of shopping, check out Pincher’s Crab Shack or Riverwalk for a great dinner and sunset view. This brings me to my next point…

WATCH THE SUNSET

My favorite late afternoon activity is heading down to the beach an hour before sunset with friends & family, a blanket, a bottle of wine and some light food ( cheese and crackers anyone??? ). Watching the sun disappear behind the Gulf of Mexico is the most perfect and breathtaking way to end a wonderful day in sunny Naples.

cardigan: ( similar )

Bonus: Visit the Baker Museum

This fine art museum hosts several traveling exhibits. One of the most popular being Dale Chihuly’s infamous glasswork. If you’ve been to the Bellagio in Las Vegas, you’ve probably gazed upon Dale Chihuly’s work in the form of a $10 million blown glass ceiling. A visit to the Baker Museum will allow you to get up close to some of Chihuly’s best work.

Get my Naples look:

Tell me – What’s your favorite place in Florida? Are you headed to Naples soon and want more recommendations? Comment below or contact me here!

xo,

---

Save this post:

Share this post: