NAPLES, FLORIDA | TRAVEL GUIDE
My extended family has had a place in Naples, Florida since even before I was born and it’s quickly become my second home over the years. We recently sold our family home and my mom is now renting a place of her own so I’m SO excited to be able to continue to explore this place and call it my home away from home.
Naples sits in the southwest part of Florida, known as Paradise Coast, pretty much as southwest as you can get besides Key West. We love the entire Paradise Coast area: Marco Island, Ft. Meyers, Bonita Springs, Sanibel Island, and of course Naples.
Naples is more than just a vacation spot, it’s a place that I feel at home and where I can fully relax. I’ve been getting tons of questions about some of my favorite spots and restaurants, so I’m breaking down my top picks and recommendations by category (places to stay, food, bars/nightlife, shopping and fun things to do). I’ve even marked the most insta-worthy hot-spots with a * so you guys know exactly where to go first to hit those angles. If you’re planning a trip to Naples or want to see what it’s all about definitely give this guide a looksie and see how special Naples really is, hopefully you’ll find it helpful and please tag me if you ever come to the area!! would love to see where ya end up :)
PLACES TO STAY
we’ve still gotten to stay at some of the areas hotels. One of my favorite places to stay is Naples Bay Resort in the cottages. I love how spacious and private the resort is. The main building overlooks the harbor and the restaurants/stores, while the cottages overlook the pool. The resort truly feels like an all-inclusive with several food/dinning options, as well as activities, and it even has a lazy river!
We’ve also stayed at the Edgewater Beach Hotel on Gulf Shore, which is much pricier and a bit farther from downtown Naples but its got GORGEOUS gulf views, beach front on a street lined with luxury homes and hotels.
The Hyatt House, Bellasera , Naples Beach Club and La Playa Resort are also great places we’ve stayed at. Cove Inn and the Inn on 5th are great options if you’re looking to be a bit closer to downtown.
View from canal front room at Naples Bay Resort
Edgewater Beach Hotel Views
If you’re traveling with a large group or want a bit more privacy, opt for renting something on Airbnb/Vrbo.
DINING/RESTAURANTS
I highly recommend making a reservation for dinner’s at least, as restaurants fill up quickly! Most of the restaurants around Naples are on OpenTable so it makes it easy and all in one place.
239: $$
*The Hampton Social: $$$
*Ridgeways on Third: $$$$
Turtle Club : $$$ AMAZING GULF VIEWS temporarily closed
Bar Tulia $$ (multiple locations)
Caffe Milano: $$$
The Claw Bar $$$$ // The London Club (jazz room upstairs! A MUST!)
*Ocean Prime: $$$$
The Boathouse: $$
The Dock At Crayton Cove: $$$
Del Mar $$$
Campiello (if you come in season try the Club Room! It has a special menu!) $$$$
The Continental: $$$$
The Bevy $$$ (more for drinks + atmosphere, was not super impressed with the food)
Capriccio Ristorante Italian Restaurant:$$
Tommy Bahamas $$$
Coopers Hawk Winery: $$ (chain winery, super fun for a rainy day)
*Coast (inside the Edgewater Hotel): HIGHLY RECOMEND! amazing food and situated on the beach so it has PERFECT sunsets! $$
Lake Park Diner: $/$$ casual restaurant where you order at the window and they bring it to your table in the a fun and modern outdoor setting
The Turtle Club : $$$$ BREATHTAKING sunsets - like seriously so good that this place books up months in advance! Make a reservation on their website ahead of time if you’re lucky enough to be able to grab a table, and dine on the beach as you watch the sunset set along the water. temproarily closed
Pinchers for casual seafood $$
Yabba island grill :$$$
Mercato Center has a bunch of awesome restaurants like Capital Grille, Hampton Social, 239 and so much more!
BREAKFAST/BRUNCH
Janes cafe on 3rd: $$
EJ’s Bayfront: $$
Bad Ass Coffee: $
The French $$
The Bowl $
Brooklyn Dough in a hole: $
Cove Inn: $ (CASH/CHECK ONLY)
ON MY LIST TO TRY:
Shell drinks from Hampton Social
7th ave social: $$$
The Bowl $
*The French $$$$
The Restaurants at the Ritz Carlton
The Med
Veranda E
The Real Mccaw
Bayhouse
239
FISH
Salt
Rocos Taco’s
Baleens (temporarily closed)
Bricktop’s
Sushi at the Ritz
Bar Tulia on 5th
The French for dinner
Country House for breakfast
SHOPPING
*Fifth Ave:
This is one of the main streets in Naples and it’s one of my favorites, day or night. I love how the palm tree’s line the street and are lit up year round with lights. Some of my favorite restaurants and bars are on this street, along with a bunch of other cute boutique stores, gift shops and food options, including Naples Soap Company. This street is perfect for insta opportunities and You can almost always spot an expensive Bentley or Rolls Royce on this street. A few streets from Fifth Ave is Tin City, an open-air market with shops and restaurants. It’s one of my favorite places for souvenirs and gift shopping. A few streets over is Audreys of Naples which is a great place to check out for designer and vintage goods! The selection tends to run a bit older (style wise) but that’s not to say you won’t find some great pieces (I found my chanel sandals here).
Galleria Shoppes AT Vanderbilt:
This is a newer strip center about 15-20 mins from downtown Naples. It’s home to Designer Diva’s and True Fashionista’s, two of my favorite thrift stores to hit when I’m in town. They both carry designer goods, but if you’re looking for more high end shoes/bags (Gucci, LV, Channel) head to True Fashionista’s. Designer Diva’s has more clothing items/jewelry, but definitely give both stores a looks as I always find great pieces at both!
Coconut Point:
Coconut Point is a huge outdoor mall with just about every shop. I would say if you are a person who wanted your everyday stores go to Coconut Pointe. Grab a juice or green smoothes at Delicious Raw Kitchen Juice Bar if you get the chance! The TJ Maxx here is one of my favorites!
Waterside Shops:
This is more of a designer, outdoor mall. I love all of the shops here and it really is a beautiful mall, perfect for insta opportunities. I mainly go shopping at Waterside for Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Free People, and Barnes and Noble. I would highly recommend eating at Tru Food for lunch and Brio for dinner.
Gulf Coast Town Center:
This is another large mall with just about every store. I don’t normally go to this mall as much because it is the furthest away from us. It is closer to Ft. Meyers area.
BARS/NIGHTLIFE
Mercato:
This area is super young and hip both during the day and at night. Weekends are definitely more crowded, but there’s a decent bar scene every night of the week. We typically stayed at Blue Martini and Cavo, but there’s a bunch more that Mercato has to offer that we didn’t explore, like Burn and a few other spots.
Mercato is about 15 mins from Downtown Naples so be prepared to have a ride or catch an Uber.
Blue Martini is fun every night but especially on weekend and wednesdays for Ladies Night. It’s your typical restaurant-by-day and bar-by-night. They have live music until around 11/11:30 and then a DJ which plays top 20/house music and they do have bottle service/vip areas but its definitely not needed.
Cavo is right across the sidewalk from Blue Martini. We used this as a fun pregame spot, It’s a covered bar with open sides, and they have a dance floor and a DJ who played good music so I can imagine it gets pretty good in here on some nights, just wasn’t super crowded when I was there.
Seed to Table: The newest party spot, you may have seen on tik tok. its actually a grocery store (in north naples) and at night the bar upstairs opens up! it’s definitely on my list to check out soon!
Downtown Naples (5th ave):
Naples is traditionally an older crowd, so the nightlife downtown dies down around 11/11:30 for the most part, but there’s definitely a handful of places open till 2am. There are some really fun bars downtown, especially if you’re with the right people (just make sure you call/check for their hours). Some of my favorite spots downtown include:
Vergina- they have hookah, live music, good drinks + good atmosphere
Bar Tulia- cute little wine bar, intimate setting good for conversation/drinks not partying/dancing
Parrot Bar + Grill - local bar(basically a shack) at Tin City, don’t go in the rain/cold (open and can get windy/wet)
DelMar - hip bar scene for grabbing drinks and meeting up with friends downtown, has a second floor so its kinda of rooftop vibey
The Vine Room: across from Delmar,this aesthetic speakeasy has quickly become a trendy spot to grab drinks, check out the rum drink in the treasure chest! on the pricier side but worth the experience!
Sidebar: I recently discovered sidebar on IG, its deff the trendy/hip spot to hang and mingle downtown!
FUN ACTIVITIES
Boating
Hands down, one of our favorite things to do in Florida is boating. We love to cruise the Gulf down to Marco Island or my personal fave, Goodland, or hit up the local dock bars and explore Keywadin Island , Cape Romano, and the Thousand Islands. Water sports are HUGE in Florida and theres tons of options to get on the water, even if you’re just visiting.
Naples Bay Hotel (Boat rentals-with or without captain, paddleboaridng, kayaking, jet skis)
Take a ride on the Naples Princess Lunch and Sightseeing Cruise or the Double Sunshine and Miss Naples Catamaran.
Rent a boat (with or without a captain) and go wherever you want from Boatsetter or getmyboat!
Go to the Beach
There is some public parking downtown within walking distance to the Naples Pier, which is one of the main public beaches and has food and restrooms. During busy season parking is limited and The food on the pier is always cash only. Volleyball courts are also located on the beach. This beach is also a 5 minute walk to 3rd Street South. (access restricted!)
Clam Pass Beach (currently the only beach open)
Doc’s Beach is another great beach. There are beach volley ball courts, parasailing, wave runners, and paddle boarding. Doc’s Beach house Restaurant is right on the beach where you can eat fresh seafood inside or take out with you on the beach. It is the best!! I would HIGHLY recommend getting there early as parking is limited. During Spring Break we could get there before 11:00 am, Restrooms are located along the beach and in the restaurant. Doc’s Beach house is also cash only
Tigertail Beach is the most private beach you will find with a parking access. Tigertail is located in Marco and costs about $5 to park if you show up past a specific time. I would park in the VERY back by driving back the entrance and the park. You will take a 10 minute walk on a boardwalk through the mangroves and will walk around the lagoon. (Make sure you don’t accidentally go to the lagoon, the beach is around it to the left) You may take a 10 minute walk to get to the ocean but you will have the most privacy. I feel like I am on an island during off season. If you want to make a day out of it, go to Doreen’s for breakfast/brunch and head to the beach after. It is about a 2 minute drive from from Doreens to the beach. *There are restrooms in the parking lot but not on the beach.
Some of our other favorite things to do are:
Have a beach Picnic (or if you’re staying at a house with a dock, have a dock picnic) : We used Coast & Mingle for our dock picnic on our last night in our family house and it was INCREDIBLE! Definitely great for bachelorette or family parties!
Visit a Brewery/Winery (Rip Tide Brewing $$ + Coopers Hawk Winery are my favorites $$$)
*Celebration Park : An insta-worthy outdoor bar and hangout spot on a canal, complete with food trucks and giant jenga.
*Head to watch the sunset at Naples Beach Pier : One of Naples best spots to watch the Sunset or head to the beach!
Sugden Park + Beach : A cute park and beach with lake access for boating and swimming. (Dog friendly in the park, not on the sand)
Explore 5th ave and 3rd Street. Theres a cute farmers market on 3rd every Saturday from 7:30-11:30, I definitely recommend checking out. This is a must and come hungry! The entire street is blocked off with live music and local venders with fresh fruit and veggies, freshly caught seafood, locally grown flowers, herb spices blends, handcrafted jewelry, and the BEST food trucks. My favorite is the guacamole tent, the Kathy’s spice blend tent, the bakery tents, “ The Bowl” tent, and the granola bar tent.
Head to the Naples Botanical Gardens
Visit the Naples Zoo
Walk around downtown Fifth Ave or Third Street South
Visit nearby Sanibel Island or Marco island (head to my Sanibel Travel Guide to see what to do there!)
Take a day trip to Key West via the Key West Express