Naples

Exploring Naples

From shell-strewn beaches to upscale art galleries, haunting cypress strands, and the most tangled maze of mangrove-lined waterways in America, Naples is undeniably a majestic tropical destination.

Founded in 1887, it was shaped by millionaire developers from the start, including Barron Collier, who pushed the Tamiami Trail to completion.

Tropical gardens are a special delight, the earliest cultivated by caladium grower Henry Nehrling at what is now Caribbean Gardens, a former tourist attraction turned local zoo.

Naples Botanical Garden At Naples Botanical Garden, buildings, landscaping, and nature live in harmony, with a delicate balance of natural spaces and lush gardens accented with art achieved.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens Established in 1919 by botanist Henry Nehrling, what is now the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens has improved over a century's worth of expansion into an accredited zoological park.

Within the city are extensive parks, greenways, wave-washed natural shores, and waterways to explore. Several state parks offer unique perspectives on natural habitats.

Collier-Seminole State Park Protecting the largest natural hammock of royal palms in the United States, Collier-Seminole State Park opened in 1947 south of Naples along the Tamiami Trail.

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park Swift tides rolling through Wiggins Pass define the northernmost beach of Naples, a spread of sun-drenched sand within sight of a line of condos that stretch southward.

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park It’s the Amazon of North America, home of the ghost orchid. Protecting more than 85,000 acres, Fakahatchee Strand is Florida's largest state preserve and most certainly our wildest.

Nearby via US 41 are Rookery Bay NERR, the Ten Thousand Islands, Everglades National Park, and the many parks and preserves protecting much of the Big Cypress Swamp.

Big Cypress National Preserve Protecting nearly three quarters of the million-acre Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve is Florida's second largest and most remote wilderness.

Everglades National Park In 1.5 million acres across South Florida, Everglades National Park has outdoor experiences from accessible boardwalks and paved trails to rugged adventures in harsh wilderness.

Rookery Bay NERR Protecting vast mangrove forests and coastal habitats between Naples and Ten Thousand Islands NWR, Rookery Bay NERR encompasses a mind-boggling 110,000 acres.

Ten Thousand Islands Where the waters of Big Cypress and the Everglades meet the Gulf Coast, the Ten Thousand Islands are a maze of mangrove forest: the second largest mangrove forest in the world, bested only by Bangladesh

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary remains one of Florida’s best destinations for birding, part of the larger Corkscrew Strand within Big Cypress.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Weaving beneath a canopy knit by old-growth cypress trees in a majestic swamp forest, the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is one of Florida's best hikes.

The Florida Trail’s southernmost and most challenging 30 miles sits an hour east of downtown at Big Cypress National Preserve, with little but wild spaces along two-thirds of the drive to it.

Florida Trail, Big Cypress A wild, watery wilderness for Florida backpackers, the 42.2-mile Florida Trail in Big Cypress National Preserve is both beautiful and extraordinarily challenging.

Trails and Parks near Naples

Barefoot Beach Preserve In a hidden corner of Collier County, Barefoot Beach Preserve provides immersion in nature at a beauty spot along two miles of natural shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico just north of Wiggins Pass.

Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk Discover fresh perspectives on the abundance of tropical habitats at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park on the newly reconfigured Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk.

Big Cypress North Loop Traverse a vast mosaic of pinelands, prairies, and cypress swamps on a spectacularly scenic loop along the Florida Trail developed and maintained by the Florida Trail Association.

Caracara Prairie Preserve Named after a striking bird of prey known to frequent this part of the state, a well-marked loop trail winds across shady hammocks, cattle pastures, and open prairies.

Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail A wet and wild 6.5-mile loop into the watery wilderness of the Big Cypress Swamp, the Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail provides a challenging wade into beauty.

Collier-Seminole Prairie Hammock Trail A parade of habitats awaits in a lesser-visited corner of Collier-Seminole State Park on this multiuse loop utilizing portions of the Old Marco Road built in the early 1900s.

Collier-Seminole State Park Protecting the largest natural hammock of royal palms in the United States, Collier-Seminole State Park opened in 1947 south of Naples along the Tamiami Trail.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Weaving beneath a canopy knit by old-growth cypress trees in a majestic swamp forest, the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is one of Florida's best hikes.

CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Rich with wildlife, CREW Bird Rookery Swamp near Naples provides up to 12 miles of hiking/biking in Big Cypress habitats on tramways through a primordial swamp

CREW Flint Pen Strand Just four miles east of Interstate 75, get your feet wet in one corner of the vast the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed on the trails of Flint Pen Strand.

CREW Flint Pen Strand Big Loop Plunge into a wild landscape of verdant pine forests and mysterious cypress swamps on a series of connected loops stretching from Flint Pen Strand to the Bird Rookery Swamp Trail.

CREW Flint Pen Strand Red Trail The westernmost of the loops at Flint Pen Strand, the 1.5 mile Red Trail is an easy introduction to the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed.

Delnor-Wiggins Nature Trail At the northernmost end of Naples, the breezy shores of Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park entice beachgoers and nature lovers to an observation tower, nature trail, and beach walk.

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park Swift tides rolling through Wiggins Pass define the northernmost beach of Naples, a spread of sun-drenched sand within sight of a line of condos that stretch southward.

Dr. Robert H Gore III Preserve In a lesser-known corner of the Big Cypress Swamp, Dr. Robert H Gore III Preserve immerses hikers in truly wild South Florida landscapes on its nature trails.

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park It’s the Amazon of North America, home of the ghost orchid. Protecting more than 85,000 acres, Fakahatchee Strand is Florida's largest state preserve and most certainly our wildest.

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge Explore the habitat of Florida's apex predator on a pair of short hiking trails in one small corner of the vast territory that the endangered Florida panther roams.

Florida Trail, Big Cypress North 11.9 miles. The northern portion of the Florida Trail in Big Cypress is very different from the southern part, more elevated and shady with several outstanding backcountry campsites.

Florida Trail, Big Cypress South 30.3 miles. Traversing a vast wilderness in the wet wilds of Big Cypress National Preserve, the southernmost segment of the Florida Trail is the toughest backpacking trip in Florida

Florida Trail, Seminole Stretching 56.2 miles from the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation to Lake Okeechobee, the Seminole section crosses a vast agricultural region, with hiking on roads and levees.

Fred W Coyle Freedom Park In northeast Naples, an impressive network of accessible paved pathways and boardwalks meander across a mosaic of ponds and natural wetlands teeming with wildlife.

Gordon River Greenway Get a new perspective on Naples along the Gordon River Greenway, where you can hike, bike, or paddle through the city's urban mangrove forest.

Kirby Storter Boardwalk An accessible walk through the habitats of the Big Cypress Swamp, Kirby Storter Boardwalk gets you up close to the wonders of nature in Big Cypress National Preserve.

Leslie M. Duncan Memorial Trail Try a tiny sample of the vast mosaic of habitats within the 26,000-acre Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge on this short accessible-with-assistance loop.

Nancy Payton Preserve In an essential refuge for native plants and animals surrounded by expanding development in the Naples area, two loop trails span a sandy forest of pines, palms, and cypress trees.

Naples Nature Center Edging the mangrove-lined Gordon River immediately south of the Naples Zoo, this 21-acre Conservancy of Southwest Florida complex pairs learning with nature trails and wildlife.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens Established in 1919 by botanist Henry Nehrling, what is now the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens has improved over a century's worth of expansion into an accredited zoological park.

Otter Mound Preserve On the site of historic Caxambas on Marco Island, Otter Mound Preserve protects a tropical hammock and the remnants of a homestead with unique whelk shell terraces.

Panther Trail Tunnel through verdant tropical forests and wade across open prairies on the Panther Trail, a 1.3 mile natural surface circuit through Florida panther territory at Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge.

Panther Walk Preserve Well-placed trail markers lead through Florida panther habitat, immersing visitors within a primordial cypress strand near Naples within the Big Cypress Swamp.

Picayune Strand Sabal Palm Trail A pair of loops offer an often-soggy 3.4 mile trek into a wild corner of the Big Cypress Swamp near the outskirts of South Naples.

Redroot Preserve An easy loop trail explores lush South Florida pine flatwoods habitats within the Big Cypress Swamp on a small parcel of conservation land near Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

Rivers Road Preserve Nestled within a setting of suburban neighborhoods and golf courses, Rivers Road Preserve is a slice of sanctuary for endangered species alongside a crucial wildlife corridor.

Roberts Lake Trail 8.2 miles. Now the Roberts Lake Trail, the former Loop Road to Oasis section of the Florida Trail is now blazed blue. It is where sawgrass and cypress meet, where the Everglades and Big Cypress blend.

Royal Palm Hammock Nature Trail Not quite a mile long, this intriguing nature trail explores a gradient of habitats from tropical hammock to salt marsh and mangrove forest.

Tamiami Trail Triathlon 3.0 miles. Trying the hiking portion of the Tamiami Trail Triathlon in summer is a little crazy, but we wanted to check it out. The swamp is lovely, but the loop uses a rough OHV road

Ten Thousand Islands Where the waters of Big Cypress and the Everglades meet the Gulf Coast, the Ten Thousand Islands are a maze of mangrove forest: the second largest mangrove forest in the world, bested only by Bangladesh

Ten Thousand Islands Marsh Trail On the Marsh Trail, immerse yourself in the mangrove maze of the Ten Thousand Islands on a trail that takes you to places you'd normally only see from a boat.

The Naples Preserve Along US 41 near downtown Naples, traverse a tiny urban patch of pine flatwoods and oak scrub along an accessible boardwalk to watch gopher tortoises below.

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Where to Stay in Naples

Naples is known for its luxurious resorts. But you can also enjoy comfy lodgings within the walkable downtown like The Inn on Fifth and the Trianon Old Naples.

For a romantic getaway, try the Lemon Tree Inn, a boutique hotel with an Old Florida vibe, or the Marco Island Lakeside Inn, the quiet choice on the island. The Mariner is a great choice for families with its large suites.

Excepting Rock Creek RV Resort, an adult RV park, camping is primarily out in the wild spaces along the Tamiami Trail heading east, with Trail Lakes Campground in Ochopee, and seasonal campgrounds in Big Cypress National Preserve.

If you prefer a room while swamp tromping, the Ivey House in Everglades City is a great base camp for adventure.