Naples

Naples is the western gateway to the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp, as well as a sweep of coastline that includes sparkling beaches and the Ten Thousand Islands. Hikes here tend towards boardwalks or full-out swamp walks, sloshing through crystal-clear rainfall on backcountry trails. This is one of the more interesting regions for hiking and paddling in Florida, with extreme, sometimes jungle-like ecosystems to be explored.

Nearby: Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park. Estero, Everglades City, Fort Myers.

From its shell-strewn beaches to its upscale art galleries, the haunting cypress strands of Big Cypress and the most tangled maze of mangrove-lined waterways in America in the Ten Thousand Islands, 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.

As the gateway to natural landscapes across South Florida, including Everglades National Park and the many parks and preserves protecting much of the Big Cypress Swamp, Naples offers many eco-adventures through its nature centers and outfitters. Within the city are tropical gardens and parks, wave-washed natural shores, and waterways to explore.

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, an adult RV park, camping is primarily out in the wild spaces along the Tamiami Trail heading east, with the 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.

Check TripAdvisor for hotels in 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 National Preserve - Protecting the heart of the Big Cypress Swamp, Big Cypress National Preserve was established in 1974. Exploring its lush subtropical landscapes means wading through crystal-clear swamps or paddling its channelized rivers.
Collier-Seminole State Park - It was meant to be a national park, the largest natural hammock of royal palms in the United States, set aside by developer Barron Collier during his push to create the Tamiami Trail across the Everglades. The Federal government wasn't interested, so the state of Florida stepped in and created Collier-Seminole State Park, which opened in 1947.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - You'll find Florida's best and most extensive boardwalk hike at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, meandering 2.3 miles through an old-growth cypress forest.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park - Swift tides rolling through Wiggins Pass define the northernmost beach of Naples, a spread of sun-drenched sand at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park 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.
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 - First established in 1919 by botanist Henry Nehrling as a caladium farm, Caribbean Gardens grew into a major tourist attraction for tropical trees and plants, and is now the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens.
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.

Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk - East of Naples, the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park offers a peek into a notable natural landmark, a stand of virgin cypress.
Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail - A wet and wild 6-mile loop into the watery wilderness of the Big Cypress Swamp, the Collier-Seminole Hiking Trail provides a challenging wade into beauty
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - You'll find Florida's best and most extensive boardwalk hike at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, meandering 2.3 miles through an old-growth cypress forest.
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.
Delnor-Wiggins Nature Trail - At the northernmost end of Naples, the breezy shores of Delnor-Wiggins State Park entice beachgoers and nature lovers to an observation tower, nature trail, and beach walk.
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge - The longer of two loops at Florida Panther NWR guarantees a wet walk through panther habitat of wet pine flatwoods and cypress domes
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 - At Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, the Leslie Duncan Memorial Trail is a short, accessible exploration into the habitats of the Big Cypress Swamp
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.
Roberts Lake Trail - No longer officially part of the Florida National Scenic Trail, the Loop Road to Oasis section of the Florida Trail is now blazed blue. This is where sawgrass and cypress meet, where the Everglades and Big Cypress blend.
Royal Palm Hammock Trail - At Collier-Seminole State Park, the short and intriguing Royal Palm Hammock Trail is a wild but gentle introduction to the habitats protected by this park. Although the boardwalks are slippery, you can explore the coastal prairie and mangrove marsh without getting your feet wet.
Sabal Palm Trail - Slosh for up to 2.5 miles on a very wet walk in the Big Cypress Swamp along the Sabal Palm Trail at Picayune Strand State Forest near Naples.
Ten Thousand Islands Marsh Trail - On a 2.4-mile round-trip, immerse yourself in the wild world of the Ten Thousand Islands on a trail that takes you to place you'd normally only see from a boat.
The Tamiami Trail Triathlon - 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 hiker-unfriendly OHV road
Tree Snail Hammock Trail - At Tree Snail Hammock, you enter a world inhabited by rare and tiny creatures—the colorful and endangered liguus tree snails of South Florida.

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