Naples is a very special, more ‘secret spot’ considered the crown jewel located along the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida. It’s the polar opposite of ‘show-off-y’, loud, brash Miami with fast cars and scantily-clad women everywhere. Subtlety is the key word here. Soft sugar-like sand beaches line the shoreline of the calm clean sea waters. Swimmers, paddleboarders and kayakers alike, love the gulf water activities. Watching the spectacular sunsets are a worthy pastime for all ages. The historic 1000 foot-long Naples pier is a great place for fishing, bird-watching, dolphin-spotting as well as scenic sunsets. Day trippers and locals all enjoy fashionable shops and fine dining, myriads of championship golf courses and fishing galore.

Naples is a place of quiet elegance. It has bragging rights as the 15^th wealthiest zip code in America, 6^th highest per capita income and 2^nd highest proportion of millionaires per capita in the U.S., but no one ever boasts about it. The pace and people living here beat to a slower, different drummer. There are still many mammoth mansions along the coastline, especially in an area considered one of the most prestigious, called Port Royal. And the land between the beach and the bay consists of many beautiful neighborhoods. But overall, the mood is low-key and down-to-earth. Many Midwesterners have migrated here, perhaps, adding to the friendly folksy atmosphere. In fact, Naples, Florida has been ranked No.1 in the nation for health and happiness for many years in a row.

So whether you venture to Naples for vacation or retirement, it is worthy of your presence. Here you can surely find whatever you are looking for. It is a golfer’s paradise with more than 80 championship courses designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Robert Trent Jones and more, but beware of the wildlife like alligators, eagles and osprey along the fairways.

Shopping options are almost limitless. The Shops on Fifth Avenue are wonderful privately owned establishments, not the usual chains on Main Street U.S.A. The same applies to Third Street, however with more designer brands present along this promenade. Unique shopping malls also exist like the ever- popular Mercato and Waterside Shops.

For outdoorsy folks there are plenty of State Parks and the nearby Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve for amazing tours. Fishing options are endless from dropping your pole along the popular Naples pier or heading to Crayton Cove in Tin City for chartering a boat for deep-sea fishing. Arts and Culture are abundant in this coastal town.

The Philharmonic Center for the Arts has performances of more than 140 concerts. The Naples Playhouse as well as a myriad of open-air concerts and festivals throughout the year add to the artsy options. For fine art head over to Baker Museum at Artis-Naples with a diverse collection of contemporary art. Third Street in Old Naples has a variety of art galleries housed inside French and Georgian architecture.

Dining options in Naples are endless. A few of the local hotspots include Ocean Prime, Campiello and Sails.

Ocean Prime

At Ocean Prime, you dine in a contemporary, stylish space with amazing food whether at the lively bar or a table with a menu that pairs fresh seafood and prime steaks with delectable sushi, appetizers and desserts. Try the Blackened Snapper with corn spoon bread and jalapeno tartar or a side of Black Truffle Mac & Cheese finished off with Prime Ocean’s famous Ten-layer Carrot Cake with cream cheese and pineapple syrup.

Campiello

Campiello is an institution along Third Street with a lovely outdoor courtyard and fountain. It offers delicious food with inventive Italian cuisine inspired by traditional Tuscan country cooking with savory meats cooked over an open fire and pizzas from the wood-burning oven.

Sails

Sails is the spot for quality seafood and fine wines where the finest flavors of France, Italy and Greece come together by an award-winning culinary team with an open-air kitchen. The Café on 8^th Avenue is the place to hit for breakfast. It is operated by a Danish family providing a bit of Scandinavian lifestyle. Choices include homemade goods made mainly with raw and fresh ingredients in a European café setting ranging from omelets, soups and sandwiches to cakes and cookies.

When it comes to choosing where to lay your head at night, it’s great to be conveniently located either in the heart of town or directly along the seaside. Two unique options that are not chain hotels are Inn on Fifth in the village or Edgewater Beach Hotel on the Gulf. Why not spend a few nights at each for a totally different experience?

Inn on Fifth

Inn on Fifth is an award-winning Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond luxurious boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Naples right in the center of the shopping, dining and entertainment district along Fifth Avenue. From here you can even take a nice walk or hop on the hotel’s golf cart for a ride over to the Naples Pier and the beach so you can have the best of both worlds. It has 119 guest rooms and 32 Club Level Suites in a separate building. All rooms have Juliet balconies with sliding French doors, porcelain tile floors and bathrooms with floor-to-ceiling marble, porcelain and Brazilian quartz. Amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, award-winning spa, rooftop swimming pool, Bentley house car, hotel-operated golf cart for local transportation and friendly staff at your service.

The Club Level has the added-bonus of complimentary food and beverage throughout the day from breakfast to afternoon snacks, happy hour buffet and midnight munchies plus your own concierge service. There is a separate rooftop deck offering hot tub and sunbathing.  Plus, you have bigger balconies with the Club Level Suites. Truluck’s Steak, Seafood & Crabhouse as well as Ocean Prime are all part of the Inn on Fifth family. The 6-block spread of shops along Fifth Avenue include 220 businesses including 22 apparel shops, 33 cafes and restaurants plus 10 art galleries. Along the avenue there are other nice restaurants such as The French and Osteria Tula as well as Bla Bla featuring Persian cuisine. There seems to be no shortage of Italian restaurants, after all the city is called Naples!

Edgewater Beach Hotel

Head to the beach for a few nights and try out the Edgewater Beach Hotel which is part of the Opal Collection and a Conde Nast Traveler 2020 Readers’ Choice Award winner. Travel & Leisure also named it one of the top 500 in the world in 2021. Edgewater Beach Hotel is a 125-suite hotel overlooking the Gulf of Mexico surrounded by 7 miles of powdery white sand beaches. Amenities include waterfront dining, 2 pools, poolside bar, fitness center and friendly service.

The beachfront suites are spectacular with balconies overlooking the water. From here you can hear the waves, watch the sunset and even see the turtles hatch their eggs if you are lucky and respectful enough. You are steps away from partaking in water sports activities like paddle-boarding and kayaking all provided by the hotel. The suites are super spacious with big living rooms, modern kitchens with full-size refrigerators, stove tops, dishwashers etc…

Coast is the main dining experience offering coastal cuisine. Specialties like fresh fish tacos are perfect for casual dining on the terrace overlooking the pools and beach beyond. It’s also worth splurging on the sweet and tart key lime pie.  Homemade cookies and milk are for the taking 24/7 from the front desk. Furry friends are also welcome here albeit under 30 pounds. Edgewater Beach Hotel is a fabulous choice for families as well as couples wanting to stay in a waterfront resort. The hotel also offers transportation locally to shopping, dining etc…so you can easily get from beach to town and back.

So whether you are looking to plan a staycation in Florida or venture from further away to these sunny shores, the crown jewel of Naples is always ready and waiting for your arrival with friendly smiling hospitality.