The Travel Channel selected Naples, as America´s Best All-Around Beach for 2005.From Captiva in the North to Cape Romanol in the far south, seventeen beachfront parks and numerous beach accesses line the shoreline of South West Florida.
BAREFOOT BEACH:
Over 350 acres of pristine beaches and woodland trails highlight a trip to Barefoot Beach Preserve in northern CollierCounty. Enjoy a mile and a half of natural beach covered with powdery white sand. A great trail system meanders through tropical hammock and mangrove swamp. It is a perfect place for watching wildlife with turtles, ospreys and bald eagles being a common sight.A learning center features exhibits on sea turtles and shorebirds, and occasional lectures are offered on subjects as varied as shelling and fossil collection.
South off Bonita Beach Road, NorthNaples Facilities include: Showers, restrooms, snack bar, fishing ramps, picnic tables, fishing gear rental.
Bonita Beach:
With two and one half acres of beach front park, Bonita Beach is the perfect place to spend an afternoon swimming, soaking up the sun, hunting for shells, sailing, building sand castles, playing volleyball or a number of other fun beach activities.Make sure to stay till the end of the day, as it is one of the best places to enjoy one of Southwest Florida's magnificent sunsets.
At the south end of the beach is the county-run park with parking, showers, picnic areas and grills.Bonita Jet- ski and Parasail offers everything you might want for a perfect day on the beach including jet skis, catamaran sailboats and parasailing.Open all day, Doc´s Beach House is a great place to grab a burger or pizza and a cold drink.
Bonita Beach Park 27954HickoryBlvd. BonitaSprings, FL 239-949-4615 Facilities include restrooms, showers, snack bar, picnic area, volleyball, watercraft rentals, fishing
CLAM PASS PARK/BEACH:
Dunes and mangroves dot this natural 35-acre park. You can take a 20 minute walk along the three-quarter-mile boardwalk through the mangroves to 3,200 feet of beachfront or take the tram service that runs every six minutes.The concession area and picnic pavilions make this park a popular gathering spot. A concessionaire rents kayaks, canoes and sailboards and the park also features a canoe launch, showers and restrooms.
Seagate Drive, Naples (South of the Registry Resort) Facilities include: Scenic boardwalk, kayak and catamaran rentals, beach chairs, trolley ride, outdoor showers, restrooms, snack bar.
DELNOR-WIGGINS PASSSTATE RECREATION AREA/BEACH:
Separated from the mainland by mangrove swamps and tidal creeks, this 166 acre state park is a narrow barrier island. It features a 300-foot white sand beach where you can swim and sun. The local wildlife habitat is lush with sea oats, sea grapes and cabbage palms, and when you have had enough of the beach, you can take a hike around the nature trail and stop at the observation tower to take in the scenery. A boardwalk leads out to the pass and offers a view of the waterway as well as a great place to fish.If you like to scuba or snorkel, there is a hard-bottom reef that runs along the beach. Whether you enjoy birding, boating, fishing, hiking or kayaking, there is always something to do.
Located just south of Lovers Key off of Hickory Boulevard, DogBeach is the only park where dogs are allowed to run free.If your canine is your best friend, you will definitely want to take him so that you can both frolic in surf and he can play with his new found friends.There are do-do bags available at the parking lot and you will want to be sure to bring water as there are no facilities.Parking is free and the park is open sunrise to sunset, so it is always a good idea to arrive early.
Facilities:Parking
LOWDERMILK PARK/BEACH:
LowdermilkPark is a hot spot for visitors and locals alike. The park features 1,000 feet of pristine beachfront, picnic tables for lunch with family and friends, a playground for the kids, a volleyball court for the athletically inclined and a duck pond where you can relax in the shade. At the end of the day it´s an ideal place for you to watch one of Naples spectacular sunsets.
Banyan Blvd. and Gulf Shore Blvd. Phone: 434-4698 Facilities Include: Parking, restrooms, showers, pavilion, picnic tables and concessions.
NAPLES BEACHES:
Clear, emerald-green water and a wonderful white sand beach await the visitor to NaplesMunicipalBeach. The pier stretches 1000 feet into the gulf and is a great place to catch a sunset. Built in 1888 as a freight and passenger dock, narrow gauge train rails spanned the length of the pier transported freight and baggage in the early 1900's. Part of the structure was razed by a fire in 1922 and the pier has been rebuilt after being damageg by hurricanes in 1910, 1926 and 1960.It´s a favorite spot for local fisherman and since you don´t need a license you might want to try your luck.Today it remains a public symbol of the area's history.
From GordonPass on the south to Seagate Drive on the North.
Facilities: Over 10 miles of sandy beach. Naples Fishing Pier is at the west end off 12th Avenue S., extending 1,000 feet into the Gulf - Great for fishing or watching sunsets. Metered parking, bait, snack bar, restrooms, outdoor showers.
VANDERBILT BEACH:
Located at the end of Vanderbilt Beach Road, this five-acre park encompasses Gulf beaches and a tropical coastal hammock. Swimming, sunning, shelling and bird watching all make for a perfect day.
Phone: 597-6196 Facilities include: Freshwater Showers, lifeguards, grills, picnic tables, boat ramp, observation tower, restrooms, bath house. Additional Public Parking in lot next to the Ritz Carlton.
