I go to Naples several time per year. Shopping on 5th avenue is similar to Rodeo Drive. Tin City is a touristy area with many shops and local fair. My favorite place to dine is Amadore’s. I know he recently moved but worth the research to find. For great seafood, check out Capt. Nemo’s. Enjoy the trip.

Thanks for the tips. I had wondered about Tin City and if it was worth a visit. I have done some shopping on 5th avenue. You’re right about it being high end.

The beach off Banyan called Loudermilk Park is great.Rest rooms, snack bar……
If you get there before 2:30, across the street is First Watch, a neat breakfast, lunch place.
Downtown for walking in the evening is neat and safe.Art galleries, shops.
Tommy Bahamas noisy but popular. Walk a couple of yards to the corner; make a right and you
have the Old Naples Pub. Neat food, good drinks. Outside dining, music some eves.(Our favorite…)
Some Theater going on which you probably can get on line from the Naples Daily News.
Best Restaurant in town, downtown on 5th is TRULOCKS. Pricey I hear. Haven’t been there yet
but all reports are RAVES. Tin City a waste. Great THRIFT shops.

Former St. Louisans…

Roslyn -
Thank you so much for the Naples info. I just found the Trulucks website and it looks like a grand night out, if we’re able to splurge. So you’re saying there are lots of thrift stores at Tin City? That has possibilities, too.

You can see gators at Everglades area trails. Historic Old Naples pier neat. Doubt the Naples sympany is in performance, but they are good. Beaches-Marco Island tough to beat, north of Naples in Bonita Springs, secluded beach off Bonita Beach Rd just before Bonita Beach itself, little Hickory Isl. turn left, to Barefoot Beach, park at end of road, always see ospry, gopher tortoise. Small admission cost, but worth it. Small refresh stand there for soda, water, dogs, restroom. Beach bar, try Doc’s at Bonita Beach.If you continue on thru Bonita Beach you come to Lover’s Key State Park. Several quiet beaches, can rent canoe or similar paddle thru the mangroves. Restaurants-Between Naples and Bonita Springs, on Rt 41 Watermark Grill, good a little upscale, but still casual. In Naples -Stonewood (I think) near Airport Pulling Rd, good still FL casual. Enjoy

The Naples Beach Hotel is a fun place to hang out, lay on the beach, and watch the sunset (you do not need to be a hotel guest). Great restaurants are: HB’s (at the Naples Beach Hotel), Campiello (my favorite), Cafe Lurcat, and Truluck’s (awesome but expensive). I’d skip Everglades City if I were you, but the Corkscrew Sanctuary is neat.

Without question, Campiello’s on 3rd Street South is my favorite restaurant. We spend 3-4 months a year in Naples, and this is our favorite. Enjoy your trip !!

Go to Barefoot Beach which is near Bonita Springs $6 fee per car pay it totally worth the minimum cost. Beautiful wild natural Florida Beach. Yes, go to Capt. Nemos! If you like seafood you will go crazy in this place. the chef is a genius. 5th Avenue may be better tha Rodeo Drive for food, shopping and general ambience. The beach is just a couple blocks away with 25 cent parking! Also, you can take a trip to Sanibel/Captiva Islands. Eat at Bubble Room and or Mucky Duck. Go to Ft. Myers Beach eat at Tim’s or Mantanza’s. For steaks like you’ve never had before, go to Andres on Hwy 41 in Naples (very close to Nemos). Best Hoosier Tiki Bar around is in Golden Gate at the Golden Gate Country Club just east of Naples at the Quality Inn & Suites Naples Golf Resort. Shoppers also should go to Coconut Point Mall in Estero up Hwy 41 from Naples about half way to Ft. Myers

I lived in Naples for a couple of years. In my opinion Tin City is a tourist trap with a lot of junky pricy shell figurines you’ll wonder why you bought. I think Venitian Village and the Shops at Waterside are the best shopping. Venitian Village is beautiful and the Old Naples Pub has a location there as well. Follow other posters suggestions and go to Barefoot Beach and Bonita Beach then to Doc’s Beach house for dinner. Very casual. The BEST pizza and grouper fingers ever. Cold beer, great view of the ocean and a fun atmosphere. We went to Doc’s almost every Friday night for dinner. It’s worth the drive. We also enjoyed an airboat excursion on the everglades. Tommy Bahamas is fun for dinner and the food is good. Then walk to the Naples Pier at night. Have a wonderful trip!!

Whatever you do in Naples, eat at “Grouper and Chips”. Nothing fancy, but it’s classic Naples! Check out the beach, rent a Segway down around the Trianon Hotel (in old Naples) and tool all over town. I think it’s 6th Avenue, where all the cool shops and restaurants are - upscale and a lot of fun to people watch.

I am a Fort Myers/Sanibel Island native now living in St. Louis. I hope you enjoy your trip to Naples. Everglades City is an interesting place, it reminds me of what Southwest Florida was like before it became a tourist and retirement destination. Definately try to take an airboat tour of the Everglades, it is a very unique way of seeing this massive National Park and all of its inhabitants. If you can convince your husband to forgo the Corkscrew swamp tour in leiu of a trip to Sanibel to see the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge that would be a bonus. Unless you really want to see Sloths. I agree with several people that Tin City is a miss but 5th Avenue is a must for shopping. If you visit Fort Myers a visit to the Edison/Ford estates are a must. These were their winter homes and the grounds, homes and laboratory are amazing.

Barefoot Beach in Bonita, Vanderbilt Beach in Naples, Bowman Beach on Sanibel and the few public beaches of Captiva are my personal favorites. It would be a shame to miss a sunset on Captiva while having cocktails at the Mucky Duck (don’t spend your money eating here).

Food wise I can’t comment to much on Naples food. If you are on Captiva the Key Lime Bistro is not to be missed - less touristy. You will be in the land of fresh seafood, so get all you can. If it is Snook season and someone offers to cook it for you, take them up on it. Try Alligator, it is pretty darn good. I’m not sure but Stone Crab may also be in season, if it is then try those tasty morsels too.

If you are flying in and have a rental car, check out Norman Love chocolates, it is on the north side of the airport off of Gateway. What this man does with chocolate will make you weep. You can carry his goodies on the plane with you as they’ve been TSA blessed.

I hope you enjoy your trip.

I am a St Louis native, now living in Naples. I’m not a shopper, but the art galleries on 3rd Street and the upscale shopping on 5th Avenue are not to be missed. All the beaches here are very good and easy to get to, but my favorite is Clam Pass, which is near the Naples Grand Resort. The water is shallow for a long way out and it never seems to get too crowded. There are restrooms and concessions there too. You take a free tram from the parking lot through the mangroves to get to the beach. While I agree that Tin City is touristy, that is where you can get a ticket for the Double Sunshine, a catamaran that tours the Naples area, Gordon River and out to the Gulf. It is about $25-30 but you will see dolphins, beautiful estates, pelicans, beautiful estates, possibly eagles and did I say beautiful estates? Driving to Everglades City is like the road to Hana in Hawaii (okay, not quite) but the drive is the experience. If you decide to go, the Rod and Gun Club is worth seeing in Everglades City. The food isn’t great, but the pictures all over the walls go back many years. It sits right on the water, and you can see the air boats go by while you enjoy your key lime pie. Enjoy your visit and have fun.

I don’t believe anyone mentioned “The Best of Everything” which is behind Mel’s Diner on 41 going north from Old Naples. It’s really packed during season but should be a fun place to shop, now. Basically, it’s jewelry but not high priced jewlery and the quality is great for what you pay. The prices are really good and you never know what you might find there. Love the purses, too. Someone mentioned Amodor’s and yes, he has moved and it’s in the shopping center which is very close to Airport Pulling and Highway 41. It use to be a pizza place and I believe there’s a Sezchaun restaurant next door. Amodor’s food is wonderful. Truluck’s is also a fun place to go for drinks because they have a piano bar and there are usually several people dancing and having fun in the bar. We’ve had our condo in Naples for 6 years now and we still haven’t seen or done everytning there is to do. We have so many choices when we go for season so I’m sure you’re not going to be bored. You can’t beat Naples Beach and 2 years ago it was voted as the all round beach in the country and that was on the Travel Channel. Have a great time and enjoy your trip to the max!!!

1. Collier-Seminole State Park

2. Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park