Fifth Avenue South is considered Old Naples. It travels a distance from Tamiami Trail (41) to the Gulf Of Mexico. It is a mixture of upscale and laid-back shopping, art galleries, jewelers, fine and casual dining options, hotels, spas, and entertainment. It has beautiful architecture, lovely landscaping and at night the trees twinkle with white lights.
Fifth Avenue also features many free (or almost free) events year-round including parades, festivals, markets, live music, and more. It’s an area that you can spend a few hours shopping, strolling, dining, and partaking in entertainment and nightlife. Take a look at their event calendar to see what’s happening.Fifth Avenue South is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Fifth Avenue Google Map
Third Street South
Third Street South is similar to 5th Avenue as it offers shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. It’s located just two blocks from the famous Naples Pier so you should definitely hit both in one visit. Be sure to stroll down side streets to see the colorful beach cottages, fountains, and courtyards.
Third Street also features many free (or almost free) events year-round including the well-known Third Street Market Farmer’s Market which runs from mid-November to May each Saturday. Other annual events include: Pets on Third, Third on Canvas, and Christmas on Third. All of the scheduled events can be found here under the events tab. Third Street South is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Third Street South Google Map
The Naples Pier
The Naples Municipal Beach & Fishing Pier is a popular Naples attraction. It was originally built in 1888 as a freight and passenger dock but stands today as a tourist attraction, a great place to see Naples’ wildlife, and a fun fishing spot (no fishing license needed when fishing from the pier). It extends 1,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by the 10 mile-long Municipal Beach. For your convenience there are restrooms, showers, concession stand with a covered eating area, beach supplies, bait shop, and volleyball nets. The pier is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Naples Pier Google Map
The Mercato
The Mercato consists of residences, a movie theater, 12+ restaurants, and 20+ upscale shopping options including Whole Foods, Nordstrom Rack, and more.
Besides lots of places to shop and eat, the feature free (or almost free) events throughout the year like outdoor movies, live music, contests, festivals, and many happy hour options. The Mercato is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Location: 9118 Strada Pl, Naples, FL 34108
Waterside Shoppes
Waterside Shops is an upscale, luxury, super-regional shopping mall, located in Naples, Florida with more than 60 specialty stores including: Nordstrom, Sax Fifth Avenue, Rolex, Apple, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch, Tiffany and Co, Tesla, Lily, Kate Spade, Banana Republic, Gap and so many others (see directory here). Waterside Shops also features restaurant options like CPK, True Food Kitchen, and Briktops as well as events throughout the year which you can check here. Waterside Shops is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Waterside Shops Google Map.
The Village On Venetian Bay
The Village Shops On Venetian Bay has waterfront shopping and dining with more than 45 waterfront retailers and waterside restaurants located in Park Shore. The Villages on Venitian Bay is a great place to eat, shop, stroll, or just enjoy the beautiful views. Their directory can be found here. A classic Mediterranean theme includes meandering courtyards, Venetian-style facades, and a relaxed bayside ambiance and hosts events throughout the year that can be seen here.
Village On Venetian Bay Google MapLooking for something else to do? Check out the Farmers Markets in Naples and Bonita Springs here!
Tin City
Tin City is a specialty shopping district in Naples, Florida. It is open-air, specializing in antiques and local handmade novelties. There are four separate buildings. You can buy food, antiques, clothes, seashells, candles, wine, mood rings, and much more. View the director of stores and restaurants at Tin City here.
Sun-N-Fun Lagoon
Sun-N-Fun Lagoon is a water park that is also part of the Collier County Park System. It is open to residents and visitors (residents get discounted admission). It has five different slides, a lazy river, young children’s play area, Turtle Cove Pool for children 5-12, Tadpole Pool for children 6 and under, and the Dolphin Dive & Lap Pool with a high and low diving board. Amenities include: Zaks Snack Shack, showers, locker rooms and changing areas, as well as lockers to rent. Life vests can be checked out free of charge throughout the park. Great, fun and cheap place to cool off with standard admission $13 for non-residents ($11 for residents) over 48″ tall. Children under 48″ are only $6. Sun-N-Fun Lagoon is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Sun-N-Fun Google Map
Parks and Beaches
Naples and the City of Naples, have many beautiful parks, each with different programs, features and amenities. Naples also boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Florida each with it’s own unique character and you should check them all out if you can! Pack for a day at the beach but be sure to stay for our unforgettable sunsets! I am frequently asked if alcohol is allowed on Collier County beaches. The solid answer is that it is illegal to bring alcohol onto Collier County beaches. The next question I’m often asked is do people still bring alcohol onto Collier County beaches. I’m going to be a rule follower here and tell you, NO, don’t bring alcohol to the beach. I will also tell you that plenty of people do. We have police on cruisers watching over our beaches and if they see you with marked containers of alcohol you may well be written a ticket; however, I have never heard of the police asking to check what is in your unmarked containers and cups…that being said, let me be clear that the rule is no alcohol.
See all of the Regional Collier County Parks and recreation areas here.
See all Collier County community parks here.
See all of the Collier County beaches here.
See all Collier County Aquatic parks here.
See all of City of Naples Parks and Recreation here.
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens
The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is a great place to visit when you get tired of the water (if you ever do). Before the zoo was added, the area was originally a tropical garden established in 1919. Today, the garden also has 70 different species of animals and a catamaran that takes you to Monkey Island. Open year-round. The Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Naples Zoo at Carribbean Gardens Google Map
Conservancy of Southwest Florida
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida began with a group of concerned citizens working to protect our environment in 1964. Besides the countless ways this organization helps protect the environment in 5 Southwest Florida counties, they also have a nature center which offers a great way to interact with and learn about the land and the wildlife in the region. Have fun in the Dalton Discovery Center with hands-on interactions with marine life, Little Explorers Play Zone, wildlife hospital exhibits, Ferguson Learning Lab, nature trails where you can see 100 varieties of bird species, electric boat trips and the 7-acre Smith Preserve. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Conservancy of Southwest Florida Google MapWant to see all the Naples Homes With Pools currently for sale? Click HERE!
Naples Botanical Garden
Naples Botanical Gardens is a wonderful visit for all ages. The 170-acre nature sanctuary boasts 1,000 species of plants throughout the nine different themed gardens. Among its features is the Smith Children’s Garden where kids of all ages can play in the fountains, explore the Hidden Garden, and watch butterflies in the Pfeffer-Beach Butterfly House. The Botanical Gardens is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Naples Botanical Gardens Google Map
The Revs Institute
At the Revs Institute For Automotive Research, enthusiasts can walk through the history of automobiles. You’ll see over 100 cars built between 1896 and 1995. The New York Times named the collection at the Revs Institute the finest sports car collection in America. The Revs Institute is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Revs Institute For Automotive Research Google Map
Artis Naples
Artis-Naples is visual and performing arts center. They have more than 800 concerts, performances, exhibitions and educational events for children and adults. The location has 2 performance halls, The Baker Museum, and the Toni Stabile Education building, for adult education programs.
The Baker Museum, inside Artis-Naples, is appropriate for all ages. It’s a fine arts museum focusing on contemporary and modern art. It has it’s permanent collection but also hosts traveling collections throughout the year. It’s well-recognized by Chihuly’s gorgeous glass sculpture greeting you in the lobby.
It’s also home to the Naples Philharmonic which was founded in 1982. They perform from September from May to each year and offer an assortment of music genre from pop to classical. Artis is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Artis-Naples Google Map
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary will enchant nature lovers. It features 11,000 acres of marshland which houses 600-year-old trees, plenty of alligators, otters, countless species of endangered birds. Per their official site, “A visit to Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a journey into the heart of the Everglades ecosystem.” It’s well-known for its 2.5 mile boardwalk that meanders through pine flatwoods, wet prairie, marshland, and finally into the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest in all of North America. The offer guided walks or you can choose a self-guided tour as many naturalists are stationed throughout the sanctuary to answer all of your questions. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Google Maps
The Holocaust Museum and Education Center
The Holocaust Museum and Education Center actually began as a middle school classroom exhibit created by teachers and students. In 2001, it became a museum and education center. The programs reach over 15,000 students annually and has more than 5,000 visitors each year. It recently moved to a new North Naples location.
Per their official website, “The Museum houses over 1,000 World War II and Holocaust artifacts and original photographs displayed chronologically from the rise of Nazism to Allied Liberation and the Nuremberg Trials. Many of the artifacts have been donated or permanently loaned by local Survivors, Liberators and other dedicated people.” The Holocaust Museum and Education Center is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
The Holocaust Museum and Education Center Google Map
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples
The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples was established in 2002. Lovingly known as C’mon, the museum boasts 30,000 square feet of permanent and temporary hands-on exhibits for children to explore and learn.
Per their official website, “There’s something new to do every day at C’mon! The Museum is packed with 30,000 square feet of interactive exhibits. These 12 hands-on exhibits provide plenty of fun and learning. To see what’s going on during the day of your visit, check out our online calendar . Remember, there is plenty for tykes two and under too!” The Golisano Children’s Museum is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples Google MapLooking for more things to do? Check out things to do in Bonita Springs here!
Naples Historical Society’s Historic Palm Cottage
The Naples Historical Society’s Historic Palm Cottage is located at the corner of 12th Avenue South and Gulfshore Blvd. The house was built in 1895 and is the oldest home in Naples; it is listed in the National Register Of Historic Places. The cottage was constructed from tabby mortar (a handmade concrete consisting of sand, shells, and water).
The home is open throughout the year for tours and also hosts special events such as Christmas at Palm Cottage. To learn more about this historic home and events held there, click here. Naples Historical Society’s Historic Palm Cottage is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Naples Historical Society’s Historic Palm Cottage Google Map
Bird Gardens of Naples
The Bird Gardens of Naples is a non-profit organization that houses parrots who have been abandoned, abused, are in need of a home or are waiting to be placed in a loving home. During your visit, you can see over 100 species of birds from around the world. The approximately 2 hour tour covers 2 miles of walking trails. You will have the chance to view, hold, take pictures with, and even feed the birds at the sanctuary. The Bird Garden of Naples is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
The Bird Gardens of Naples Google Map
Naples Depot Museum
The Naples Depot Museum is located inside the original Seaboard Air Line Railway Passenger Station in downtown Naples and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While touring this museum, you’ll learn the role that the railroad expansion into Florida transformed what was once thought to be an impenetrable frontier. Exhibits include dugout canoes built by the Seminole Indians, swamp buggies, a mule wagon, and restored rail cars. The Naples Depot Museum is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
The Naples Depot Museum Google Map
The Naples Train Museum
Although housed on the same location as the Naples Depot Museum, the Naples Train Museum is a separately run, privately owned museum. This is a great place for kids and the kid inside. Once inside, you’ll see a multi-level train display with buttons to press and accessories to operate – no ‘do not touch signs’ here. For the young ones, ‘Thomas’ is one of the ten trains running through the display that they’ll be thrilled to see. The Naples Train Museum is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
The Naples Train Museum Google Map
Swamp Buggy Races
The Swamp Buggy Races is a great place to have some muddy fun! The figure eight track is flooded and you’ll watch vehicles race the ‘Mile O’ Mud’ track from standard jeeps to monster trucks. This is fun for the whole family and an ironic opposite of everything else Naples. The Swamp Buggy Races is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Swamp Buggy Races Google Map
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Located at the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands on the gulf coast of Florida, the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Coastal Office in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). An amazing world exists within the 110,000 acres of pristine mangrove forest, uplands and protected waters of Rookery Bay. Where rivers and streams meet the sea, a unique habitat is formed. A myriad of wildlife, including 150 species of birds and many threatened and endangered animals, thrive in the estuarine environment and surrounding upland hammocks and scrub found within the Reserve. Rookery Bay is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Google Map
Gordon River Greenway
The Gordon River Greenway is a scenic, paved nature trail with water access along the Gordon River, in the heart of Naples. Ideal for walkers, hikers, runners, cyclists, kayakers, birders, families, artists and nature lovers. The first section of the Greenway, from north to south, starting at Golden Gate Parkway and going south past the Conservancy and the Zoo, now open. The Gordon River Greenway is one of the great things to do in Naples, Florida.
Gordon River Greenway Google Map
The Naples Players at Sugden Community Theatre
The Naples Players (TNP) Sugden Community Theatre is a large part of the exciting experience of Downtown Naples. As one of the top theatres in the country, we offer a variety of plays and musicals in two intimate spaces, Blackburn Hall and the Tobye Studio – both located in one building on Fifth Avenue South. Our KidzAct program, our performing arts education wing, offers top quality productions as well as in-depth skills classes for children. Adult education classes are offered throughout the year for skilled professionals to first-time performers. Etc… Readers Theatre offers an opportunity to hear new works as well as rare one acts and classics. The Naples Players at Sugden Community Theatre is one of the great Naples things to do.
Sugden Community Theater Google Map
Celebration Food Truck Park
Celebration Park is a relative newcomer to the South Naples scene. It features many food trucks that are stationed at the park, meaning that they don’t drive up and drive away so you can count on your favorite trucks to always be there. There’s a wide variety of food and dessert options to choose from and tables available for guests – first-come, first-serve. The park also features a large bar with seating which is the only place in the park you can purchase alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks from. Live music is often featured. Parking can be a bit tricky. Be sure to check out their information here so you know the best places to park. They also have valet parking.
Celebration Park Google Map
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge
During the summer, thousands of water birds roost on the coastal islands. On summer nights loggerhead sea turtles drag themselves onto Refuge beaches to nest. Mangrove cuckoos and black-whiskered vireos can be heard calling from the mangroves as they mark their home territory on the Refuge. Manatees feed within the estuary and find shelter from the cold winter months at nearby Port-of-the-Islands. Marsh Trail and Observation Towerprovide easy public access and wildlife viewing to visitors of the Refuge. This 2.2 mile round trip trek follows the only access trail found on the refuge. The first ¼ mile of the trail is paved, the rest being a wide gravel road. The two-story observation tower includes benches and the first level is handicap accessible.
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Collier County Freedom Memorial
As you approach the memorial you will be greeted by the sight of the American bald eagle perched on a globe atop a traditional column. His wings upswept, welcoming you to Freedom, his head bowed in respect to honor those who we are remembering. Look closely at the braid and the tassels on the column and see that there is a resemblance to the hair of the Statue of Liberty. The granite flag is 13 feet tall and the column “anchors” the flag to the Granite map of the continental United States. The field of stars are cut through the solid Granite blocks to await our sun sets on this beautiful The granite flag is 13 feet tall and the column anchors the flag to the Granite map of the continental United States. The field of stars are cut through the solid Granite blocks to await our sunsets on this beautiful sight. Surrounding the map and flag is a brick pathway consisting of engraved commemorative bricks. The pathway is in the shape of the Pentagon. At the top edges of the pathway are state stone markers representing all 50 states of the Union. Each stone is engraved with the state name. Along the back of the flag are three benches, one for each site that was attacked on September 11th, 2001 – The World Trade Center, The Pentagon and Shanksville Pennsylvania. Each of the individual benches include the corresponding the flight numbers of the aircraft or aircrafts used for that incident. Sit here a moment and reflect while in front of you is the water element. Gazing into the waters you will faintly see the image of the twin towers. At the top of the brick pathway, located to the right are two actual pieces of steel beams from the World Trade Center. They were donated by the Gulf Coast retired firefighters Association of Naples.
All the hard materials used in the completion of this Memorial are domestic, quarried right here in the USA. The staging area with its dedication plaque approaching the map and the flag is made of yellow Limestone. This is a nod to America’s amber waves of grain. Here at the Collier County Freedom Memorial Old Glory will forever wave over the land of the free and Home of the Brave!
Collier County Freedom Memorial Google Map
