Naples Travel Guide

Overview

Naples, Florida, a wealthy community 140 mi/225 km south of Tampa, has evolved into one of the state's premier destinations for upscale travelers, especially mariners and golfers. It is also among U.S. cities with the largest number of golf courses.

Naples is filled with high-end restaurants, boutiques, resorts and 40 mi/65 km of public beaches. Activities include sailing and windsurfing, and many boats are available for charter or day cruises.

Because Naples sits near the western edge of the Everglades, it makes a good base for exploring some of this vast wetland.

In Estero, north of Naples, is the Koreshan State Historic Site, one of the odder historic parks in the country. The site marks the place where a 19th-century religious leader founded a utopian community known as Koreshan Unity (no relation to the sect led by David Koresh in Waco, Texas). The group believed in both celibacy and world domination—the technical problems inherent in such a policy may have contributed to the sect's eventual demise. Today, 30 or so buildings document their grand scheme.