Spring break in Naples, Fl

[steamin rice]

We have been trying different locations for spring break over the last few years, mostly heading to Florida looking for a laid back place with good beaches, warm water, and good weather in early to mid March.

We went to Destin a couple of times and then to Navarre Beach once. Both spots are really good, but the weather at our spring break is just too hit or miss for us.

Last year we went to Pompano Beach and had a great time, especially with a couple of days on the beach water with C-ya.

This year we wanted to try something on the gulf side of Florida so we headed to Naples a couple of weeks ago. We had a great time. The whole area is really nice, the beaches have great white powder sand, and water was really blue. The water temp could have been a little bit warmer, but it was still warm enough to get in.

One day we went into the Everglades for an airboat ride through the mangrove tunnels and also made a stop to see some gators etc.

We also rented a boat one day and went to Keewaydin Island which was probably the best day all around.

Here’s a bunch of photos from the trip.

Sunset over the gulf of America

 

[2Driver]

Looks like a nice change of pace. Although I do like clear water without things that eat you.

 

[NIKAL]

I love Naples. I grew up going there all the time. I had grandparents & an uncle that lived there. We would go all the time as kids and teens. As a kid you don’t comprehend or understand the wealth in Naples Fl. My mom called it the city of silent money, as the uber wealthy live there, yet their unknown. As kids we just thought it was normal to walk out on the pool deck and on to the beach. Or my uncle lived on a “resort like” gated community that had a shuttle boat that takes you from the private dock & cove to the private beach.

A few years ago we were there with some cousins and we went to my grandparents church to see the place their ashes are at in the garden. We pull up in my rental Ford Fusion and it was like I was driving a Pinto vs every other cars parked there. Then the back side of the church has water ways and docks, and some take their boats from their homes in the keys to church.

 

[Backlash]

I have spent plenty of time from Longboat and Siesta Key down to Sanibel Island. I've also spent time in the 10,000 Islands, the Everglades and down to Flamingo. Outside of the Florida Keys, the southwest coast of Florida is one of my favorite places in the entire state.

 

[steamin rice]

We really had a great time and will probably make it back to the area. We took some time and drove around Marco Island when we were heading to the everglades, but we didn't really get to see much of it since beach parking is next to impossible there.

If/when we go back to Naples, I want to look into getting a condo on the beach instead of staying in a hotel. We were able to find beach parking in Naples when we went, but there isn't much of it and we basically had to get lucky and find someone leaving to get a parking spot. If we were staying beachfront, then the parking issue goes away and makes things a lot easier.

We stopped at Fort Meyers beach for lunch on our last day before flying home. They are still rebuilding a lot of things due to the hurricane damage, but there was a pretty good setup with food trucks, bars, etc. Margaritaville was packed.