Naples, Florida

Beach life is the reason most people come to Naples. A long run of fine, pale sand follows the Gulf of Mexico along the whole city, with public access paths at the end of many streets in Old Naples and the wooden Naples Pier as a meeting point. The water is usually calm, shallow and clear, about 30°C in summer and near 20°C in January, when the winter crowd still wades in on sunny days. Evenings end with people gathering on the sand to watch the sun go down over the water.

Further north, Vanderbilt Beach, Clam Pass with its boardwalk through the mangroves, Delnor-Wiggins Pass and the undeveloped dunes of Barefoot Beach feel wilder, and Marco Island's broad beaches are about half an hour south. Shelling is good after winter storms. The main drawbacks are summer afternoon thunderstorms, occasional algae blooms that can make the water unpleasant for a few days, and stingrays in the shallows, which locals avoid by shuffling their feet.

Eating out in Naples is polished and comfortable rather than adventurous. Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South are lined with white-tablecloth dining rooms, terraces and wine bars serving steak, Italian and modern American cooking to a well-heeled crowd, with many places busiest in the winter season. The local specialities are Gulf seafood: grouper sandwiches, stone crab claws in the cooler months, shrimp and oysters, best eaten at dockside fish houses around Tin City and along the bay. There is very little street food, few markets and only modest ethnic variety, and prices for a sit-down meal run high. Good for a long dinner after the beach, not a place to travel for food.

Naples is a young resort city, and its sights are few. The Baker Museum, part of the city's main arts campus, has a respectable collection of modern and American art, and the Revs Institute holds a serious collection of historic racing and sports cars that draws enthusiasts. Palm Cottage, one of the oldest houses in town, and the restored railway depot give a glimpse of early Naples, and the streets of Old Naples have handsome Mediterranean-style buildings and grand waterfront houses. Beyond that, there is little historic architecture or landmark to fill more than a day, and most visitors spend their time outdoors.

Evenings in Naples revolve around dinner, a sunset drink and an early night. Fifth Avenue South has a cluster of wine bars, piano lounges and restaurant bars that stay busy in the winter season, and a few beach bars and waterfront tiki bars draw a casual crowd at sunset. There are almost no clubs, the crowd skews older, and most of the town is quiet well before midnight, especially in the hot, empty summer months. Anyone wanting a real night out drives to Fort Myers Beach or goes to Miami.

Naples sits on the edge of one of the great wetland wildernesses. Within an hour are the Big Cypress National Preserve, the western Everglades around Everglades City, the cypress boardwalk of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the orchid-rich Fakahatchee Strand, with alligators, wading birds and, with luck, manatees and dolphins. Kayaking through the mangrove channels of the Ten Thousand Islands and Rookery Bay is the outstanding outing, along with sea fishing, sailing and paddleboarding on the Gulf.

The landscape is entirely flat, so there is no hiking in any mountain sense, and the best season is the dry winter. From June to September heat, humidity, afternoon storms and mosquitoes make long days outdoors hard going.

The day trips from Naples are pleasant rather than memorable. Fort Myers, about forty-five minutes north, has the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the riverside homes and laboratory of the two inventors. Sanibel and Captiva islands, about an hour away, are low-key island communities known for shelling and cycling, and Marco Island and the old fishing settlement of Everglades City make easy shorter outings. Sarasota, with the Ringling museums and circus heritage, is about two hours up the coast, and Miami sits about two hours across the Everglades, the edge of a comfortable day. A car is needed for all of them.

Naples is an easy, safe place to bring children, mostly because of the beaches: the Gulf is shallow, warm and usually calm, and shelling and watching dolphins from the shore keep younger children busy for days. Naples Zoo, set in an old tropical garden, has a boat tour past primate islands, the Golisano Children's Museum is aimed at the under-tens, and the Naples Botanical Garden has a children's garden. Boat trips into the mangroves are a hit with older children. What it lacks is a big theme park or major aquarium nearby, Orlando's parks are well over three hours away, and summer heat and storms shape the day.

Naples is a car town. The compact grid of Old Naples, around Fifth Avenue South, Third Street South and the pier, is pleasant to walk and flat enough for bicycles, and many visitors staying there can reach the beach, restaurants and shops on foot. Beyond it, the city spreads along long, wide roads lined with gated communities and malls, the bus network is thin and slow, and the northern beaches, the Everglades and every day trip need a car. Traffic builds noticeably in the winter season.

Shopping in Naples is about well-groomed streets and resort fashion. Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South mix galleries, jewellers, linen and resort-wear boutiques and home-decor shops under shady palms, and an open-air luxury mall north of downtown gathers the familiar international designer brands. Tin City, a cluster of old waterfront clam-shelling sheds, sells souvenirs and nautical knick-knacks, and big outlet malls lie about half an hour north. There are few markets beyond a Saturday farmers' market in season and little in the way of local crafts, so the offer is pleasant but narrow.

Naples is an expensive place for a vacation. Beachfront resorts and hotels in Old Naples charge premium rates in the winter high season, from roughly January to April, restaurants are priced for a wealthy clientele, and most visitors also need a rental car. Summer and early autumn are much cheaper, though hot and stormy. The beaches themselves are free, and staying in chain hotels inland or in Fort Myers and cooking for yourself in a rental cuts costs considerably.

For a small city, Naples has a surprisingly busy winter arts calendar, supported by its wealthy seasonal residents. The main arts campus is home to the Naples Philharmonic, which performs classical and pops concerts in its own hall, alongside touring Broadway shows, chamber music and visiting performers. A professional theatre company and a long-running community theatre stage plays and musicals downtown, and there are jazz nights and live music in restaurants. The season runs roughly from late autumn to spring; in summer the programme thins to very little.

Naples has no bathing tradition, but it is built for slowing down. The big beachfront resorts have large, well-run spas with pools, treatment rooms and fitness classes open to non-guests, and day spas are scattered across town. The real draw is the pace: quiet streets, long sunset walks along the Gulf, golf and a population that is largely here to unwind. It is an easy place to rest, though anyone seeking thermal springs or a distinctive spa culture will not find one.