Naples & Marco Island - The Paradise Coast

when the surveyors sailed down this bay in southwest florida 140 years ago they envisioned a town built on tourism as well as rail and sea commerce because it resembled a peninsula in italy they named it naples florida they saw the potential of a coastal paradise with fishing beautiful nature setting the waterways the beaches the weather that this area could one day attract people from all over the world one of the first things they built was a pier in 1888 at that time naples had a population of 80 people the town like its pier faced challenges but with each disaster hurricanes came back stronger than before [Music] in september of 2020 the rebuilt pier opened after being damaged by hurricane irma today naples located a two-hour drive west of miami and a three-hour boat ride north of key west shines as a mecca for shopping dining golfing boating fishing or just simply exploring in this video we're going to show you some things to do and see not only in naples but also in marco island isles of capri goodland in naples we'll show you clan pass beach loudermilk beach naples beach gordon pass we will travel down the naples bay and show you several cruises and fishing charters we'll walk the districts of fifth avenue south third street south in tent city showing you some of the restaurants and shops so come with us as we show you the paradise coast by boat by car by bike by drone and by foot and i think you'll see like oscar and bob in gondolier juliana why so many people love naples and marco island we start in the northern part of naples at one of the cleaner beaches the clan pass park beach it is eight dollars for parking but worth it as it includes a free tram rides to the beach which is three quarters of a mile on a nice long nature boardwalk from the parking area this is also a good area for canoeing with a six and a half mile interclam bay loop which runs along narrow meandering creeks once on the beach there is a great space with bar and services next to clan pass park is the naples grand beach resort and spa with a golf course in tennis courts i filmed the conference there a few years ago and it was a nice resort as we move further south this is where several condo high rises are naples has a lot of development starting to look slightly like miami beach but not nearly as dense as you go further to the south the high rises give way to smaller condos south of doctor's pass and eventually become private mansions and homes loudermilk beach is a couple of miles north of naples beach probably not as crowded but still can get crowded on weekends parking is 250 an hour [Applause] it has a nice park area gazebos playground concessions showers two sand volleyball courts the beach itself has a very soft powder sugar white sand [Music] clear golf waters you can see why these beaches are so popular naples is one of florida's most popular golf destinations there are more holes per capita here than any other area in the world with more than 80 championship courses this is the naples beach hotel and golf club the gordon river greenway park is a 2.5 mile trail good for jogging biking rollerblading and is dog friendly the park has fishing and lookout piers a kayak canoe launch the trail meanders through pine flatwoods scrub and mangroves along several boardwalks in the heart of naples it follows the gordon river which flows into the naples bay we are going to head over to the bayfront marina area and hop in a boat look at these trees along 7th avenue north there are plenty of places you can rent a boat in naples we chose naples extreme family fun spot located in the bayfront marina area in downtown in front of tavern on the bay a lively seafood pub we chose this place because we could do a two-hour rental for 250 which included gas and taxes most places have a minimum of four or even eight hours we had a lot to film so didn't want to be on a boat for too long as well as motorized boats you can also rent kayaks segways paddle boards or bikes on the other side of the us-41 bridge is tin city the riverwalk restaurant located on the boardwalk overlooking the gordon river tint city is a nautical rustic vintage shopping area reminds me of key west [Music] also here is eminem's cafe with specialty burgers and ice cream [Music] great coffee and lattes and cookies at the cookie corner the pinterest crab shack located next to the pure florida cruise dock you can take a sightseeing cruise on the devil sunshine by pure florida down the naples bay and gordon pass waterways on the opposite side of the gordon pass is the undeveloped kiwidan island the more natural part of the paradise coast also with pure florida you can ride the new sea flight or you can go deep sea fishing or see dolphins on the speedboat on the other side of the river is naples largest sightseeing yacht the naples princess enjoy a narrated tour while sailing along the million dollar homes of port royal view wildlife including eagles dolphins pelicans and manatees or simply watch the sunset over the gulf a afternoon 90-minute cruises forty-five dollars for adults or twenty-five dollars for children ages three to eleven a two-hour sunset cruise 81 dollars for adults or 45 for children includes a buffet meal [Music] also at the portacob marina is a fishing charter on the alabama with a shaded fishing deck where you can catch grouper snapper amberjack copia among a variety of other fish [Music] we continue further down the gordon river to the naples city dock located on 12th avenue south and 8th street south this is a super long pier with a nice covered area to relax and enjoy the sights of creighton's cove it is here you can board the sweet liberty catamaran southwest florida's largest and longest-running catamaran they offer a shelling cruise in the morning to key white and island and then afternoon and sunset cruises later in the day [Music] if you would like to spend more time in key way than island you can take the water uber shuttle once you are done with the cruising have a waterfront meal at the boathouse on naples bay we continue on our rental pontoon touring some impressive waterside mansions hamilton harbor on the opposite side of the river we now head back to the bayfront marina to drop off the boat and now back in the car we head over the river to the naples bay resort and marina [Applause] while this is a nice resort to stay at you do not have to be a guest here to take advantage of the marina it is open to the public for a unique experience take a 50 minute ride on a venetian gondola you bring the wine but your gondolier will provide an ice bucket opener and handmade italian wine biscuits julianna the gondolier here will even sing an italian song for you as well you can also rent pontoons paddle boards kayaks and multiple restaurants and a good coffee shop the naples pier is the center of naples beach but the sand stretches for miles there are public access points with limited parking along the streets north and south of the pier and a bigger lot near the pier but parking can be an issue just be prepared to walk a little bit the pier is at the west end of 12th avenue south and has restroom showers concessions for fishing and beach supplies in the cosmos cafe and pizzeria [Music] the pier was 600 feet when built in 1888 today it extends 1000 feet into the gulf [Music] now that the sun has set the action shifts just a couple of blocks from the pier to the 3rd street south shopping district nestled among its courtyards plazas and fountains the historic 3rd street south lights up the night every saturday from 7 30 to 11 30 is the farmers market where local vendors offer the best and fresh foods plants and crafts the amico's the continental one of many fine restaurants and bistros with outdoor seating and garden courtyards a mile north of 3rd street south is another impressive pedestrian friendly shopping district 5th avenue with a mix of historic and modern architecture a wide variety of ethnic restaurants with outdoor seating try some persian food at baba persian bistro [Music] how about a steak was romantic sitting for two at chop city grill musical theatrical performances by the naples players at the sugden community theater the native visions gallery features the finest and wildlife and nature artists try some seafood at the yabba island grill or you can do some tai chi in front of a lighted tree [Music] high-end italian food at the el olivo pizzeria you can even shop for a home here modern and contemporary art at the aldo castillo gallery you can lodge here at the inn on fifth with balconies overlooking the street you will find the fifth avenue north as well as the rest of naples is very dog friendly creative lighting at the stone mosaic garden curbside dining at cafe milano a northern italian style restaurant at alberto's on 5th so many great outdoor dining establishments here [Music] we now go to the southern tip of the naples peninsula to gordon pass the southernmost beach access point is on 33rd street there are no meters here so only beach pass holders can park here to fish the beach this area is all private beach homes and clubs the best way to see it is by boat or you can park at one of the naples beach lots and ride a bike down here [Music] on the opposite side of the pass is key waiting island it can be reached only by boat if you're traveling there december to may you'll likely catch food pontoons there with coffee ice cream or fish tacos excellent shelling and swimming here a lot of dolphins as well [Music] during the holidays the naples botanical garden has night lights in the garden where millions of light illuminate the garden with live musical performances have you thought about living in naples well you may want to check out the isles of collier preserve located between naples and marco island with eight miles of scenic kayak and hiking trails that wind through acres of unspoiled habitat on the north side of the markle bay are the isles of capri a group of four mangrove islands populated with single-family homes it is here that the isles of capri marina is located where you can rent pontoons kayaks and sail out to the gulf via the marco pass [Music] on the south side of the marco pass is marco island you'll see every kind of yacht or boat you can imagine sail through this past you can take guided writing excursions with local biologists and science professionals with rising tide explorers [Music] at the isles of capri marina is the island gypsy cafe marina bar with live entertainment on select nights just across from the aisles of capri marina you can ride the cool beans a 42-foot catamaran or you can sit on the bow in sightsee or sunbathe i also have a 25 foot pontoon the little beans perfect for private groups [Music] we take collier boulevard 2 marco island which runs along a waterway the collier boulevard boat dock is here we cross the jolly bridge to marco island marco island is about a 30 minute drive from downtown naples it is a barrier island home to resort hotels beaches marinas golf courses with a network of inland waterways there is a parking area on both sides of the jolly bridge the marco island yacht club located near the jolly bridge as you enter the island a popular place for weddings and events homes can get a little expensive here if you want to live in this island paradise you can see the resort condos along the beach in the distance we will check them out in a little bit but first we are going to make a right and toward the perimeter of the island in a counterclockwise direction rose marina is on factory bay is where you can ride the marco island princess with lunch dinner and sunset cruises at the rose marina you can rent pontoons and deck boats take fishing charters or book a three-hour trip to key west via the key west express round trip fair is about 140 255 [Music] a little ways up factory bay to one of the more popular fishing areas next to the sunrise bay resort club is the pelican pier marina with a convenience store right on the [Music] water marco island has a hundred miles of man-made canals within approximately a four square mile area so the odds are if you have a home here it is probably on the water we now start heading toward the beaches of marco island and begin on the north part of the island at tigertail beach this beach is one of the best for shelling and chilling also rated as one of the best locations for birds it has a tidal lagoon and it can be a long walk to the sand dollar spit which is where you can find a variety of shells and see wildlife you can also rent kayak and paddle boards here this beach is one of the more highly rated beaches it's not too crowded and you really experience lots of wildlife of southwest florida it is eight dollars for parking and well worth it i think probably the best beach in the naples marco island region south markle beach while it may have more people than tigertail beach still not nearly as crowded as naples or other beaches along florida's coast the beach is clean and has soft white sand with lots of shells birds and sometimes dolphins be aware that parking for this beach is not easy very limited lots which might be why this beach is not too crowded i believe there are only two or three access points to the beach so the best way to experience marco beach is to stay at a house rental or in one of the resorts like marriott's crystal shores so that you do not have to worry about parking or if you want to live on this beach you can buy a property at madeira condominiums for three to four million or rent a condo for a year [Music] on the southern part of marco island is kik sambras park and marina which has a four acre park ample park and concessions and allows easy access to the pristine island south of marco island [Music] florida adventures and rentals is located here or you can take a two-hour sightseeing tour to ten thousand islands guaranteed to see bottlenose dolphins or take a shelling tour to cape romano and see the infamous dome houses 65 for adults and 45 dollars for kids ages 3 to 10. florida adventures also has jet ski and kayak tours fishing charters and rentals for kayaks paddle boards and fishing supplies this park in marina is a nice place to fish or to just hang out and enjoy the scenery and a nice area for cutting and cleaning your fish [Music] if you want to launch your own boat it is eight dollars for motorized boats and four dollars for non-motorized boats [Music] we now move on to the last area on our journey goodland which is at the southeast corner of the island it has a laid-back charm to it stan's idle hour seafood restaurant is a very popular hangout with frequent live music outdoor water seating further down the waterway is the old marco lodge crab house another lively laid back eatery with a surf and turf menu backwater adventures is here they have a guided tour where you drive a two-person craig cat watercraft that gives a more intimate ride skimming the waterways like a jet ski only sitting in a relaxed comfortable position while viewing the wildlife it is 125 for a two and a half hour tour or 99 dollars for an hour and a half tour [Music] the naples and marco island region has become a natural and cultural gem nestled on the paradise coast where the gulf of mexico's turquoise water meets the white sand the wild islands the downtowns filled with artful treasures culinary delights and countless other discoveries we have put links and addresses in the description below to help you plan your naples and marco island getaway we are tampa aerial media we film travel promos across the usa for licensing or stock footage contact us at info tampa aerial media.com thank you to all of our subscribers for watching naples and marco island the paradise coast you

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Keywords: naples florida, Naples Princess, What to do in Naples Florida, Travel Naples, visit Naples fl, Naples fl, Isles of Capri, Goodland FL, cruises in Naples fl, Gondola rides, pure florida cruises, Boat rentals Naples, Naples Bay Resort, marco island, florida, naples, moving to naples florida

Id: 1hnJYtKvluw

Length: 20min 10sec (1210 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 06 2020