Naples Beach
Naples, FL
Naples runs a wide, powder soft beach along its Old Florida downtown, with the Naples Pier anchoring the main public stretch and dolphins a regular sight just offshore. It's a noticeably more upscale, manicured beach town than most of the Gulf Coast, with Fifth Avenue South's shops and restaurants a short walk from the sand.
The pier and the wide, well kept sand make it a reliable, attractive beach, though the steep parking cost and heavy snowbird crowds in season keep it from feeling like a local secret.
How we score beachesWalk out to the end of the Naples Pier around sunset, it's free and one of the better vantage points on this stretch of coast. Bring quarters or a card for the pay station, the meters run 5 dollars an hour with a 2.50 dollar minimum, steeper than most nearby beach towns.
Metered parking runs 5 dollars an hour with a 2.50 dollar minimum, paid at city pay stations that take quarters or major cards. No parking is allowed at meters between 11pm and 5am.
Public beach accesses are marked throughout downtown, most with a short, flat walk from street parking to the sand. The pier itself is a level, easy walk with good views the whole way out.
Dogs aren't allowed on Naples city beaches or anywhere in Collier County's public beaches; Keewaydin Island by boat is the nearest real pet-friendly option.
Winter and spring bring Naples' driest, most crowded season, when the mild weather draws the biggest snowbird numbers. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, thin the crowds despite warmer water.
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