Located on the southeast edge of the Florida peninsula, the cozy coastal town of Naples is a wonderful choice for your next weekend escape, romantic getaway or family trip.

The area offers plenty of water sports, fine dining and upscale shopping, though its pristine beaches alone are enough for a relaxing vacation, and the super friendly people here are more than willing to reveal their insider tips about the Paradise Coast.

While reports show that Naples is home to some of the wealthiest people in the US, the cost of living here is still more affordable than other popular Florida cities like Miami or Palm Beach. And despite the rumors that the city isn’t the most diverse, I, as a Black woman, feel very safe and welcomed by the locals.

Here’s what you need to know to make the most of your first time in Naples. 

When should I go to Naples?

The best time to visit Naples is between March and May. Notably, it has yet to become a popular spring break spot, so you’ll find it peaceful this time of year. The weather is at its most pleasant, and accommodations are reasonably priced. 

From June to September, Naples gets very hot, with lots of rain and average temperatures over 90ºF (32ºC), sometimes even exceeding 100ºF (38ºC). If you visit around this time, be sure to bring an umbrella, as hurricane season for the Sunshine State is July through October. Although the weather is dicey, you’ll find some decent deals around this time. 

Winters in Naples are mild but still offer an escape from the cold weather, as average temperatures linger around the mid-70s Fahrenheit (around 24ºC). This is also an ideal time for birdwatching and wildlife spotting. 

How much time should I spend in Naples?

Naples is the perfect destination for a three-day weekend trip and, in my opinion, works best for anyone looking for a quick solo or romantic getaway to experience the white sandy beaches and great food. Stay longer, and you can make time for day trips to nearby destinations like Fort Myers and Everglades National Park.

How do I get to Naples? 

Although Naples does have its own airport, it’s primarily reserved for those flying on private airplanes. In fact, while you’re in the city, you can often see stylish jets in the sky throughout the day.

That said, you’ll likely want to fly into Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), located in Fort Myers, which is roughly a 35-minute drive to Old Naples. The average price of a rideshare is roughly $50 or so, depending on the time of day. 

Is it easy to get around Naples?

Naples is certainly a very walkable town in most areas – especially near and around the bustling 5th Ave South. For those looking to rent a car, it’s also a driveable city without heavy traffic, and it has a decent number of both paid and free parking options. 

From personal experience, rideshares are your best bet for getting around, especially for short weekend getaways. Uber pick-up times are fast, with average waits of three to five minutes, and prices range from roughly $7–16 per ride.

Where to stay in Naples

The AC Naples Marriott opened its doors in 2023 and is a great option for a cozy yet luxurious stay. It’s just a five-minute drive to 5th Ave South, where you’ll find plenty of luxe boutiques and dining options. In the heart of Old Naples, this three-story property offers an intimate and boutique-like experience with excellent service, modern rooms, a rooftop pool and Mediterranean bar, Limón. A one-night stay will cost roughly $160–200.

If you’re looking for slightly more budget-friendly hotels during your stay, try the Courtyard Naples (around $114–240 per night) or the Residence Inn Naples (approximately $118–175 per night).

There are also plenty of lodging options for easy beach access, such as the Naples Grande Beach Resort (roughly $197–235 per night) or the Naples Bay Resort & Marina (around $190–219 per night.)

Top things to do in Naples 

Explore the picture-perfect beaches

Southwest Florida’s beaches are certainly worth the hype, with plenty of gorgeous white-sand stretches to choose from. My personal favorite in Naples is, hands-down, Clam Pass Park. It’s free to access (except for a $10 parking fee) and open to the public daily from 8am until sunset. When you first arrive, you’ll need to walk down a three-quarter-mile wooden boardwalk, which is more easily covered on the free tram service. The 35-acre beach features plenty of marine life and coastal birds. There’s also no shortage of activities like nature walks and fishing.

Despite the slightly overpriced beach chairs and umbrellas, this family-friendly beach has calm, blue waters and some of the most beautifully glistening seashells scattered across the sands. There’s also a snack bar, restrooms, bike racks and foot showers. Be sure to bring your own towels, though, as there aren’t any available for the general public to rent; they’re reserved for guests staying at beachfront resorts.

Other popular beaches to visit include Vanderbilt Beach, Tigertail Beach and Marco Island Beach. If you’re looking for dog-friendly beaches, take your pup to Bonita Beach Dog Park, Gulfside City Park Beach and Lighthouse Beach Park. Various water-based activities to try at local beaches include parasailing, jet skiing and dolphin spotting.

Enjoy some off-the-beach activities

If you’re a nature lover, head to the Naples Botanical Gardens to see rainforest plants, succulent displays and waterlily-laden pools in tropical-themed gardens. They also host regular kid-friendly events and have a restaurant with garden views called the Fogg Café.

Popular festivals throughout the year include the Naples Seafood & Music Festival, the Naples Craft Beer Fest and Naples Downtown Art Fair. 

Take a boat tour

If you’re looking for fun local boating experiences, La Gondola offers private tours in the heart of Naples on authentic Venetian gondolas – perfect for a romantic date night in the town. Another fun option is Naples Princess Cruises. You’ll want to book both in advance as they sell out quickly.  

Eat and drink at Naples’ top restaurants

Campiello: If there’s one spot that will make you mistake Naples, Florida, for its Italian namesake, it’s Campiello. This award-winning Italian restaurant features a rustic contemporary menu with wood-fired meats and pizzas – get the Margherita.

D’Amico’s Continental Naples: This upscale butcher steak house restaurant was ranked not only one of the best in Florida but also one of the best in the country – and rightfully so. Commonly known as The Continental, this spot has a menu full of premium steak, seafood and cocktail options, as well as an impressive 39-page wine list. 

Jane’s Café on 3rd: Included in nearly every Naples food guide and raved about by all the locals, the celebrated brunch spot Jane’s Café on 3rd definitely lives up to the hype, from its “lobster smashed avocado Benedict” to its French toast.

Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar: If you’re looking for something more casual, Rocco’s Tacos is a great choice for tacos, birrias, quesadillas and taco burgers. For anyone traveling on a budget, it also has regular happy hours and Taco Tuesdays specials.

My favorite thing to do in Naples

As a cafe lover, I enjoy frequenting coffee shops everywhere I travel to enjoy a good cup of joe alongside the locals. Something about the ambiance and environment just makes me feel at home no matter where I am in the world. EJ’s Bayfront Cafe made for a simple yet lovely experience on a recent trip to Naples. 

There’s often a short wait to get in, but the menu is a brunch lover’s dream, and it’s known for having some of the best comfort food in town. It’s just steps away from the ocean and has plenty of outdoor seating. A fan favorite is the banana-stuffed French toast platter with thick-cut challah bread, stuffed with sliced bananas and rolled in cinnamon and sugar. The food arrives extremely fast, and the service is top-notch.

How much money do I need for Naples?

Despite Naples being one of the most affluent towns in America, travel accommodations are fairly reasonable – especially if you limit excursions. Shopping at local boutiques will set you back the most, especially along 5th Ave South. Food and drinks are fairly priced, and the majority of restaurants don’t have additional service charges.

You could easily plan a two-night stay for under $1000, including a roundtrip non-stop flight from New York City, for example.

Average costs:

• Dinner for two: $80–215 (or more)
• Brunch for two: $60–90+
• Mid-range hotel off-peak, midweek in summer: $100–250+
• Beer/pint at the bar: $7–10
• Cocktail: $15–18
• Ice cream: $6–8

Mariya traveled to Naples on the invitation of Marriott Bonvoy. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.

Two Walt Disney Company employees who sold their homes in Southern California and relocated across the country when the company announced it was moving many jobs to a planned new campus in Florida — only to scrap those plans two years later — are suing the global entertainment conglomerate. 

In a proposed class-action lawsuit submitted Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court — but still pending filing — Maria De La Cruz and George Fong contend they were told in 2021 that their jobs with Disney in Glendale were being moved to Florida. The employees both sold their California houses and bought new homes in Florida. 

The lawsuit filed Tuesday says that the plaintiffs and other workers were left uncertain about the future of their jobs, adding they “began to have concerns that their job security at Disney would be threatened if they did not return to California to work in Disney’s California offices.”

The suit also noted that housing prices in the Florida area of the planned company development “dropped significantly.”

“Meanwhile, home prices in the Los Angeles, California area had increased significantly between the summer of 2022 and the summer of 2023,” the lawsuit states. “Mortgage rates had also increased significantly, making it impossible for plaintiffs and other similarly situated individuals to obtain housing comparable to the homes they had sold in connection with the transfer of their roles to (Florida).”

Fong eventually opted to return to California, and discussed financial terms with Disney, but he was “extremely disappointed by Disney’s offer because it did not compensate him fairly for the damages he had suffered and would suffer.”

After several failed attempts, Fong eventually was able to sell the Florida home and purchased a new home in South Pasadena earlier this year, but “with significantly less square footage than his previous Los Angeles home.”

De La Cruz is still in the process of moving back to California, according to the suit.

The lawsuit alleges solicitation of employees by misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation, concealment and negligent misrepresentation. It seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

Disney announced in 2021 that it planned to relocate the workers to a new $1 billion office complex it planned to build near Orlando, home to the Walt Disney World Resort. At the time, the company cited Florida’s “business-friendly climate” and its “rich culture of hospitality” and “lower cost of living with no state income tax.”

A short time later, however, Disney became embroiled in a series of battles with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, sparked initially with his signing of legislation in 2022 restricting instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. 

Disney came under fire from critics and some employees for failing to publicly condemn the legislation. That ultimately led to an apology issued by then-CEO Bob Chapek, and the company issued a statement in opposition to the Florida law.

Countering Disney’s public criticisms, DeSantis began publicly blasting the company and started an effort to crack down on Disney’s operations by stripping away self-governing privileges that were granted to the company’s theme park property more than 50 years ago.

In 2023, Disney filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis, accusing him of orchestrating a “government retaliation” campaign against the company that threatened its business operations. That litigation has since been resolved.

However, a month after the lawsuit was filed, Disney announced it was scrapping plans to relocate the roughly 2,000 workers from California to Florida

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of the company’s Parks, Experiences and Products Division, broke the news in an email sent to employees. D’Amaro did not mention DeSantis by name or give specifics behind the decision, citing only “changing business conditions.”

“Given the considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward with construction of the (Florida) campus,” he wrote at the time.

“This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is the right one. As a result, we will no longer be asking our employees to relocate. For those who have already moved, we will talk to you individually about your situation, including the possibility of moving you back,” D’Amaro added.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Disney.

The cost to keep state-owned Citizens Property Insurance Corp. as your insurer will rise by 14% in 2025 if state insurance regulators agree with rate hikes approved on Wednesday by the company’s Board of Governors.

In South Florida, the rate hikes for single-family homeowners could have been much lower if the company hadn’t applied an analysis that aims to make the company “non-competitive” with private market insurers.

In its quest to reduce the number of policyholders from the current 1.2 million, Citizens approved the 14% maximum rate increase allowed by state law during a hearing that lasted less than 30 minutes.

If next approved by state insurance regulators, the 14% rate hike would affect the company’s personal lines business, which consists of single-family homes, private condominium units, mobile homes and rentals. The rate includes multiperil policies with wind coverage and wind-only coverage for those categories.

It’s the highest rate hike allowed by a law enacted in 2021 that increased the maximum annual rate increase from 10% that year to 15% in 2026.

The company is recommending raising the premium it charges for multiperil coverage of 71,196 single-family homes in Broward County by an average of 13.5% — from an average $5,385 to $6,112.

In Palm Beach County, 61,357 homeowners would see comparable coverage hiked by an average of 13.4% — from $4,904 to $5,561.

The 96,941 single-family homeowners covered by Citizens in Miami-Dade County would also see an average 13.5% increase from $5,113 to $5,804.

Condominium rates would increase by 14.3% in Broward County, 14.5% in Palm Beach County and 14.2% in Miami-Dade County.

Responding to a South Florida Sun Sentinel story outlining the proposed rate increases, Luz Green, a Florida Atlantic University student, noted that the increase could help quash her dream of owning her own home someday.

In an email, Green noted the $657 average increase for a Citizens policy in Palm Beach County.

“I may not be a mathematician, but I am unable to ascertain how someone would be able to increase their payment amounts without an increase in pay,” Green wrote. “I find it especially difficult to defend this increase when there is no change in coverage. There is no added protection, no new features, no incentives; the same policy just with higher rates.”

No one at the Board of Governors meeting argued for a lower increase. But several praised improved financial results made possible by legislative reforms that make it harder for homeowners to sue insurers when they believe their claims are denied or undervalued.

For owners of single-family houses in South Florida, the rate hikes would have been much lower if the board had relied on what’s called the “actuarial” indicated rate.

In insurance terms, actuarial rates are what companies need to cover expected losses. For years, Citizens has approved rates that were much lower than indicated actuarial rates.

This year is no different, although indicated actuarial rate increases have fallen sharply — from 55.1% statewide for personal multiperil and wind-only coverage in 2024 to 25.2% in 2025 — thanks to the decline in litigation that followed passage of reforms in 2022.

The reforms have ushered in what Citizens actuary Brian Donovan called “a dramatic improvement” in the company’s financial picture. The company posted a $746.5 million net profit last year after losing $2.24 billion the year before, S&P Global reported in March.

But in South Florida, the decline in litigation drove the indicated actuarial rate hikes well below the hikes of close to 14% that were approved for Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, according to an analysis presented during the hearing.

The indicated actuarial rate hike for multiperil home policies in Broward County is 0.8%. Palm Beach County rates would increase by 9.8% if the indicated actuarial rate hike was adopted. And the indicated actuarial rate projection calls for rates in Miami-Dade to decline by 4%.

A big reason is that rates have previously been allowed to swell in the tricounty region to cover estimated losses from litigation for non-catastrophe losses prior to the reforms.

In 2015, lawsuits were filed for 56% of all non-catastrophe claims filed in South Florida. By the end of 2023, that number had fallen to 16%, according to data shown during the meeting.

But the company’s actuaries, under a mandate to reduce policy counts, justified the flat 14% hike for multiperil coverage of 225,453 single-family houses in South Florida with an analysis that found that Citizens’ rates remain “competitive” with private-market insurers.

Actuaries who developed the analysis decided that “non-competitive” status would be achieved when Citizens’ rates are higher than seven of 10 private-market insurers. That’s not the case, according to the analysis.

This is the first year such an analysis was used in the company’s rate setting, a Citizens spokesman said after the meeting.

State law requires Citizens’ rates to be “non-competitive” with private market rates to prevent the company from attaining too large of a market share and to encourage private-market growth.

According to the analysis, rates would have to climb 96.6% statewide to be non-competitive. They would have to climb 74.1% in Broward County, 80.5% in Palm Beach County, and 82.6% in Palm Beach County.

Yet the analysis did not factor in rate declines announced in recent months by several private market insurers.

And in public remarks in Marathon on Wednesday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis noted that “a chunk of people on Citizens” have actually found lower rates with private market companies.

Citizens has grown significantly over the past five years, increasing from about 420,000 policies in 2019 to about 1.2 million today. That growth has triggered concerns that all insurance customers in Florida could face assessments and surcharges if the company cannot pay all claims after a catastrophe.

The Office of Insurance Regulation must approve Citizens’ rate hike requests following a public hearing to be scheduled in the near future.

In recent years, the office has approved lower increases than Citizens and its board have sought.

Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.