The historic Naples Pier is located on the Gulf of Mexico at the West end of 12th Avenue South. The Naples Pier is a favorite location for sightseers and fishermen with plenty of space to cast a line. Fishing from the pier does not require a fishing license, as the City of Naples has purchased a bulk fishing license for the pier. The region is well-known for its great opportunities for shark fishing and the area is populated by a number of magnificent sea birds. Be sure to stay alert since these birds may attempt to steal your catch. Try night fishing with a friend for a peaceful experience in the temperate Florida climate.
The beach at the pier also features volleyball nets, and is one of the best places to catch a spectacular Naples sunset. This beloved Naples destination to experience the simple charms of the beachfront on a dock that has served the city for more than 100 years. This lengthy wooden dock extends out into the Gulf built in 1888 as a dock for receiving goods and passengers. Though it has been damaged over the 20th century by fire and numerous hurricanes, it was reconstructed and remains a symbol of the town’s resilience, history and beauty. Take a leisurely stroll down the pier and join the hundreds of visitors who come here for spectacular views and a breath of the fresh sea air. Purchase ice cream or a cool drink and venture to the end of the pier for a panoramic look out over the ocean and back onto the exquisite Naples coastline. A gazebo provides benches and shade on hot days so you can linger and experience the ambiance. Though diving off the pier is prohibited, you can enjoy the cool ocean waters from the adjacent beach. Work on your tan in the summer sun or join an exhilarating game of beach volleyball with local residents. Have a meal with a view in one of the many restaurants along the promenade. The soft sounds of water lapping onto the beach and the picturesque horizon provide a calm, romantic atmosphere. For those visiting during June, it also acts as an ideal location to view the city's 4th of July fireworks show. . The beaches range from thriving mid-city beaches with full facilities and water sports rentals galore to quiet natural preserves and a state park, where observing wildlife and chilling take precedence. Broken only occasionally by passes and inlets, they provide long stretches for walking and communing with the sea. Whichever variety of beach beckons your inner beach-bum, you are sure to find one that pleases. Or try a different one each day to experience the vast variety Naples has to offer.
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Lowdermilk Park is one of Naples' premier beachfront parks. The park has plenty of metered and unmetered parking spaces, picnic tables, benches, restroom and shower facilities, and two gazebos for rent. The beach park offers 1,000 feet of pristine beachfront, plenty of picnic tables for a lunch with your family and friends, a playground for the kids, volleyball court, and a wonderful duck pond. Lowdermilk Beach Park is also a popular Naples Florida Beach for watching the sunset, and who knows you may even see the legendary “green flash”.
For your convenience, there are restrooms available at the beach, as well as outdoor showers, and a handicapped beach wheelchair ramp. There are approximately 125 parking spaces available. The beach is open from 8:00 am to sundown. The Concession Stand is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers food and beverage for purchase. Offers handicap access and beach wheelchair rentals. Arrive early if you want one of those prize Tiki Hut's. It does get hot in the summer. Another reason Lowdermilk is one of my favorite Florida beaches is this park is so usable. Grass area provides a playground for the kiddies, sand volleyball courts, and a bathhouse People getting together for a beach party or picnics. Lots of shade for protected lounging. There are two gazebo’s located at Lowdermilk Park for rent. One is located at the north end of the park and the other is located at the south end of the park. Both gazebos are the same size but there is more land available around the south gazebo for larger rentals. The north gazebo is next to the sand volleyball courts and the childrens playground. Lowdermilk regularly hosts small-boat regattas with participants ranging from kids to the retired. This popular destination boasts one of the most pristine stretch of beach in the world. Every day, this tropical beach paradise beckons visitors to partake in vast peaceful views of the Gulf of Mexico, and experience the many shorebirds and wildlife that gather here. Visitors arrive to this park to sunbathe, snorkel the reef, hike, bird-watch, fish, picnic and search for seashells.
There are specific areas designated for anglers to drop their lines in the northern areas of the park for trophy catches. Boaters will also find the launch area into Turkey Bay easily accessible for most vessels, in order to experience the delicate natural estuaries of the Cocohatchee River, leading out to the Gulf of Mexico. A concessionaire, Naples Beach Adventures, offers food / beverages and rentals that include paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, umbrellas and beach chairs. Beach wheelchairs are also available for reservation by the park Kayak the mangrove-lined waterways of Wiggins Pass and the Cocohatchee River, While the kayaking is pleasant enough, the beach at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is what’s truly special here. – a good kayaking spot, outstanding surf-fishing and a one-mile-long powdery-white sand beach with clear water, shells and shaded picnic tables nearby. The 166-acre park is squeezed by urban development but is so thickly canopied by tropical vegetation that it’s easy to lose yourself in nature here. A short nature trail leads to an observation deck over mangrove forests and the sweep of beach, where terns and gulls gather in groups. It’s easy to find pretty seashells along the shore if you arrive early. Bring a picnic and spend the day! At the north end of the island, behind the picnic pavilion, a tower gives visitors a bird's-eye view of Wiggins Pass and the surrounding coastal habitat. Undeveloped barrier islands are simply ‘the best’ and hard to come by in south Florida. There is much to be said for a nice sandy beach on a barrier island with a lush tropical backdrop, gently shelving into crystal clear water. There is yet more to be said when this beach area is also teeming with wildlife such as shorebirds, ospreys, dolphins and the protected gopher tortoises. Finally, it seems too good to be true when it also boasts a reef that can be snorkeled off the beach. Fish and shorebirds are not the only creatures you will see on the beach. Apart from dolphins that are very common here, there are sea stars, of course sand dollars (when they are gray, they are alive, please toss back in!), and other ‘live shells’ such as the Florida fighting conch. The park has plenty of gopher tortoises to look at, and we were guaranteed to see more of these cute creatures. As there are so many of them, you do well to check your car when you leave the park so as not to crush a resting gopher tortoise. Pay close attention to the sides of the road and you are sure to see a tortoise or two munching on fresh shoots. Mangroves also buffer the mainland against destructive storms, prevent erosion with their specialized root system and filter the water to maintain quality and clarity. The natural coastal area of Delnor-Wiggins provides habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. A boat ramp allows access to the back bays, Cocohatchee River and the Gulf of Mexico, providing visitors with excellent fishing opportunities. The most popular place to fish is Wiggins Pass. It is also the only area along the park's beach where fishing is allowed. Visitors who plan to fish should remember to dispose of monofilament fishing line properly as it can injure or kill animals in the park. Rangers programs are offered every Thursday at 9:30am. Most programs are free with park entry fee. The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens was opened in September 1969 in Naples, Florida, in what was once the gardens for botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling's collection of plants. The gardens were neglected after Nehrling's death, but reopened in 1954. Animals were added in 1969, and the gardens were reopened as a zoo. The zoo has about 70 species, though not all of these are on display at any given time. The main path is about a mile long, and winds past the main animal exhibits through a tropical garden first planted in 1919. Primates in the zoo are housed on islands in a manmade lake, and can be viewed from catamarans when visitors take the Primate Expedition Cruise.
The Naples Zoo is laid out with one major loop about 1 mile long that winds through the botanical gardens past the main exhibits. The main exhibits, going clockwise around the main loop, Predators and lush gardens in one of the only zoos where you can enjoy views of animal habitats from a catamaran. Spend half a day exploring the natural wonders of the Naples Zoo. This conservation zoo is home to a large number of plant and animal species. The Naples Zoo began when Dr. Henry Nehrling bought the site in 1919 with the intention of creating a haven for nature to “preserve what is still left.” Throughout the 20th century, the zoo and its surrounding gardens have built on its collection of flora and fauna and retains its focus on conservation. Walk around the camouflaged enclosures to admire fierce and intriguing species. See the rare honey badger, an incredibly savage predator that is found in only four zoos in America. Try hand-feeding the tall giraffes or delight in the snapping jaws of alligators as they are fed by their keepers. Explore and engage with different animal species including lemurs, leopards and hyenas. Fans of the movie "Madagascar" will surely recognize one of the Naples Zoo's inhabitants, the fosa, in Petrof's Primate Pavilion exhibit. The exhibit is also home to another Madagascar native, the lemur. As you walk around the grounds, stop and check out the rare Indochinese tigers and a collection of other interesting mammal. If you're looking for an educational experience, take in a live show, where zookeepers show off some of the zoo's animals. You can also watch live feedings. Nationally accredited as both zoo and botanical garden, Naples Zoo plays host to creating a truly memorable experience through diverse educational presentations, guided cruises, special animal encounters and more. As a natural crossroads for families, biologists, and educators, Naples Zoo plays a critical role in nurturing appreciation for the natural world by providing an educational nature experience for people of all ages. The unique combination of lush, tropical flora and exotic animal habitats creates a beautifully inspiring backdrop for visitors to connect with nature and to enhance their understanding of wildlife and the habitats in which wild animals live. After all, if we can inspire our guests to make just one change toward the conservation of our natural world, then we have succeeded at a most important task. |
Naples Private ToursThere are plenty to do in Naples, here is our recommended points of interest for Groups of friends and family to get together and enjoy. Categories
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