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A Shore Thing
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh, but a beach is a many-splendored thing. By Jeffrey Laign
Best for Families
Lowdermilk Park is packed with amenities and attractions that are great for adults and kids: Think a duck pond, two playgrounds, sand volleyball courts and more. Gazebo pavilions are prime gathering spots for reunions, birthday parties and family picnics.
Best for Watersports
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, you’ll find your sporting fix at South Marco Beach. Zip around on a Jet Ski or WaveRunner, belly up to a banana boat, skim the water’s surface on a paddle board or get your blood pumping as you soar above the Gulf on an unforgettable parasailing adventure.
Best for Romance
Naples Municipal Beach & Fishing Pier offers couples the best of both worlds. The
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city’s celebrated landmark stretches 1,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico and is a famed spot for watching spectacular sunsets. Just off the sand, nature gives way to chic boutiques and intimate restaurants.
Best for Solitude
People are not plentiful at the off-thebeaten-track Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park. What you will find are loggerhead sea turtles, migratory osprey, gopher turtles and secluded spots that are perfect for meditation and reflection.
Best for Exploring
Although it’s been ranked among Florida’s top 10 beaches, Lovers Key State Park still manages to elude the crowds. The secluded gem in Bonita Springs, just north of Naples, is great for sunning and swimming; but to thoroughly experience this special park, rent a kayak or canoe and explore its four barrier islands.
Best for Nature Lovers
If you’re staying at Naples Grande Beach Resort,
you’re a boardwalk away from Clam Pass Park, a 35-acre habitat for shorebirds and other creatures that thrive in red, white and black mangroves. Keep your camera ready. Closer to the heart of the city, Vanderbilt Beach is a draw for birders and a likely place to spot a dolphin.
Best for Anglers
Pompano, sea trout, snook and tarpon are among the many species of fish that thrive in the waters in and around Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park. Cast your rod from shore or see what you can hook from back bays, the Cocohatchee River and the farther reaches of the Gulf.
Best for Shelling
Tigertail Beach in Marco Island is a prime spot for collecting colorful seashells, especially if you comb the northern tip of the beach known as Sand Dollar Spit. You will find roseate spoonbills, snowy plovers and other shorebirds congregating in tidal pools across the lagoon. Another great place to go shelling is on Keewaydin Island, accessible only by boat.
Courtesy of Ivette Leon / @ettevi_wanderlust
Naples boasts some of the most beautiful beaches, and no two are alike. You’ll have no trouble finding a sun-kissed shore that’s perfect for you and every member of your group.
