The Best Things to Do in Naples, Florida

Tours & Activities

With its beautiful beaches and warm Gulf waters, Naples is well known for its water-based activities: boating, fishing, and water sports, but there are also plenty of things to do with land-based activities and tours to enjoy.

Here is a round-up of our top picks:

• Most Unique: Electric Bike Rental with Naples Electric Bikes
• Best Group Boat Trip: Sightseeing Day Cruise with Pure Florida
• Best Private Boat Charter: Captain Joey D. Charters
• Best Fishing Charter: Captain Joey D. Charters
• Best Eco Tour: Mangrove Kayak Tour with Finseeker Guided Adventures
• Best Boat Rental: Captain Joey D. Charters

Attractions

From the wonders of the Naples Botanical Garden and the biodiversity of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to the conservation focus of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida Nature Center, many of the attractions in Naples provide an ecological experience amongst the natural beauty of Southwest Florida.

The Gordon River Greenway is a 2.5 mile mixed surface trail in the heart of Naples that is perfect for walking, jogging, or biking. For a fun and unique experience, we recommend renting an e-bike from Naples Electric Bikes to discover the Greenway and explore Downtown Naples.

The beaches and nature-based attractions aren't the only thing Naples has to offer. Families with younger kids will enjoy the Naples Zoo and the Golisano Children's Museum of Naples.

Fine art and culture is deeply rooted in the Naples community and that is on full display at The Baker Museum and the Revs Institute. Other notable cultural attractions include the performing arts juggernaut Artis - Naples and community theatre organization, The Naples Players at the Sugden Community Theatre.

Beaches

Naples is home to some of the best beaches in Florida with soft, almost powdery sand, mostly calm Gulf of Mexico waters, shelling, the occasional dolphin or manatee sighting, and endless sunbathing.

For the latest beach updates, please visit Collier County Parks & Recreation beach updates and City of Naples beach access updates.

Insider Tip: During the busiest months, either plan to go early for parking or get creative and bike to your favorite beach. Naples Electric Bikes offers e-bike rentals with free delivery.

Places to Explore

Naples has six, unique multi-purpose areas/shopping centers that offer great shopping, dining and entertainment. In the Downtown Naples area, there is 5th Avenue South, Third Street South and Tin City. Midtown Naples is home to Waterside Shops, Naples' preeminent shopping area, and The Village Shops on Venetian Bay in the Park Shore area affectionately known as Venetian Village. In North Naples, Mercato is the place to go with its modern scene, culinary and shopping delights, and ample parking!

Restaurants

Naples has a diverse culinary scene with great options across the entire cuisine and price point spectrum. Although many of Naples’ best restaurants are concentrated in the downtown area of 5th Avenue and Third Street South, you’ll also find great options in The Village Shops at Venetian Village and in Mercato in North Naples.

If you're into the food truck scene, be sure to check out Celebration Park in the Bayshore area for a funky, food truck vibe with a lively waterfront bar.

Waterfront Dining - Hurricane Ian has devastated many of the popular waterfront restaurants that would be featured here, like BALEEN at LaPlaya, Rhodes End, Gumbo Limbo at The Ritz-Carlton, and The Turtle Club.

Bars & Nightlife

With plenty of things to do in the evening hours, Naples isn't as sleepy as some make it out to be. From the trendy bars lining 5th Avenue S and Third Street South to the lounge hotspots in Mercato, Naples offers something for everyone whether you're looking for a crafted cocktail or to dance the night away.

Entertainment

If you're looking to be entertained, Naples will deliver quality entertainment experiences! Enjoy some laugh out loud fun at Off The Hook Comedy Club, the first venue in Southwest Florida to incorporate a full service restaurant into a comedy club featuring some of the biggest names in comedy every week.

Elevate your movie going experience with a one of a kind dinner and a movie at CMX CinéBistro Coastland or Silverspot Cinema in Mercato featuring amenities such as reserved seating in cozy, oversized reclining leather seats, full menu for in-theatre dining, and the finest audiovisual technology. Even the more traditional style movie experience at Paragon Theaters located in Pavilion Plaza offers upgrades such as reserved electric recliners with footrests in all auditoriums and plenty of concessions including beer and wine.

Shopping

Shoppers will delight with the variety of shopping available in Naples, from charming boutiques to unique art galleries and luxury goods to everyday affordable items. 5th Avenue South and Third Street South are lined with boutiques, restaurants and art galleries. Also located in downtown Naples is Tin City, the place to go for souvenirs and other collectables.

The Village Shops is another upscale shopping area with fun, local boutiques like Mondo Uomo and Pratt's Shoe Salon.

If you’re looking for a traditional mall experience, there is the Coastland Mall with department stores and national retailers. The Waterside Shops is an upscale shopping center in midtown Naples with a Louis Vuittion, Gucci, Hermes and home goods stores Pottery Barn and Williams & Sonoma.

In North Naples, you’ll find Mercato with a mix of small boutiques and larger retailers like J.Crew and Norstrom Rack.

Kid-Friendly

Looking for things to do in Naples with kids? Naples is well known as a family-friendly destination for its amazing beaches, variety of water-based activities, and fun attractions. Toddlers and preschoolers will marvel at the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples and the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is great for all age ranges. The Naples Botanical Garden is a great outdoor family activity where the kids can discover and learn about nature.

For family-friendly dining, our top picks include Brooks Burgers, Pinchers and Tacos & Tequila. While many of the resorts and hotels in Naples are family-friendly, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples is on another level with it's water park and Ritz Kids programs.

If you're lucky enough to be in Naples during the late spring and summer months, you’ll want to check out Sun-N-Fun Lagoon, the premiere water park in Collier County. Perfect for kids of all ages with five water slides, the shallow Turtle Cove play area, lazy river, Tadpole Pool for toddlers, and diving boards.

Parks & Playgrounds

If you're looking for free things to do, Naples has a wide range of park options offered by the City of Naples and Collier County Parks & Recreation where residents and visitors can enjoy a variety of recreational facilities. Baker Park is the crown jewel of parks with its kid-friendly playground entrance and vast green space for nature and leisure activities. Connected to Baker Park is the Gordon River Greenway, a 2.5 mile trail in the heart of Naples, perfect for walking, jogging, and biking in one of the most serene settings in SW Florida. Just south of 5th Avenue in Downtown Naples, you’ll find Cambier Park, a 12-acre park with an award-winning tennis facility, large playground and open green space.

North Naples is home to some of Naples best parks, including North Collier Regional Park, a sprawling recreation facility with a 2.5 mile walking trail, waterpark, playground with fossil dig area, and athletic fields. You’ll also find Pelican Bay Community Park, Veterans Community Park and Cocohatchee River Park in North Naples.

Golf

It is often said that Naples has more golf courses per capital than anywhere else in the U.S.; however, many of these courses are private country clubs and not available to the public.

Below is a list of golf courses in Naples that are accessible to the public, although a few (Naples Grande, LaPlaya, Tiburón) are only available to book tee times if you are staying at the resort property.

Top 10 Things to Do in Naples

Here are our top 10 picks for must-have experiences in Naples:

1. 5th Avenue South
2. Clam Pass Park
3. Gordon River Greenway and Baker Park
4. 3rd Street South
5. Mercato
6. Naples Electric Bikes
7. Naples Botanical Garden
8. The Village Shops
9. Naples Zoo
10. Pure Florida