Naples

Sunny and sophisticated, Naples, Florida, boasts beautiful neighborhoods and imposing architecture as well as miles of Gulf Coast beaches. It’s also home to a nationally accredited zoo, a picturesque 19th-century historic district, and a 1,000-foot-long Gulf fishing pier.

Nature lovers will appreciate the city’s proximity to two state parks, Collier-Seminole, which lies partly within southern Florida’s great mangrove swamp, and Delnor-Wiggins, with its vast stretches of unspoiled beach and dazzling views of the Gulf. Nearby, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary preserves local wetlands and the remains of an ancient cypress forest. An Audubon facility, Corkscrew Swamp is also part of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Also within an easy drive of the Naples area are Big Cypress National Preserve, a 729,000-acre freshwater swamp, and Everglades National Park.

Back in town, the Baker Museum houses both permanent and changing collections of art in a building that’s a work of art in itself. The museum boasts 15 galleries and the Persian Ceiling, a stained-glass ceiling by well-known artist Dale Chihuly. Another popular local attraction is Palm Cottage, built in 1895 by Naples founder Walter Haldeman and now open as a house museum. It’s filled with 19th-century furniture, portraits, and other memorabilia from the city’s colorful past.

If you’re vacationing with the kids, you’ll want to schedule a visit to the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples. Opened in 2012 in North Naples, C’MON, as it’s known locally, houses exhibits ranging from a genuine city trolley to a virtual pond and a re-created Everglades boardwalk.