4 Day Journey Itinerary for Florida’s Paradise Coast

Whenever somebody asks me the place to go in Florida, I all the time begin with “Which Florida?” There’s Miami’s electrical nightlife, the Keys’ laid-back vibe, and Orlando’s thrilling strip-mall meals scene (and, after all, these well-known parks). But for an old-meets-new Florida attraction, I level them to the Paradise Coast, an eclectic trifecta of Naples, Marco Island, and the Everglades.

I’ve been spending lengthy weekends right here for practically twenty years (first with my husband and extra not too long ago with my teenagers in tow), and the area is present process a significant renaissance. Led by the grand reopening of The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, and the debut of the Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, the world’s culinary scene has adopted go well with, buying and selling early-bird specials for James Beard–caliber menus and vigorous pure wine bars.

Paired with the rawness of the Everglades, the adjustments on this Florida area imply there’s by no means been a greater time to go to. Here’s how you can spend 4 days swamping, eating, and shelling on Florida’s Paradise Coast.

Day 1: Essential Naples

Courtesy of Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB

Morning: Breakfast and exploring Old Naples

Kick off in Old Naples’ Third Street South neighborhood, outlined by 1895-era bungalows and sidewalk cafés. After a decadent breakfast of challah French toast drizzled with maple syrup at Jane’s Cafe on 3rd, pop into the Books on Third. On Saturdays, the Third Street Farmer’s Market provides native produce and pastries. A number of blocks north, Third Street South’s buzzy sibling, Fifth Avenue South, is a revitalized, high-end procuring and eating district anchored by the Inn on Fifth. Stop into Gelato & Co. for a scoop of dragon fruit gelato, made in-house.

Afternoon: Gardens, wildlife, or artwork

Spending the afternoon on the Naples Botanical Garden looks like a worldwide expedition. The 170-acre property consists of 13 themed gardens, together with a Brazilian jungle impressed by Brazilian panorama artist Roberto Burle Marx and an Asian backyard with a conventional Thai pavilion.

If you’re feeling bold, you possibly can tackle Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. You’ll want three to 4 hours to actually discover; when my youngsters had been youthful, they beloved feeding the giraffes.

Another choice (and a break from the warmth) is the Naples Art Institute, a tidy museum with a roster of grownup artwork courses and workshops (preregistration is required). After your go to, Frank Verpoorten, a 13-year resident and the artwork institute’s government director and chief curator, recommends Dolce e Salato for lunch. “I take out-of-town guests here; the restaurant has a simple, strong menu and generous serving sizes,” he says. His menu decide? “The Italian tuna salad sandwich or the homemade lasagna.”

Related: Flamingos Are Returning to Florida. Here’s Where to Spot Them

Evening: Happy hour drinks and a golden hour ritual

New on the scene, Nat Nat is an intimate pure wine bar with a rotating menu from native farms. From right here, it’s a 10-minute drive to the seaside and an opportunity to witness a spectacular Gulf Coast sundown.

For a front-row seat, head to the Sunset Bar at Naples Beach Club, Four Seasons Resort. As the sky turns amber, a workers member blasts a conch shell to mark the day’s finish—a ritual that even managed to captivate my teenagers. The adjoining HB’s, a beloved native establishment revived by the Four Seasons, stays the quintessential spot for a sundown dinner of curry shrimp and Nori butter lobster.

Day 2: Marco Island

Photo by Mia2you/Shutterstock

Morning: Southern cooking and a museum

A 30-minute drive south of Naples over the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge brings you to Marco Island. At six by 4 miles, it stands as the biggest developed outpost in Florida’s sprawling Ten Thousand Islands chain (a lot of that are merely a mass of mangroves).

For breakfast, order the Southern at Doreen’s Cup of Joe, a decadent stack of poached eggs and fried inexperienced tomatoes served over a biscuit and smothered in cheese grits. After breakfast, hit up Marco Island Historical Society, which paperwork the historical past of the Calusa individuals, Florida’s unique inhabitants.

Afternoon: Shelling and seaside adventures

Marco Island has among the finest shelling seashores in Florida, and shelling excursions are provided by way of Florida Adventures and Rentals.
Or discover the waters of Marco Island from the again of a jet ski or the hull of a kayak.

If you’d slightly keep on the mainland, don’t miss Tigertail Beach, the place white sands meet a sheltered cove excellent for swimming, kayaking, or, on exceptionally calm days, snorkeling. For traditional beachside fare, seize a desk at Tigertail Beach Cafe to pattern its coconut shrimp and fish and chips.

Related: Best Gulf Beaches in Florida

Evening: Classic Marco Island beachfront eating

Cap off your island day at Quinn’s at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort (the burgers had been successful with my teenagers on a current go to). The beachfront restaurant first opened in 1971, and 50 years later, it’s nonetheless one of the vital in style locations on the island to look at the solar soften into the horizon.

Day 3: The Ten Thousand Islands

Courtesy of Naples, Marco Island, Everglades CVB

Morning: A Mediterranean breakfast

Marco Island is the house base for exploring the remainder of the Ten Thousand Islands, and the easiest way to see this labyrinth of mangroves is by boat. Before beginning out, eat breakfast at Cafe Marquise, which has a Mediterranean menu of baklava and borek (a flaky pastry full of cheese).

Afternoon: Wildlife cruise and lunch

Now head to Goodland, a tiny fishing village (inhabitants roughly 400) on the sting of Marco Island. From right here, you possibly can ebook a sluggish journey by way of the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, house to greater than 200 species of birds and a nesting floor for loggerhead and inexperienced sea turtles. Treasure Seekers Shell Tours provides a two-hour, naturalist-led mangrove cruise. Keep a lookout for dolphins, manatees, and ospreys alongside the best way.

Touch again down in Goodland and seize lunch at Stan’s Idle Hours. Opened since 1969, the restaurant serves scrumptious conch fritters and sautéed frog legs (a Deep Florida delicacy).

Evening: Back to Marco Island for oysters and brews

After a protracted day within the rugged Florida outback, deal with your self to an oyster dinner at The Oyster Society, a high-style seafood restaurant. Another seafood standout is Fin Bistro, which comes extremely really helpful from Hyla Crane, government director of the Marco Island Center for the Arts and the Arts Center Theatre. Her go-to order is the Florida Keys Dorado (mahi-mahi), served in curry-lime butter sauce and paired with a glass of Dr. Loosen Riesling. “One more reason to love this spot: They’re closed on Sundays because that’s the only day they can’t guarantee the freshest fish delivery,” she says.

Day 4: Everglades National Park

Photo by Fotoluminate LLC/Shutterstock

Morning: Cuban breakfast and an airboat journey

Forty-five minutes east of Marco Island, Everglades City is the biggest settlement within the Everglades however is extra like a sleepy fishing village, with stilt homes tucked among the many mangroves.

Spend your morning at HavAnna Cafe, replenish on Cuban sandwiches and shrimp and grits, and take some pastelitos and empanadas to go. Everglades City serves because the northern gateway to Everglades National Park, a 1.5 million-acre tropical wetland that reaches the outskirts of Miami. TO have a quintessential Florida thrill, get in contact with Everglades City Airboat Tour, which provides an exhilarating sprint by way of the winding swamp.

Afternoon: Small-town attraction in Everglades City

Back on land, savor contemporary stone crab claws at Crabby Lady, a waterside staple within the “Stone Crab Capital of the World.” Stone crab began as a Eighteen Nineties lobster-trap byproduct, however Florida’s stone crab business in Everglades City now harvests greater than 300,000 kilos of the delicacy annually.

After lunch, go to the Smallwood Store on Chokoloskee Island, 4 miles from Everglades City. This 1906 buying and selling publish is a time capsule of the Florida frontier, standing on pilings over the water and stuffed with relics from the times when the Glades had been the “Wild West.”

Evening: Classic Florida seafood

End your journey at Camellia Street Grill, an Everglades City establishment for grouper and stone crab tacos. If you’re extra daring, strive the gator tacos, adopted by a slice of refreshing Key lime pie.

Related: Key Lime Pie Is Fine, however This Is Florida’s Real Signature Dish

Where to remain: Paradise Coast resorts

There’s no scarcity of nice resorts in Florida. Our prime picks for this itinerary can be: