Things to Do in Naples, Florida: A Local’s 2026 Guide
Start here: the Naples Pier is closed. It was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in September 2022, the city broke ground on a $26.3 million replacement in January 2026, and the rebuild is expected to take around 18 months — putting reopening somewhere in 2027.
Almost every “things to do in Naples” article still lists the pier as a must-see. If you have planned a trip around walking out over the Gulf at sunset, you will want to adjust. The beach beneath it is open, the sunset is unchanged, and there are better places to watch it right now.
Here is what is actually worth your time in Naples this year.
The beaches, ranked by what you actually want
Naples has roughly seven miles of Gulf shoreline and the beaches are genuinely different from one another. Pick by what you are after, not by which is closest. If you are here scouting rather than holidaying, the same coast is covered by our beachfront homes and beachfront condominiums listings.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park — the best beach, and it is not close. Dr. Beach ranked it the #4 beach in the United States in 2025, up from #8 the year before. A 199-acre barrier island with a mile of fine white sand, water clear enough to snorkel, and a state park standard of upkeep. Five lots, roughly 200 spaces, and they fill by mid-morning on winter weekends.
11135 Gulf Shore Drive, Naples FL 34108 · $6 per vehicle · restrooms, showers, picnic shelters, grills, boat ramp
Lowdermilk Park — the family beach. Playground, sand volleyball, picnic tables with grills, concessions, restrooms and outdoor showers. ADA beach access with wheelchairs available, which makes it the most accessible beach in the area. Central, close to Old Naples and Coquina Sands.
1301 Gulf Shore Blvd N, Naples FL 34102 · metered parking
Clam Pass Park — the one with the boardwalk. A three-quarter-mile boardwalk through mangrove forest before you reach sand, which is half the appeal and also why it feels remote despite sitting inside the city. 35 acres, 171 spaces, kayak and paddleboard rental at the beach end. Backs onto Pelican Bay and Seagate.
465 Seagate Drive, Naples FL 34103 · $10 parking · open 8am to sundown
Vanderbilt Beach — the easy one. Wide, calm, and the simplest to reach, with a 340-space garage just west of the Ritz-Carlton and Mercato across the road for food afterwards. Water-sports rentals on site. Most of the towers behind the sand are waterfront condominiums. In Vanderbilt Beach proper.
End of Vanderbilt Beach Road · $10 parking · open 8am to sundown
Barefoot Beach Preserve — the wild one. Undeveloped, quiet, gopher tortoises in the dunes. If the others feel too managed, this is the antidote. Technically Bonita Springs, twenty-odd minutes north. See Barefoot Beach.
Tigertail Beach — the sandbar. On Marco Island, about 40 minutes south. Wade the lagoon to reach a sandbar with some of the best shelling and birding on the coast. Bring water shoes.
Beach parking, explained properly
This is the single most common frustration, and the rules differ by who owns the beach.
| Beach type | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State park (Delnor-Wiggins) | $6 per vehicle | Flat rate, pay by QR code at the gate |
| Collier County (Clam Pass, Vanderbilt, Barefoot) | $10 per day | Free with a county beach parking permit |
| City of Naples (Lowdermilk, avenue-end accesses) | Metered, roughly $4/hour | Several accesses are permit-holder only |
Two things worth knowing. Many of the avenue-end beach accesses in Old Naples are resident-permit only — the signs are easy to miss and enforcement is real. And in season, January through April, the county lots fill by 10am on weekends. Arrive early or come after 3pm.
Beyond the beach
Naples Botanical Garden. 170 acres on Naples Bay, with themed gardens for Brazil, the Caribbean and Asia, a 90-acre preserve, and a children’s garden. Plan two hours minimum. There is a café and, occasionally, alligators.
4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples FL 34112 · open 9am to 5pm
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. Built into a historic botanical garden dating to the 1920s, which makes it far more pleasant to walk than most zoos. Primate boat tour included.
Artis—Naples. The cultural anchor: The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic on one campus. Check the calendar before you go — the season runs heaviest from November to April.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. A 2.25-mile boardwalk through old-growth bald cypress, about 45 minutes inland. The largest remaining stand of its kind in North America.
Naples Depot Museum and the von Liebig Art Center, both small, both free or near-free, both a good hour if the weather turns.
Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South
The two shopping and dining streets in Old Naples, and they are not interchangeable.
Fifth Avenue South is the longer, busier one — restaurants with pavement tables, galleries, and most of the evening activity. Third Street South is smaller, older and quieter, with a Saturday farmers market and a courtyard feel.
For a third option, Venetian Village on Venetian Bay in Park Shore puts waterfront dining and boutiques on a single stretch, and Mercato in North Naples handles the newer, louder end of the spectrum.
With children
Sun-N-Fun Lagoon is the water park — slides, a lazy river, zero-depth entry for toddlers. Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples covers a rainy afternoon. Lowdermilk Park for the playground-plus-beach combination. And the Naples Zoo boat tour tends to land well with under-tens.
Where to watch the sunset now the pier is closed
The pier was the default answer for decades. These are better anyway.
Seagate Beach, at the end of Gulf Shore Drive, is where locals go — small lot, minimal fuss. Delnor-Wiggins gives you the sunset in an undeveloped setting with no buildings in frame. Vanderbilt Beach is easiest if you want dinner immediately afterwards. And Naples Beach at the avenue ends in Old Naples still gives you the classic view, minus the silhouette.
Sunset in Naples runs from around 5:35pm in December to roughly 8:20pm in late June. Aim to be in place 30 minutes before.
What’s open when
January to April is high season: everything runs, everything is busy, restaurants need reservations, and beach lots fill by mid-morning.
May to September is hot and humid with near-daily afternoon storms — which pass quickly and leave the evenings pleasant. Fewer crowds, lower prices, best shelling after a blow.
October to December is the local favourite: warm water, thin crowds, and the arts season starting up. Hurricane season officially runs June through November.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Naples Pier open?
No. It was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Construction on a $26.3 million replacement began in January 2026 and is expected to take about 18 months, so reopening is anticipated in 2027. The beach at the pier’s base remains open.
What is Naples, Florida best known for?
Its beaches, its golf, and its downtown. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is regularly ranked among the best beaches in the United States, and Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South give the city a walkable centre that most Florida beach towns lack.
How many days do you need in Naples?
Two to three days covers the beaches, downtown and one attraction. Five or more lets you add Marco Island, the Everglades and Corkscrew Swamp without rushing.
What is there to do in Naples when it rains?
Artis—Naples and The Baker Museum, the Golisano Children’s Museum, the Naples Depot Museum, the von Liebig Art Center, and the shops at Waterside or Mercato.
Are Naples beaches free?
The beaches are free; the parking generally is not. Expect $6 at the state park, $10 at county beaches, and metered rates at City of Naples accesses. Several city accesses are reserved for residents with permits.
What is the best beach in Naples?
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park on most measures — ranked #4 in the United States by Dr. Beach in 2025. Lowdermilk is the better choice for families, Clam Pass for the boardwalk, Barefoot Beach for quiet.
Is Marco Island worth the drive?
Yes, for Tigertail Beach and its sandbar. It is about 40 minutes from downtown Naples.
Thinking about more than a visit
Most people who move to Naples came first as visitors. If a particular stretch of coast is pulling at you, our Naples neighborhood guides go deeper — architecture, beach access, club membership, HOA structure and what is currently for sale. You can also search every listing in Naples directly, or talk to a Naples buyer’s agent.
Not sure which part of town you were in? Our Naples zip code guide maps every zip to the neighborhoods inside it.