Florida’s southern Gulf Coast offers endless list of entertainment options
3/22/2006 4:15:50 PM by Sandy Lindsey
As Naples the city gets older, Naples the population is getting younger, turning what was once known as the “retirement capital” for Midwestern millionaires into a happening city with plenty of entertainment options throughout the day and well into the night. More than 75 percent of its residents are now under the age of 65. This new, vibrant group of working people and visitors are causing a renaissance that is best seen in the lively downtown nightlife scene along Fifth Avenue and the Third Street shopping district; while a new art museum and more than 90 art galleries provide more than enough culture or an unconventional souvenir of this unique place caught presently between eras. It was definitely time to explore this “new” Naples, we decided.
Water, Water, Everywhere
Florida’s southern Gulf Coast – Naples, Marco Island and the west Everglades – has an impressive 80 percent of its region protected as park
and nature preserves. This means that the Paradise Coast, as this area is aptly named, features some of the best undiscovered waterways and opportunities for more traditional water activities to be found in a state that is known for high-quality watersports. A selection of boat rentals were available up and down the coast, meaning there was no reason for us not to order up a bowrider and head straight out among the dolphin, manatees and sea turtles
The serene waters off of Kice Island were perfect for anchoring for an onboard brunch before exploring some of the more isolated, untouched islands. Putting our digital camera into its waterproof bag, we headed into, as our draft would allow, the backcountry mangrove estuaries. The unique unspoiled splendor of the tightly woven tropical jungle and exceptional wildlife – fish, gators, and birds of every size and color – enveloped us instantly. It was hard to imagine that Millionaire’s Row and giant condominiums under construction were not that far away. Much of the backwaters are extremely shallow, so the following day it was time to put some muscle into our touring with rental kayaks that truly got us off the beaten path into areas that would have made the perfect setting for any of the Jurassic Park films. We didn’t see another human soul during our entire paddling adventure. Though if we had we would have asked them for muscle rub, as we were more out of shape than we thought.
Fisherman’s Paradise
Naples and surrounding environs has three distinct fishing options:
Deepwater fishing in the Gulf landed us a king mackerel and grouper, though not a snapper to land the local trifecta. Though in our case we went out with a local friend to his secret spot that cannot be named here, there are plenty of charter captains in the area who will guide visitors to the virtually guaranteed catching sites.
The teeming waters of the backcountry boast huge tarpon, snook and redfish. Kayak fishing has seriously taken hold in the near-perfect casting waters of Clam Pass, which amazingly enough is just off Naples’s main highway, or in the Ten Thousand Islands. Though, trust me, it takes practice to balance the kayak while repeatedly tossing out a line. And, definitely don’t forget your bug spray.
We didn’t make it over to Immokalee, but heard that the bass and crappie were seriously biting at 1,500 acre Lake Trafford. Before you head out, get a free copy of Collier County’s Boating and Angling Guide by calling 239-732-2505.
Wildlife Wonders
We couldn’t visit Naples and not drive over to the Everglades with its promise of alligators, deer, Florida panthers, raccoons, exotic snakes and huge turtles. A variety of airboat tours are available to access their off-the-beaten path homes. But actual airboats are not as simple as watching “H” on the opening credits of CSI: Miami.
Be prepared to be blown around a bit. The Everglades National Park and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge takes up a good chunk of Collier County and is home at various times to 80 percent of the region’s marine creatures and more than 100 different birds. Pontoon
boat tours go along the shore for bird watchers, while canoe and kayak tours paddle through the backwaters for fishing and sight-seeing. Needless to say, our sore muscles encouraged us to opt for the powerboat route.
We were even more successful gator spotting on the side of the road near Big Cypress National Preserve and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge along Highway 41/Tamiami Trail. Keep a close eye peeled for snouts just visible in the top of the roadside canal water. It takes a while to start spotting them, but when you do, you’ll be surprised how many you can find. A more civilized wildlife experience can be had at the Naples Zoo.
Beaches, Bikinis, and Golf
Even for someone who grew up on the beaches of New York’s Long Island and now lives on Florida’s east coast, the Naples beaches impress. The miles of white sugar sand provide a variety of opportunities, which we tried to make the most of. In addition to bikini watching, the millionaire’s mansions make for great scenery and a fun beach walking tour (that hopefully helped burn some calories from the exotic cocktails of the night before).
Naples Pier, on 12th Avenue South is a popular hangout pulsing with energy ala the piers of Southern California. If you’re looking for romance with your significant other, take a stroll on the pier at sunset. The opposite atmosphere can be found north of Old Naples in Delnor-Wiggings Pass State Park. The bathhouses, food stands, and umbrella and snorkeling gear rentals give a retro ambience. Spread out a towel, turn off your cell phone and just relax.
While golf is, of course, a year round pursuit in this temperate climate, from May through October the golf courses are significantly less crowded. This holds a two-fold benefit. At most locations getting a choice tee time during these months is definitely not a problem, nor is playing an unhurried round. But perhaps the best plus of the summer months is that many of the private courses are open to the public, allowing access without heavy membership fees.
Stepping into cool, refined air of Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club is like striding into the world of the Rockefellers and Whitneys at the turn of the century. This classic 1920s era Florida resort has lively history that is carried on still with each evening’s pomp. Drinks are available in the lobby, with dinner and dancing, and more drinking, at the Ritz Club to follow. Be aware that men wear ties here. The Grill has a venerable steak-house feel with detailed wood paneling and an active fireplace and a prime selection of cuts. The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort course, Tiburon, is a Greg Norman design and site of the Franklin Templeton Shootout. All the atmosphere made us feel like better golfers, unfortunately we did not play like better golfers.
Next, we tried out the Rookery at Marco, which is highlighted by vast wetlands and is a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program. We played slightly better here, maybe because we felt less pressure as the greens fees were going to preserve the local environment surrounding course.
Where Dining is a Pleasure
During the “season,” reservations at the most popular restaurants can be hard to come by, so we used our local connection to help get us in to Tony’s Off Third. Chef Tony Ridgway is a celebrity among gastronomes and is best known for his classical French and northern Italian gourmand cuisine that have a provincial feel but don’t require a lengthy airplane flight to Europe. If you didn’t plan ahead, his two local grills are much easier to get into and equally delicious.
Chef Alberto Varetto at Sale e Pepe uses local produce and seafood to create masterpieces of Italian dining, again plan early. Other current hotspots, that are easier to get into as they offer both upscale waterfront dining and a casual venue, are Tin City and the Village on Venetian Bay. Go for the fish.
More impromptu lunch and dinner options can be found at the chic restaurants in Naples’ Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South district where alternatives range from al fresco tropical fare to a true-to-life Irish pub serving traditional foodstuffs, with some shopping as well.
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Finding the Wildlife at Night Though Naples still has a way to go to achieve the club scene reputation of its southeastern counterpart Miami’s South Beach, it no longer has the old “early-bird-special let’s not stay up for The Late Show” attitude. Meeting and greeting is best found on Fifth Avenue South on Friday night. We started off at Zoë’s which is a swank, hip restaurant by day and a swank, hip club after 10 p.m. Definitely break out your designer duds for this place. Next we headed over to the Ridgeway Bar and Grill which serves a menu of what they call “creative classics” and feature a wine list with 600 selections. The highlight of the evening was bawdy pianist Jim Badger. On our last evening in town we headed over to McCabe’s Irish Pub for another trip to Europe without the airfare. In this case we sat on imported Irish furniture, while eating traditional Irish food, and listening to an Irish band. Prior to checking out on Sunday we went over to The Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club for some casual beachside entertainment. It is quite the singles spot on Sunday afternoon, so we found. |
