Naples is a wealthy enclave with lush, tropical neighborhoods and lots of natural beauty close and accessible. Here’s a guide to things to do outdoors in Naples and surrounding areas.
Southwest Florida
Cabbage Key: Old Florida island for kayaking, history, atmosphere
Cabbage Key is reachable only by boat. It’s popular as a lunch-cruise destination. But stay overnight in the inn or cabins to discover its true charms. On our visit, we also found it’s a great base for exploring by kayak.
Fakahatchee Strand: Big, wild and great for Everglades hiking and kayaking
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park — the biggest state park in Florida — is a vast, wild place near Everglades City. Year after year, we drove right past, but there are three great reasons to spend time here. We’re glad we did.
Swamp Cabbage Fest marks 55 years Feb. 27-28, 2021
You can get gator tail and swamp cabbage at this festival. But the real reason to go is to revel in a last corner of small town America in Florida — beauty pageants, high school bands, armadillo races and a rodeo.
Kayak Shell Creek for one of the prettiest kayak trails you’ve never heard of
This Punta Gorda creek should be better known. Its tree canopy and unspoiled Old Florida feel offer kayakers natural beauty and wildlife, all in an easy, accessible day paddle.
Along Caloosahatchee River: Kayak trails, rustic scenery & small towns
Between Lake Okeechobee and Fort Myers, a stretch of the Caloosahatchee River offers a taste of Old Florida — small towns, rivers ideal for kayaking and good public campgrounds.
Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim: Cancelled for 2020
The annual Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim on July 4 has been cancelled because of the pandemic. Look for the event — a non-competititve swim across the 1.5-mile wide Peace River — to return in 2021.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples: Top beach and more
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is a great destination: You can enjoy so many activities in one place – kayaking, surf-fishing & a one-mile-long powdery-white sand beach with shaded picnic tables nearby.
Smallwood Store in Chokoloskee: Everglades icon still owned by original family
Smallwood Store is an exceptional slice of Florida history at an end-of-the-road site overlooking Chokoloskee Bay near Everglades City.
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve: Free, wild & five minutes off I-75
Next time you travel Florida’s west coast on I-75, take a five minutes detour in Fort Myers to discover a magnificent slice of old Florida – a 1.2 mile boardwalk through an unspoiled cypress swamp called Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve.
