8 Great Day Trips around Marco Island and Naples
Looking for a fun and unique way to spend a day near Marco Island and Naples, Florida? We’ve put together some ideas to enjoy a change of scenery for the day, both in and around Marco Island and Naples. First and foremost, let’s start with our area’s glorious natural surroundings. Get your calendar out and get ready to plan a few awesome day trips!
The Beauty of Nature – a great place to start…
- In this part of Florida, there’s so much to natural beauty to enjoy! Start with the nearly new, Naples Gordon River Greenway and the adjacent, brand new, Baker Park. Take your bikes and enjoy the native plants and mangroves as you ride along the greenway! Prefer a boating day trip? Take your your boat, and bikes, and dock at the brand new Baker Park, located in South Naples. Explore the Naples Greenway, a nature trail made of elevated hardwood boardwalk, through a gorgeous nature preserve. The walkway is bicycle, skateboard, rollerblade, and wheelchair-friendly. Keep a list of all the wildlife you spot as you travel along this gorgeous new addition to the Naples area outdoor recreation scene.
The Gordon River Greenway
Enjoy fine local cuisine…
2. Have lunch at Naples’ Celebration Park! Located in East Naples – off of Bayshore Drive, lies a cool new concept public park. Food trucks and a lovely waterfront location make for an inviting atmosphere for diners. Celebration Park is in Naples, but not too far from Marco Island. It can be found just past the Real Macaw restuarant, (another hidden gem restaurant and local favorite of many here in SWFL) At Celebration Park, diners can enjoy several types of cuisine in this gathering place of upscale food trucks. There’s also a lively sunny outdoor bar, and often, local musicians play live music to add to the fun. With a variety of choices and menus there’s definitely something for everyone’s palate and budget. Most menus offer fresh fish caught and brought in right in at the park‘s docks.
Naples’ Celebration Park
- Take some time to explore neighboring Goodland’s new restaurants and marinas. Why wait for Sundays to go to Goodland? In addition to local favorite restaurants and venues for live music, Goodland offers several beautiful marinas to dock your boat while you explore the town. Plan a day to explore this charming old Florida town, just a few minute’s drive from Marco Island and Naples, Florida. There’s also a family run seafood store with fresh caught fish and very friendly knowledgeable staff on hand. Goodland also has a few new restaurants that have opened up recently. They’ve created quite a buzz for foodies visiting Goodland. The veteran local favorite, The Little Bar, always has some of the best seafood around. The same can be said for Stan’s, next door! Both of those restaurants also have a variety of great live music almost every night. Be sure to check out Paradise Found and Crabby Lady Too, when dining out on your Goodland day trip!
4. Stop in at Horizons Real Estate office and check out our latest collection of beautiful Marco Island and Naples area homes for sale. Already a resident here? With the current booming economy, why not move up in home-size or location and re-invest your current equity? Take time to chat with Paul or any of our knowledgeable agents. They’ll be glad to educate you on the area, its trends, and what to look for in a Marco Island area home. Check out our weekly open houses and featured residential listings at our Facebook page too. Let our agents match your Marco Island lifestyle wishlist and price-point, to our fabulous selection of Marco Island and Naples homes.
5. Marco Island Historical Society: Despite its small size, this little museum is power-packed with phenomenal exhibits! Painstakingly curated with rapt attention to detail and historical accuracy, the museum’s exhibits are super-appealing to every age group. The Marco Island Historical Society is surprisingly lively and truly a fun way to spend your day! Everyone who visits this museum remarks on how informative and delightful this local museum is!
The Key Marco Cat, on loan from The Smithsonian, at the Marco Island Historical Society
6. Check out the new renovations at the JW Marriott Marco Island and Hilton Marco Island …You could literally spend days exploring the grounds, restaurants, and activities that each of these hotels has to offer. Both have been undergone beautiful renovations recently. Each offers a cool elegance that’s not too stuffy, yet offer a welcoming tropical appeal. Both the JW Marriott Marco Island Resort, and the Hilton Marco Island, offer just the right blend of sophistication and beachfront charm. Whether it’s the new arcade at the JW Marriott, their new Polynesian waterfront bar, or a lunch with a beach view at the gorgeous oceanfront restaurant at the Hilton, these hotels offer something memorable for every Marco Island visitor.
Live Music Outdoors is the best!
- There’s just something special about live music isn’t there? Live music is offered several times a year, both in Marco Island’s Mackle Park and Naples’ Cambier Park. Also, the Naples Beach Hotel has live beachfront music throughout the year. Many of these are free concerts and advise visitors to bring beach chairs, coolers and their entire family as most of these concerts feature music that appeals to all ages. They are a terrific way to spend a few hours relaxing and enjoying the music of some very talented local musicians.
Marco Island beach
8. A cooking class in Naples – There are several restaurants in Naples that offer lunchtime cooking classes with their own staff chef as the instructor. This is a fabulous way to get to know that certain type of cuisine that you’ve wanted to learn to cook at home. Usually the classes include lunch, along with the cooking lessons, as well. Sur la Table, a gourmet kitchen store in the Mercato, in North Naples, also offers several types of cooking classes. This makes for a great date night in Naples, too! Their website has a calendar with cooking lessons designed for all ages. The classes are designed for a family meal, a couple, or special holiday meal. Also, Williams-Sonoma, located at Naples’ Waterside Shops, also offers gourmet cooking lessons as well.
And save the best stop for last…
Feel free to add Horizons Real Estate, Marco Island office, to your day-trip list! Stop in and see what’s new in real estate here in our piece of paradise! We’d love to meet you and share our love and thorough knowledge of this area with you! What are some of your favorite ways to spend in and around Marco Island, Florida? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below.
