With its lush vegetation, palm trees and up-scale setting, Naples is the jewel of the Florida Gulf Coast.  Check into the luxurious Ritz Carlton – surprisingly affordable June through September – and then head out to the beach, just steps from the hotel.  The white sand beaches are wide, clean, un-crowded and full of colorful shells.  In fact, the Travel Channel chose Naples as their 2005 “Best all-around beach in America”.

The historic district of Olde Naples is the place to shop.  Stroll down Third Street and Fifth Street South to discover distinctive boutiques, art galleries and cafés.  For a break, sit out on the patio at Tommy Bahama’s Café on Third Street for some Caribbean fare. Tommy Bahama’s tropical setting makes it a great place to relax and people watch.  Or stop into Tony’s Off Third for a light lunch or dessert.  For a hotel in the heart of the shopping district, stay at The Inn on Fifth or the Hotel Escalante, a lush Mediterranean style hotel.

After shopping, take a walking tour of the side streets in Olde Naples.  You’ll see impressive estates as well as quaint coastal cottages. 

To experience more of the area, take the Naples Trolley Tour.  The vintage trolley stops at all the major points of interest including the Philharmonic Center for the Arts, the larger resorts and hotels, as well as shopping venues like the Waterside Shops and the Village on Venetian Bay.  With your tour, you can get off and re-board at stops as many times as you want.

Watching the sunset is an event in Naples.  Sip cocktails at the Naples Beach Hotel’s Sunset Beach Bar and watch the sun set over the Gulf.  For another popular vantage point, stroll to the end of the Naples Pier, a local landmark since 1885, and catch the last rays of the day.