Naples Escapes
The Orlando Sentinel has just published an article on fantastic Naples escapes. The article not only makes reference to the remarkable resorts, restaurants and beach sunsets, but also offers insight on certain places to visit, even if you have only 48 hours to spend here. To read the article in its entirety – Click Here. While the Orlando Sentinel story did a wonderful job of referencing popular places to visit, permit me to mention a few of my favorite Naples escapes. By the way, if you’re a nature lover and enjoy the outdoors, I’m confident you’ll find these especially enjoyable.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
While residents of the Naples Wiggins Bay area are already very familiar with this location (mere minutes from our home), for those of you who are unaware, this has one of the most pristine stretches of beach IN THE WORLD! In addition to the scenic shoreline, there are areas of the park which will particularly appeal to anglers hoping to hook that trophy catch. There’s also nature trails, picnic spots, places to paddle board or kayak, and throughout any excursion, you’ll encounter an amazing array of avian species which flock to the area. There are also guided tours and special programs which take place here throughout the year.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Located along the Eastern recesses of Immokalee Road, this sanctuary is home to the most extensive old growth Bald Cypress forest within all of North America. A boardwalk which extends for more than two miles will deliver you through a diverse series of ecosystems which includes pine flatwoods, wet prairie, marshes as well as the forest itself.
It’s an amazing trek where you might encounter a variety of indigenous critters, alligator to be anticipated. It’s also home to variety of wild orchids, which include the famed Ghost Orchid. And even on a sunny day, the dense canopy of trees provides ample shade. In fact, there may be something of an appropriate analogy … in how, amidst all that dense bramble of branches and limbs, that even the smallest flickers of light which penetrate through the shadows, are capable of spurring life anew on the ground below. There’s a message in there I think, how life can be so enriched by even a little bit of light. At any rate, the ability to step immediately from the modernity of Naples and into this remarkable wildness is something truly special. By the way, leave the orchids alone. Some are so delicate, the slightest touch could decimate.
Rookery Bay
Located off the East Trail in South Naples, Rookery Bay represents one of the few remaining and undisturbed of mangrove estuaries in North America. You’ll encounter some 11,000 acres of mangrove forests, uplands and spaces where river and stream waterways merge with the Gulf. This is a remarkable habitat to more than 150 species of birds and other endangered critter. You’ll enjoy nature trails, a wonderful learning center and some of the best kayaking you can find in Naples.
Then again, the very best of Naples escapes may be that comfortable chair or that inviting bed you find within the confines of your own home. At this stage of life, after a day at the beach, or after shopping with my wife or playing tennis with friends, no space provides greater solace than that of my bedroom! Below, you’ll find other options in similar Naples escapes currently for sale. For more information on any, simply send me a note by submitting the form below.