Naples, Florida
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Naples Travel Guide

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Travel guides are always my more exhaustive posts and take such a long time do, from curating the content in real time, to editing the photos and trying to narrow down, and finally putting together – but they are always my favorite because I get to relive moments and places from the trips I’ve been on. And that’s always a treat, especially when it’s a freezing cold snowy day in Connecticut as I write this post!

Kendall and I spent 4 days in Naples, Florida and it was such a dream. To say we loved it is an understatement! Naples is absolutely gorgeous, with every corner covered in a stunning bougainvillea or a sprawling, impeccably designed home. The beach was beautiful and restaurant life vast, making it the perfect spot to getaway or vacation with your family. Naples was actually just named the healthiest and happiest city in the US for the second straight year in a row. I guess it’s time to move…

I’m covering as much as possible in today’s travel guide – and including some spots we didn’t get to hit that we would if we had more time! Let me know if you have any specific questions – shoot me an email or leave a comment below!

WHERE TO STAY

Kendall and I stayed at the Edgewater Beach Hotel, located on the gorgeous stretch of Gulfshore Boulevard in Naples. Gulfshore Boulevard is home to many hotels and resorts as well as absolutely stunning luxury homes and condos. The drive up to the hotel instantly transports you into seemingly a different country – yes please! Edgewater features over 100 suites, that at the very least feature sitting areas + full kitchens.. perfect after a long day on the beach. There isn’t a bad view in the entire resort!

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We were greeted with the above refreshments, and ordered room service a few times. The breakfast was SO yummy – I could totally go for another one of those omelettes! We also at poolside one afternoon, and enjoyed dinner at the resort restaurant, Coast (more on that below.) The hotel lobby has an afternoon cookie station – if you want to know how they were, ask Kendall.. cause she took total advantage, that little sweet tooth! 😉 #glutenprobs

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WHAT TO DO

Botanical Gardens – Our first day, we stopped in at the Botanical Gardens. It was a relaxing activity to do before checking into our hotel & features tons of gorgeous tropical plants, trees, and flowers. There was an orchid show going on while we were there so those were on special display!

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Third Street South – I think this was our favorite spot to walk while in Naples (came here twice!) and was highly recommended to us by so many of you! Stunning open front restaurants, cafes, and shopping located on one of the most popular streets in Naples. We enjoyed a few of the spots on this road and had a field day snapping gorgeous scenic photos of all the flowers + colorful buildings. Most notably, Marissa Collections, which I was so excited to see in real life for obvious reasons!

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5th Avenue South – another favorite spot of ours. We got dinner here twice (see below) and loved walking up and down the sidewalks. It’s so dreamy at night with the twinkle lights wrapped around the trees (seems to be a huge thing in Naples!). There’s more great shopping here and our favorite meals were definitely had on this little strip.

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The Naples Pier – This is the ‘it spot’ to watch the sunset! We headed here one night and the pier was jam packed with seemingly everyone in Naples straining to see the sunset and get good photos. If you want a prime spot to snap a shot, get there nice + early. If you stay at the Edgewater, you can make the walk down Gulfshore Boulevard to the pier too!

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Beach Day – This sounds like a no brainer, but make sure you take at least one day and just enjoy the beach, especially if you’re staying at the Edgewater. They have a gorgeous pool with outside cabana and bar, but the beachside amenities. You can rent beach beds with umbrellas, chairs, toys for kids, and more! We spent a day on the beach beds soaking in the sun (maybe a little too much, ha!) and enjoyed a picnic lunch.

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Marco Island – MI is about a 40 minute drive from the Edgewater Beach Hotel. If we had had one more day we absolutely would have went here for a little day trip. On our list for next time, but definitely a must do!

Paddleboarding – The resort was nice enough to schedule a paddleboarding session for us, but we ended up getting so burnt (northern girl problems) the first day so we had to skip the sun our second day and miss this!

WHERE TO EAT

If we’re being honest here, half the reason I love to travel is trying new places to eat and finding the best meals in whatever new area I’m exploring. Kendall is as much of a foodie and rosé lover as I am, so we always order things to try and split it all – more is more! We had some amazing meals in Naples and I highly recommend any of these spots!

BREAKFAST + COFFEE

BadA** Coffee Company – quite the interesting name for a coffee shop, but it had amazing brews + flavors combos! We stopped here on more after exploring around 3rd Street South. Try out the macaroon latte – you won’t be disappointed! 😉

Jane’s Cafe on 3rd – Jane’s was our first real meal of the trip and it did not disappoint. Quaint, colorful, and totally instagrammable, it’s a must visit. We actually ran into Naples based blogger Kylen Every Wear here & she assured us it was the perfect pick for breakfast. We both got the avocado toast and it was SO delicious!

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The Bowl – We stopped here on our last morning en route to the airport and both had huge Açaí bowls that were so good. Açaí isn’t big in Connecticut yet so I always love taking advantage of cities that have good Açaí cafes. The decor in here was SO fun too.. another perfect spot to get a good insta. 😉

LUNCH + DINNER

We usually grabbed a lite lunch at the hotel via room service or pool side restaurant and opted to eat out at the many restaurants Naples has to offer. The Edgewater is a full service gluten free resort, so it made it super easy for me to order while there!

Hob Nob – I think this was our favorite meal of the trip by far. We weren’t sure where to go to dinner one night and ended up choosing Hob Nobmore on the fly, but it was absolutely the best choice. We started out with the sweet stuffed peppers and some deviled eggs (not your typical deviled eggs) and ended things with the Ahi Tuna. It was AMAZING! The decor was a rustic-chic vibe, so right up our alley too.

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Coast – Coast is the Edgewater’s signature restaurant, and we ate here our last night with a stunning view of the sunset lit sky. We started with Burrata (always a favorite) and I got the Shrimp Pasta dish. Totally out of what I normally order, but for some reason I was craving a comfort meal and they had a gluten free option. It totally nailed it for me!

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Lurcat – we stopped at Lurcat for a glass of rosé and some tapas plates since there was a long wait at the French (below) one night. We split the fish tacos and they were SO good. We both said we could have just ordered a few more of those and been totally content!

The French – Naples newest hot spot. The outside patio and overall ambiance was what initially drew us in, plus the fact that there was an over 2 hour wait – we knew it would be a hit! We split the muscles, I got the duck, and Kendall got the chicken dish. Delicious food and you really feel like you’re transported to a Parisian chic dinner setting.

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This pretty much sums up Naples – as always let me know if you have any questions!
I’ll be linking all of the outfits I wore tomorrow, so check back for details on that.

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7 Comments

  1. Natali said:
    3.13.17

    Oh my!! This post is wonderful, makes me want to travel to Florida immediately!
    Beautiful photos!

    https://lartoffashion.com/stitched-up/

    Reply
  2. Amanda said:
    3.13.17

    What a great post! Brings me back to when my hubby and I visited a couple years ago. Naples is certainly a lovely place!

    xoxo,
    Amanda
    https://www.thechambraybunny.com

    Reply
  3. 3.14.17

    I know exactly what you mean. I was in Mexico for two weeks here lately. But because it’s so time consuming (but mostly bc of moving), I’ve kinda put it on the back burner. I just need to set aside some time and get it together!

    These were reallyb great photos. Travel photos are really my favorite posts as well. Glad you had a great time!

    http://www.keepingupwithcandy.com

    Reply
  4. Maureen Marr said:
    1.31.18

    This is my first trip to Naples. I couldn’t decide if I should stay here or The Ritz. Your post was great and helped make my decision. I can’t wait to experience Edgewater. I will definitely try some of your restaurant recommendations as well.

    Reply
    • 2.1.18

      You’re going to LOVE it! I’m so glad this was helpful – enjoy your trip.. i loved it there!!

      Reply

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