Where to Stay in Naples, Florida

This is the Naples on the brochures. Brick-paved streets shaded by banyans, white cottages with picket fences, and the Naples Pier at the south end of 12th Avenue South. You can walk from your hotel to dinner on Fifth Avenue South, drinks at Third Street South, and sunset on the sand without ever moving the car. The shopping district runs along Fifth from 3rd Street to 9th Street. Cambier Park hosts free concerts in season. Beach access points are numbered (1st Avenue South, 3rd, 7th) and parking meters run until 8pm. Stay here if walkability matters more than square footage.

Best for

Couplesfirst-time visitorsanyone who wants to ditch the rental car

Walk times

from Fifth Avenue South to the Naples Pier 5 min
from Third Street South to Lowdermilk Park beach 10 min
from most hotels to the nearest Gulf access point 2 min

Skip if: You need a big condo, a kitchen, or a quiet street. Fifth Avenue gets loud on weekend nights.

Local tip: Park at the Sixth Avenue South garage. It is free for the first three hours and saves you the meter dance on Fifth.

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$314per night

Pelican Bay

Gated luxury with private beach trams and Waterside Shops

Luxury $450-$700/night

Pelican Bay sits between Vanderbilt Beach Road and Seagate Drive, behind guard gates. The pull here is private. Three miles of Gulf beach reached only by tram from the community berm, two beachfront restaurants run by the association, and tennis and kayak setups for guests of the Naples Grande and the Ritz-Carlton properties on the edges. Waterside Shops anchors the south end with Saks, Apple, and Truluck's. The streets inside are quiet, lined with sea grape and slash pine. You will need a car for anything south of Pine Ridge Road. Stay here if you want resort polish without driving to the beach.

Best for

Luxury travelersgolfersanyone who wants the beach without sharing it

Walk times

from most resorts to the tram stop 3 min
from the tram drop to the south beach pavilion 12 min
by car to Old Naples 15 min

Skip if: You want to walk to bars and restaurants at night. The community is residential after dark.

Local tip: The north tram is less crowded than the south at sunset. Same beach, half the wait.

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$504per night

Park Shore

Venetian Village shopping with Gulf beach access at a discount

Luxury $220-$350/night

Park Shore runs along Gulf Shore Boulevard between Harbour Drive and Seagate. The neighborhood was platted in the 1960s and still has the low-rise feel, mostly six and eight-story condos rather than the high-rises further north. Venetian Village is the centerpiece, a waterfront cluster of restaurants and boutiques on Venetian Bay with M Waterfront Grille and T-Michaels. Park Shore Beach is private to residents and renters, accessed at the end of Horizon Way. Crayton Cove and the City Dock are a five-minute drive south. You get most of what Old Naples offers, minus the historic streets, for noticeably less money.

Best for

Repeat visitorslonger staystravelers who want a kitchen and a balcony

Walk times

from Venetian Village to Park Shore Beach access 5 min
along the Park Shore promenade end to end 8 min
by car to Fifth Avenue South 10 min

Skip if: You want a hotel concierge experience. Most stock here is condo rental.

Local tip: Eat lunch at USS Nemo on Tamiami Trail just east of the neighborhood. Locals book it for the snapper, tourists never find it.

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$246per night

North Naples (Vanderbilt Beach)

Family condos, shorter drives, easier parking

Luxury $200-$300/night

North Naples is the stretch from Pine Ridge Road up to the Lee County line, with Vanderbilt Beach as the coastal anchor. Gulf Shore Drive runs parallel to the sand and is lined with mid-rise condos and a handful of resorts including the LaPlaya and the Turtle Club. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park sits at the north end and has the cleanest beach in the area, plus boat ramp access to the back bay. Mercato is the dining and shopping hub on Tamiami Trail with a Whole Foods, a Silverspot Cinema, and a dozen restaurants. You are 20 minutes from Old Naples and 10 minutes from Bonita Springs, which puts more of Southwest Florida in reach.

Best for

Familiessnowbirds on monthly staystravelers with rental cars

Walk times

from Vanderbilt Beach Road parking to the sand 4 min
from most condos to the public beach 10 min
by car to Fifth Avenue South 15 min

Skip if: You want walkable nightlife. Mercato closes earlier than Fifth Avenue South.

Local tip: Buy a Collier County beach parking pass for $50 a year if you are staying more than four days. It pays for itself by day three at Vanderbilt and Delnor-Wiggins.

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Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$224per night