Naples, Florida got its name from the time it was founded in the late 1880′s when newspapers and magazines talked about the tropical weather and beautiful water comparing it is Naples, Italy. It is a very affluent community and in 2009 was ranked in the top 10 for pricey cities worth its steep price. The main form of the economy here comes from tourism and a little less than half of the population of Naples are older than 65 as retirees that moved there to live in paradise so if you are a more mature adult, the Naples dating or the southwest Florida dating scene there is plentiful. The southwest area of Florida is such a gorgeous spot to visit, this article will describe a few of the great activities to do there in addition to other interesting facts about the area.
One of the greatest things about Naples is the waterfront location on the Gulf of Mexico and the pristine white sand beaches. The different beaches and beach parks go for a 10 mile stretch and in 2005 the Travel Channel named Naples as having the best beach in America. There are many spectacular resorts located in Naples that are on the beach but plan to spend a lot of money as they are expensive. The resorts are luxurious and top of the line giving Naples that affluent vibe throughout the city.
Naples has also been known as the golf capital of the world because they have so many golf courses within the area. There are actually more than eighty championship golf courses there so there is a course out there for all types of golfers to play. This is another reason retired golf lovers move to Naples, they will never be bored of playing the same course repeatedly. Another fun thing to do in the area of sports is to go watch the Boston Red Sox or the Minnesota Twins play ball at their spring training stadiums close by. A lot of people go there for Spring Break just for that reason, to watch their favorite team in spring training.
For serious shoppers and art lovers, Naples is a perfect spot also. Gallery Row which is situated downtown has several art galleries to look into and the shopping areas in 5th Avenue and 3rd Street provide a great variety of antique shops. The famous shopping area, is called the Village on Venetian Bay which has several upscale stores for those who enjoy shopping. Most of the shopping areas are open air to enjoy the gorgeous year round weather in Naples. Spread out around these areas are several terrific restaurants to dine at as well.
For nature lovers or families with kids there are many things to do like see the Naples Zoo or the Botanical Garden. There are several wildlife preserves and national parks showing off the wetlands also which is educational and fun for all ages. One specific place, the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has a long boardwalk to walk on top on.