This will be my second Naples, Florida travel guide on the blog, as I visited here a few years ago and you can find that post here. It was Matt’s first time and a trip we planned super last minute for the long weekend to escape the cold. I have chatted a bunch before that due to Matt’s work schedule, we tend to plan things last minute, but have also noticed we tend to get pretty good deals and figured out a great way to utilize our credit card points, which I will talk more about below when sharing where we stayed.
WHERE WE STAYED:
Like I mentioned above, we booked pretty last minute on a holiday weekend so hotels were a bit more pricey than the norm. With that being said, Matt and I decided to use our credit card points for the hotels we stayed at. The catch is, you typically are restricted to certain dates and the maximum amount of days you can use points (usually up to two, sometimes three, with Mariott Rewards). So you need to be flexible to get the most bang for your buck. This often means that you have to be okay with staying at one place and then switching to another if you are trying to use points the entire time (this is what we did).
Our first hotel we stayed at, Naples Bay Resort, for just one night until we could get into the Ritz Carlton for our second two nights. The Naples Bay Resort was great, but located more towards town and not on the beach, but within the marina. If choosing between the two, I would go with the Ritz Carlton hands down. The pool was nice, but we loved having beach access and only utilized the beach during our stay. I would say it is an extra 10 minutes from town, but not a bad drive at all (except when there is a lot of traffic).
RESTAURANTS WE ATE AT AND RECOMMEND:
The Continental – Hands down my favorite spot for the overall atmosphere (especially with the open air dining)! We made a reservation, but when we got there and were talking with some locals, we found out that the “good tables” right up along the dance floor where the band was going on was actually first come, first serve so we quickly snagged one of those and ditched our actual reservation (we likely would have been sat far away from the music, maybe inside). The tables in this area are small, but we made it work for the two of us and they offered the same exact menu! This place gets PACKED and the dance floor was filled. The perfect spot to enjoy a delicious meal, great entertainment (and people watching) and hop on the dance floor if you are feeling it.
HobNob Kitchen + Bar – Located on 5th ave, this spot is known for their shared plates and live music! We literally hunted down all the live music we could find while in Naples. Not only do we just enjoy the live music scene, but being in my third trimester it was a great way to stay awake past 8pm haha. The only downside to this restaurant is that they do not have any outdoor dining. Make sure you end your meal with the warm doughnuts and sauces!
Jane’s Cafe on 3rd – Such a cute cafe with outdoor seating, perfect for breakfast, brunch or lunch! I loved that it was a little tucked away in the middle of all the shops, so even if there is a wait (there wasn’t when we ate) you can put your name in and walk around.
Gumbo Limbo – The Ritz’s beachfront bar and restaurant…and the perfect lunch spot we went to each day right on the beach (their salads were so good)! You can’t beat the location and this place starts to get packed during sunset and for happy hour. An overall great vibe.
The Bevy – We popped in here for a pre-dinner drink and snack. Loved the open air concept, live music and yummy bites they had to offer.
The Bowl – A MUST if you are an acai lover like myself! I craved one of these each morning for breakfast and this little spot does them just right.
Bad Ass Coffee – A great coffee spot located right on 3rd street. Matt tried their frozen coffee and it was SO GOOD. On the sweeter side, but I kept stealing sips of his wishing I got one.
WHAT TO DO:
- Walk around and shop 3rd street . Over the weekend there was an AMAZING farmer’s market going on…I literally wanted to buy everything and attempt to bring it all back to the city with me. Really an unbelievable selection – go here hungry!
- Walk and shop on 5th ave
- Enjoy the live music at all the restaurants
- Check out the Pier for sunset (it gets packed though so allow enough time to find parking)
- Enjoy the beach and pool!
A FEW VACATION DRESS FAVORITES: