For a summer filled with golden sunsets, soft sandy beaches and unforgettable family moments, Florida’s Paradise Coast offers the perfect summer setting. Stretching across Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades, this sun-drenched corner of Southwest Florida combines natural beauty with easy-going luxury – ideal for families looking to unwind, explore and reconnect this summer. The summer months offer warm temperatures, great-value hotel stays, peaceful beaches and attractions, and plenty of room to roam without the crowds.
Discover pristine beaches, immersive nature experiences and exciting water-based adventures waiting in Florida’s Paradise Coast.
Beautiful Beaches
Enjoy a day of watersports and relaxation at Vanderbilt Beach
Spanning three miles of coastline in Naples, Vanderbilt Beach is the ideal all-rounder beach for relaxation, easy access to amenities and activities to keep everyone entertained. Families can enjoy watersports from jet-skis to paddleboarding, and for the more adventurous types, parasailing is also available. With cabananas offering easy access to food, drinks and rental equipment, Vanderbilt Beach is perfect for every type of traveller.
Stroll along soft white sands at Marco Island South Beach
Situated on a scenic stretch of coastline in Marco Island, Marco Island South Beach is a prime spot for families. With soft white sands, visitors can enjoy a swim in calm Gulf waters, seashell collecting and spotting dolphins just offshore. There are a variety of activities offered including parasailing, wave runners and kayaking, with easy access to amenities located a short walk away on Swallow Avenue.
Spot local nature at Tigertail Beach
A truly unique spot due to its sand bar shape and access route, Tigertail Beach boasts pristine white sands and clear waters. With its shallow, easy waters the beach offers perfect conditions for shelling and activities including kayaking and paddleboarding. Tigertail Beach is also a popular bird-watching spot, listed in the Great Florida Birding Trail Guide as one of the best all-around birding locations in Southwest Florida.
Immersive Nature Experiences
Join dolphin researchers for the Dolphin Study Eco-Tour
A fun and educational dolphin-spotting adventure, The Dolphin Explorer is great for families and nature enthusiasts and is the only ongoing dolphin project in the US which engages with, and is supported by, the public. The tours run around the Ten Thousand Islands to study the movement and behavioural patterns of Bottlenose Dolphins. Passengers will assist the dolphin researchers by using ‘photo-identification’ as each dolphin is recognised by their ‘fingerprint’ dorsal fins. Tickets cost £58 for adults, £44 for children aged 3-12 and £21 for ages 2 and under.
Get hands-on at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center
Spanning 110,000 acres and protecting much of Collier County’s coastline, Rookery Bay Research Reserve offers immersive nature experiences. This summer, children aged 11-16 can join the Marine Science Summer Camp, running Friday mornings in June and July (9am-12:30pm) at £57 per session. Led by marine biologists, sessions include hands-on lab work, beach exploration and field research. With themed experiences across Marco Island and Naples, each session offers a unique way to discover coastal science. Register for camp at Rookery Bay.
Explore the region’s wetlands at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Just outside Naples, the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a 13,000-acre preserve dedicated to conserving the region’s wetlands, home to alligators, otters and red-bellied turtles. Explore the sanctuary’s history and ecology at Spurlino Foundation Discovery Center and walk the 2.25-mile boardwalk through pine flatwood and marshland, discovering the largest old-growth bald cypress forest in North America. General admission is £13 for adults and £5 for youth aged 6-14, with children under 5 free.
Thrilling Water Adventures
Experience the Everglades by airboat
Travellers who want a little thrill, opt for an airboat tour through the Everglades National Park. Going at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour on open water, gliding over grasslands and weaving through mangrove islets, the airboat ride is filled with exciting moments, not forgetting the occasional alligator sighting. With a guide to talk through the unique flora and fauna of the area, you will also gain a better appreciation for the environment around you.
Jump on a jet ski in Marco Island
For those who enjoy fast-paced action, jet-ski tours offer a thrilling way to explore the beautiful landscape of Marco Island. Tour guides will take you through the beautiful Ten Thousand Islands and if you are lucky enough, spot some dolphins along the way, while you also learn about the rich history of Cape Romano Dome Houses situated in the middle of the ocean.
Kayak through scenic waterways of the Big Cypress National Preserve
One of the best ways to explore Big Cypress National Preserve is by kayak through scenic waterways, with paddling routes converging at the border with Everglades National Park. The most popular tour is the Mangrove Tunnel Kayak & Canoe Tour with Everglades Area Tours, lasting around three hours along the upper Turner River. Tours can also be booked privately and tailored to specific needs and interests, whether it’s sunrise photography or birding.
Inspiring Arts & Culture
Immerse in fine art at The Baker Museum
Located in Naples, The Baker Museum is one of the foremost fine art museums in the states. Upcoming exhibitions include “Linling Lu’s Fugue in 3 Voices” transforming music by composers Beethoven, Dvořák, and Stravinsky into vibrant, concentric paintings, blending visual art and sound into a multi-sensory experience. Recently accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, it ranks among the top 3% of museums in the US.Admission is £8 for adults while children under 17 enter free.
Discover one of the world’s best auto museums at Revs Institute
Kids and car lovers shouldn’t miss a visit to Revs Institute in Naples, named as one of the best auto museums in the world. The Revs Institute houses more than 100 cars built between 1896 and 1995, one of the largest specialised automotive libraries in the world. Admission is free for children aged 8 and under and £15 for adults.
Learn about the region’s history at Marco Island Historical Museum
For a fascinating look into Marco Island’s past, explore Marco Island Historical Museum to learn about ancient Calusa Native American civilisation to early pioneer life. Visitors can explore engaging exhibits, including the famous Key Marco Cat artefact, interactive displays and family-friendly galleries that bring local history to life.
For more information on Florida’s Paradise Coast, visit www.paradisecoast.com. Image gallery linked here.
About Florida’s Paradise Coast
The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB)is the official source for travel and tourism information about Florida’s Paradise Coast. Located in Southwest Florida, this premier vacation and meeting destination offers a variety of exceptional year-round options – the sophistication of Naples, the charm of Marco Island and the authentic, rural beauty of Everglades City. Boasting a 30-mile coastline along the Gulf of Mexico ribboned with soft, white-sand beaches, visitors enjoy a refined yet relaxed atmosphere and a variety of accommodations from luxurious beachfront resorts and upscale boutique hotels to welcoming family-friendly lodging. The destination is renowned for its thriving arts and culture scene, exceptional restaurants, designer boutiques and eclectic shopping experiences.
A mecca for sports enthusiasts, it is home to over 90 public and private golf courses, the United Soccer League’s FC Naples team, and is the host destination to three major PGA and LPGA championship tournaments, as well as the Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. Water activities abound, ranging from world-class fishing and sailing charters to kayaking, paddleboarding and airboat rides. The destination is also home to the world-famous Everglades – the only sub-tropical mangrove wilderness in the U.S. that features endangered and rare wildlife including the elusive Florida panther, and over 350 species of birds.
Florida’s Paradise Coast is truly where the high life meets the wildlife. Accolades include being named the No. 1 “Best Place to Live in the U.S.,” No. 1 “Healthiest and Happiest City in America” and “One of the Best Small Cities in the U.S.” Located just two hours from Miami, two and a half hours from Tampa Airport and three and a half hours from Orlando, Florida’s Paradise Coast is easily accessible by Interstate highway. International visitors can also connect via most US gateways into Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Fort Myers, just 45 minutes’ drive away. For more information about Florida’s Paradise Coast, visit ParadiseCoast.com, and follow us on X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
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