Naples, Florida, has always been a dream vacation destination for me, ever since I was a reporter at a local TV station in Fort Myers from 2011 to 2013. There is so much to experience, from the pristine white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico to upscale shopping, performing arts centers, and outdoor dining.
I have traveled to Southwest Florida for three vacations now because it’s an easy, family-friendly destination, less than three hours by plane from New Jersey. The airport is small, making car rentals quick, and the drive from 30 – 40 minutes to many parts of the area. Along the way, there’s Target, Whole Foods, or Publix to grab groceries for your week in the hotel.
For our latest spring break trip, we headed to the La Playa Beach and Golf Resort in Naples.
The hotel sits directly on the beach off Vanderbilt Beach Road, past the famed Ritz-Carlton, Naples. It’s perfectly centered around some of the most luxurious areas of the city, from the Waterside Shops, Arts-Naples, and the Mercato outdoor shopping center.
There are 189 luxurious guest rooms and four beachside pools. The property recently underwent a major 18-month renovation following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
We stayed in the Beachfront Lanai Double room. The doors opened out to a patio overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. There were lounge chairs and a fire pit. It was the perfect location as we needed to keep going in and out of the room for snacks and toys.
For kids, the hotel had a complimentary cotton candy machine for a mid-day treat. There was also a traveling stone pizza oven at the pool deck so families could enjoy swimming and an early evening snack or dinner. The pools allowed blow-up floats and offered a kids’ menu that included a gourmet PB+J. We ordered a large fruit salad and quesadillas for lunch.
Adults were treated to free pours of Moët & Chandon at the pool, with plastic souvenir cups and sunglasses to take home.
BALEEN is the restaurant on property that overlooks the water. There are seats inside and outside. Plus, additional dining further down towards the beach.
We had a dinner reservation outside at 6:30 pm to give us enough time to order and watch the West Coast’s magnificent sunsets. We shared the tropical ceviche, blackened gulf grouper and the seared ahi tuna. At the next table, someone ordered the lobster bucatini, which looked incredible. There was a whole lobster tail on her plate. On the kids’ menu was a cheeseburger, salad, mac & cheese, grilled cheese, salmon, chicken breast, fruit bowl and even a filet mignon. We ordered plain noodles to add our own parm on top.
My son was asked to ring the Captain’s Bell in special honors once the sun set, signaling the end of another beautiful day and the start of a memorable evening. I cried because it was such a unique moment where everyone gathered, clapped and cheered at the tradition. Had he not fallen asleep at dinner, we would have lit the fire pit and roasted s’mores all together as a memorable way to end the evening.
Early mornings are always so peaceful on the West Coast as the sun rises. We took a leisurely walk along the beach to pick up shells before the pools opened for swimming. Baleen’s also offers breakfast, but we didn’t get a chance to eat there. It was Easter Sunday and the restaurant was offering an elegant seafood brunch buffet for the holiday.
Family Friendly Activities in Naples, Florida
It’s known to rain in Florida, so it’s good to have backup options if it’s not great weather for the beach or pool. Below are some other fun activities for the family, including fabulous shopping centers and dining destinations that are up and down Route 41.
Naples Zoo
If you’ve ever been to Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, it will feel right at home at the quaint Naples Zoo. Spend half a day walking around the mile-long path visiting star attractions such as giraffes, alligators, panthers, toucans, cheetahs, orangutans, and zebras. There’s a free Primate Expedition Cruise with a charismatic tour guide that highlights monkeys living at the zoo, too.
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples
Families can explore immersive, hands-on exhibit galleries at the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples (CMON), including a two-story climbable banyan tree, a water play station, and a journey through the swamps of the Everglades. Beyond its everyday activities, the museum offers specialized programs like Exceptional Wednesdays, which provide sensory-friendly hours for children with physical or neurological disabilities.
Mercato Shops
We love visiting the outdoor shopping center on every trip. It has great shops like Tommy Bahama or Lu Lu Belle, a children’s boutique, areas for kids to run around and play, plus outdoor dining. We’ve been to The 239 Naples, with a happy hour from 2:30 pm to 6 pm. It’s also home to Whole Foods, where we stock up on groceries for the hotel room. Plus, there’s Nordstrom Rack and the Silverspot Cinema, a 12-screen theater with gourmet food and drinks delivered to your leather seats.
Waterside Shops
The Short Hills Mall meets New York’s Fifth Avenue. Waterside Shops is an upscale, open-air shopping and dining destination in North Naples known for its beautiful outdoor walkways lined with cascading waterfalls, dramatic fountains, and lush tropical landscaping. The mall features more than 60 luxury boutiques and specialty stores, including world-renowned brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co..
Naples Fifth Avenue South
Fifth Avenue South serves as the unofficial “Main Street” of Old Naples, stretching from Tamiami Trail to the white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. This pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare is a premier destination for upscale shopping, featuring a mix of luxury fashion boutiques, world-class art galleries, and acclaimed performing arts venues like the Sugden Community Theatre. I love this lively downtown with over 30 restaurants and cafes, all set against a backdrop of historic 1920s architecture and lush tropical landscaping. We ate at Keewaydin, which was very family-friendly, offering a side of blueberries for our son. Lola 41, Ottimo on 5th – Cucina & Bar are other standouts.
Naples Botanical Garden
Naples Botanical Garden is a 170-acre paradise that features themed gardens representing the flora and cultures of the tropics. Explore distinct landscapes such as the Brazilian Garden, with its vibrant bromeliads, or the Lea Asian Garden, which features tranquil bamboo groves and Javanese ruins. There’s also a 90-acre natural preserve with walking trails and a birding tower where you can observe over 200 species of native and migratory birds.
Sun-and-Fun Lagoon
The Collier County water park had five exhilarating water slides, each towering 38 feet high, and a 1,250-foot Lazy River with two distinct paths for a relaxing soak. Families can also enjoy specialized areas like Pirates Cove for kids aged 5 to 12 or the smaller Tadpole Pool for toddlers.
Leigh Scheps is an entertainment, food, lifestyle and family travel reporter for various media outlets, focusing on Broadway. Her bylines include countless celebrity interviews for CBS News, Entertainment Tonight, Marie Claire, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Town & Country, Elle, InStyle, TODAY, GRAMMY.com, Shondaland, Bustle, Time Out New York, and Broadway Direct.