8 Best Beaches in Naples Florida for Every Traveler

If you’re planning a visit to southwest Florida there’s no doubt you’re looking for the very best beaches in Naples, am I right?

We’ve got just what you need! Florida certainly has its share of great beaches, but honestly some of the best beaches are in Southwest Florida.

The sand is soft and white, and the Gulf of Mexico water is ideal for swimming, wading, and beach combing.

Generally, surf is very gentle to non-existent (except during storms) which makes the beaches here perfect for children of all ages.

There are so many amazing things to do in Naples, but one of my favorites is just a great day at the beach and lounging in the calm water. 

Here are the 8 best beaches in Naples, Florida — perfect for your next visit!

What’s Great About Naples Florida Beaches?

So, what makes the Naples Florida beaches so great?

The beaches in Naples are the kind that beach lovers dream about, with powdery white sand that’s soft and perfectly conforming to lay on, free of debris, rocks and seaweed.

The sand is warm but not scorching, surrounded by beautiful scenery and the prettiest blue-green water.

From early spring to late summer, the water is especially calm and usually clear enough to see your feet. 

Naples is a beach lover's paradise for sure.

What we love best about the Naples beaches is there’s literally a unique beach for everyone.

For example: for the ultimate in family fun, head to Lowdermilk Park, but if it’s quiet solitude Delnor-Wiggins Pass is more your speed.

If you’re looking for total isolation away from the paparazzi, then what you need is Keewaydin, a secluded beach that’s not easy to get to without a boat, and one of the area’s best places to see nesting Florida sea turtles.

Naples' location right on the Gulf of Mexico gives it those direct warm sea breezes, helpful for keeping no-see-ums and other ankle-biters at bay.

Shelling here is excellent, as is skim boarding and other watersports.

Surfers and kite boarders love it during the winter and hurricane season when waves are kicking up a bit more. 

With over 10 miles of coastline, which are the best beaches Naples, Florida has to offer?

Here are 8 local favorites, with a little something different for everyone in the family. 

Best Beaches In Naples Florida

1. Naples Pier Beach

Best Beach in Naples for Family Gatherings!

25 12th Ave S Naples, FL

(NOTE:The end of Naples Pier is currently closed pending being rebuilt)

The Naples Pier is one of the most iconic and beautiful landmarks in Naples Florida.

But if you’ve never been to Naples, you may be tempted to think of more famous and crowded shorelines with Piers, like the Santa Monica Pier in California, Navy Pier in Chicago, or the kitschy amusement piers of my youth at the Jersey shore.

For all its history and fame, the 1,000 feet long Naples Pier is really nothing like that.

It’s not noisy, overcrowded, and there’s definitely no heady scent of creosote mixed with boardwalk sausage and pepper sandwiches wafting on the breeze. Ahh…

Naples Pier
Sunset at the Naples Pier Beach

The Naples Pier is truly unique and if you love it like most locals, you’ll find a way to spend a few moments each day gazing at it in wonder.

As for the beach here, the Naples Municipal Beach is really one of the best beaches in Naples.

Of all the beaches in Naples, it probably gets the majority of visitors, but even then it’s not that crowded.

Many visitors come to stroll the Pier and leave on their way to dinner reservations or shopping downtown, while many families come to gather and spend the day.

But at its most crowded, we’ve never had to stray more than 50 yards or so from the Pier to find some distance.

In the summer, on a hot day, you can find 4-5 areas under the Pier to escape the blistering sun if you don’t have a beach umbrella, but plan to get there early.

Parking:

• Metered parking by the hour along 12th Avenue and a Municipal lot on 12th Avenue. It’s inexpensive, usually around $1 an hour.

• December through April is the season, so parking gets crowded. But if you park in the shopping district around 3rd Street South, there’s usually spaces opening up on a regular basis.

• Spend the day strolling the beautiful shops and streets, grab a late lunch, then head to the Naples Pier Beach at 12th Avenue South. 

Amenities:

• public restrooms

2. Seagate Beach

Best Beach in Naples for a Romantic Stroll!

100 Seagate Drive, Naples FL

One of the more unusual beaches in Naples, Seagate is a popular spot to catch sunset for locals and visitors alike.

A long pavered pathway leads to the beach from the parking areas, with pretty park benches along the way.

It’s a lovely place to sit and chat or people watch before sunset.

When it’s time for the main event, you’ll see locals coming straight from work peeling off jackets and shoes asking “did I miss it yet?” moments before the sun sets on another day.

Neapolitans take their sunsets seriously and for many, it’s a ritual way to end their day!

To get to Seagate Beach, head toward Venetian Village at Park Shore, and turn right onto Gulf Shore Drive, then park at the small parking area at the very end.

Amenities: Kids life jackets are available on the honor system on a rack.

3. Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park

Best Beach in Naples for Unobstructed Views!

503 Barefoot Beach Road, Bonita Springs, FL

If you’re looking for one of those deserted beaches in Naples, you’ll love Barefoot Beach in north Naples.

Often rated as one of the most beautiful beaches in the country, the entrance to Barefoot is actually off Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs, then the road to the Park heads back south into Collier County.

It could well be the poster child for Best Beaches in Southwest Florida and is definitely worth the drive.

The drive to the Park winds through an enclave of million dollar homes which slowly fall back as more nature and scrub appears.

Be mindful of the many slow-moving gopher tortoises who call this home. They’re often so busy eating they fail to get out of the way.

Once you park, you’ll see several boardwalk entrances which lead to the beach.

The beaches here are wide white sand beaches with shallow water, making it a great spot for families with kids who love to run around and explore.

The swimming here is ideal as well. 

A one mile nature trail runs among the dunes where you can view gopher tortoises and even nesting turtles in the summer. 

Paddlers also love it at Barefoot Beach and there’s a concession stand that offers canoe and kayak rentals for mangrove paddling on the inland side of the beach.

Parking: fee for non-residents

Amenities:

•  Learning Center With Natural History Exhibits

• Butterfly & Cactus Gardens

• 1-Mile Walking Loop Trail

• Picnic Tables

• Foot Showers

• Beach Wheel-Chair

• Bike Racks

• Park Rangers and Parking Booth Attendant

• Life Jacket Loaner Program

Deserted Keewaydin Island
and the shells we found in 5 minutes

4. Keewaydin Island

Best Beach in Naples for Shelling!

26.0704° N, 81.7869° W

If you’ve ever wanted to see how Southwest Florida must have looked before the first human being arrived, it must have looked like Keewaydin.

This isolated island sits nestled between Naples and Marco Island, surrounded by a watery moat just far enough away to make it inaccessible from either except by boat.

It’s almost a perfectly poetic thumb of the nose to the development which exists so close by but not there.

Keewaydin isn’t exactly uninhabited. In fact there are several homes on it and several multi-million dollar lots for sale.

But there’s a good chance anyone living there doesn’t want to see you as much as you don’t want to see them.

To reach Keewaydin, buddy up to a friend with a boat, or take a boat tour from Naples.

There are several fun eco-tours who run full or half day shelling cruises that include a stop on Keewaydin.

TIP: If you’re vacationing with your dog, Keewaydin is one of the only dog-friendly beaches in Naples!

Amenities: none

5. Clam Pass Beach Park

Best Beach in Naples for a Family Adventure!

Clam Pass Beach Park at Doctors Pass is one of the most unusual beach parks and ecosystems in Naples.

Part of the fun of visiting the beach here is walking the long boardwalk through the mangroves to get out to the beach.

At nearly a mile long, it’s a long way to walk but can be really beautiful and secluded on an overcast day when the sun isn’t blasting hot, and you’re almost always guaranteed an interesting wildlife encounter of birds, raccoons, or other mangrove dweller.

But if you don’t want to walk, no worries — just take the tram!

A free tram runs every 15 minutes back and forth from the parking lot to the beach.

Clam Pass beach has beautiful white sandy beaches, great shelling, interesting places to explore along the inlet, and calm water.

At the north end of the beach, an inlet flows from the lagoon into the Gulf — it’s a perfect spot to explore, go kayaking, wade around, and fish.

Some of the beach can get very narrow at high tide, which can lead to bottle necks of foot traffic with people coming and going. 

Location: Seagate Drive and Crayton Road, Naples FL 

Parking:

• Park in the lot next to the Naples Grande Hotel and either walk or wait for the free tram. 

• Parking fee for non-residents

Amenities:

• picnic areas

• snack bar

• public restrooms

• outdoor showers

• beach rentals including chairs, cabanas, kayaks and watersports
  

6. Lowdermilk Park

Best Beach in Naples for Family Fun!

1301 Gulfshore Blvd N, Naples FL

One of the best beaches in Naples for kids and families, Lowdermilk Park is a must-see for any visitor to Naples.

This beautiful beach park in central Naples is easily accessible from Rte. 41/Tamiami Trail into one of the prettiest residential neighborhoods in Naples.

Lowdermilk is one of the most popular Naples beaches, with clean wide beaches, plenty of parking, public restrooms, and a tasty snack bar and concession stand. 

But the best part about Lowdermilk — and the reason I always bring visiting friends and family here — are the 8 thatched-roof palapas that are FREE and up for grabs to the early birds and shady enough for the whole family.

Get there early before 7:30am to try and claim one. 

Bonus: early risers will also be treated to a wildlife show - this is the prime time of the day to spot turtles and dolphins swimming right off the beach in the summer months. Parking fee for non-residents.

 

Parking: Fee for non-residents with plenty of spaces

Amenities:

• public restrooms

• snack bar

• beach rentals including kayaks, boogey boards, skim boards, and stand-up paddleboards by the hour

Delnor Wiggins State Park

Best Beach in Naples for Nature Lovers!

11135 Gulfshore Drive, Naples, FL

One of our favorite places for a beach day in Naples, Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park is often our go-to beach.

This State Park is so nice, it’s often rated as one of Naples’ best beaches.

The natural surroundings are what draws beachgoers looking for the more rustic stretches of dunes and protected beaches in Collier County.

Visitors have several to choose from within the Park as you drive in past the 5 different parking areas.

There are walking paths that wind their way through the dunes, and several picnic areas with tables.

At the north end of the Park, you’ll find a small watchtower you can climb for a beautiful view over the north end of the Park. It’s a great photo op!

Nature lovers will love Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park.

Of all the beaches in Naples Florida, Delnor-Wiggins may well be the most like the rustic beaches of Sanibel, strewn with seagrape trees and wild sea oats in the dunes.

Anglers who love saltwater fishing from the shore can fish here, but only at the northernmost end of the beach.

You can cast a few lines, as there’s no swimming allowed in the fishing zone.

Keep an eye out for the resident gopher tortoises walking by — but don’t get too close. Give them room to move around because this is their home.

Parking: State Park Entrance Fee is $8 per car, which includes parking

Amenities:

• public restrooms

• fishing allowed at the northernmost end of the Park

• swimmers should respect any anglers — rods out means there are lures in the water, and whatever’s chasing them is not far behind!
  
  

3rd Avenue Beach

Best Beach in Naples for the Family Who Can’t Decide!

Just a short stroll from the bustle of 5th Avenue South shopping and dining district is the 3rd Avenue Beach (not to be confused with 3rd Street South).

This small beach is a great place to stop by after (or during) a busy day of shopping and a great place for sunset.

The remnants of an old pier stick up from the water, making it a cool spot for photographers who want a little something extra in their shot.

The 3rd Avenue Beach is a good option if your family is divided on what to do in Naples for the day.

If some want to go shopping and others want the beach, the 3rd Avenue Beach makes a good meet up point for sunset at the end of the day.

It’s a closer beach to 5th Avenue South than the Naples Pier, and just as nice.

Location: 3rd Avenue South, Naples, FL

Parking: Metered street parking spaces

Amenities: none

Are these are the best beaches in Naples Florida? We think so, and hope you agree!

---