Fun and Easy Day Trips from Naples Florida Within 2 Hours (2025)

Try one of these fun and easy day trips from Naples Florida if you have some extra time in your Naples itinerary and want to explore more of Southwest Florida.

With the exception of Key West, all of these places are easy drives 2 hours or less from Naples.

Of course if road tripping is what you love, it’s easy to get from Naples to just about any other part of Florida — head north on I-75 straight to Tampa and Orlando or east to Miami and I-95 via Alligator Alley, the stretch of I-75 that runs from west coast to east.

You may never want to leave Naples, but if you want a change of scenery for a few hours or a day, one of these places just might do the trick.

Day Trips from Naples Florida: West Coast

Fort Myers

Ft. Myers on the Caloosahatchee River makes for an easy day trip from Naples. The revitalized downtown area has upscale shopping, cafes and restaurants, and craft breweries.

For history buffs, tour the Edison and Ford winter estates, two of the most popular attractions in Fort Myers, and visit the 82nd Airborne monument along with many historical markers throughout the city.

The popular Lakes Regional Park has beautiful nature trails, lakes, and gardens.

If that’s not enough, there are playgrounds and water parks, a railroad museum, and a miniature train ride.

Bikes and watercraft are available to rent and there is a food concession for snacks and cold beverages.

There are several tours available so have dinner and stick around to take the fun and interesting Haunted History of Ft. Myers tour.

Fort Myers Beach

There are no soft white sand beaches along the Caloosahatchee River in Ft. Myers but not to worry.

Just minutes away over the Matanzas Pass Bridge is Ft. Myers Beach on Estero Island with a long 7 mile stretch of beautiful soft sandy beach on the Gulf of Mexico — with lots of perfect places for watching sunset.

This is a tourist beach town to be sure.

The main drag is bordered by souvenir and sundry shops, bike rentals, a tattoo parlor, and a wide variety of walk-ups and casual eateries.

Rent a wave-runner, stand-up paddle board, or challenge yourself and go parasailing.

There are more formal restaurants up and down the strip, and casual restaurants on the beach with outside seating on their decks or right on the beach.

If you’re not in a hurry take the relaxing drive along the shoreline and stop to enjoy nature at Lovers Key State Park.

From there it’s only minutes to Ft. Myers Beach.

Sanibel And Captiva Islands

Sanibel and Captiva islands are a great day trip from Naples, and there are so many things to see and do including having some of southwest Florida’s best beaches.

These barrier islands just off the coast of Ft. Myers are naturally beautiful, and the local residents insist that they be protected.

You won’t find any fast food chains here! If you love combing the beach for seashells, some of the best shelling in the world is right on Sanibel and Captiva islands. 

Anglers will love the surf fishing at Blind Pass.

Rent a bike and follow the dedicated bike and pedestrian path from one end of Sanibel to the other.

Along the way you should stop at the J. N. Ding Darling Nature Preserve.

It showcases the southwest Florida ecosystem complete with alligators, the occasional manatee, and an incredible number of shore and wading birds.

The preserve is one of the best places for kayaking Sanibel, and you can rent kayaks right there.

If sunbathing, snorkeling, or just enjoying the warm water of the Gulf are for you, you can put together a picnic to take to the beach at one of the two grocery stores on the island. Bailey’s Store is a local favorite.

We suggest that you indulge and stay for dinner at one of the many excellent restaurants on the islands.

After dinner you can head to the Sanibel Lighthouse for pics and a scoop of ice cream.

We recommend that you don’t rush and plan on spending a full day on Sanibel and Captiva.

You’ll be glad you did. If you love it so much you want to stay the night, check out these 6 waterfront hotels and resorts on Sanibel and Captiva!

Keewaydin Island

It may seem strange that a barrier island that’s technically in Naples is also one of its best day trips, but since Keewaydin Island is only accessible by boat, it will take you time to get there.

But once you are, you may never want to leave.

Keewaydin is a great place to visit to see how Naples once was in the very beginning.

The beaches are rustic and raw, and one of the most beautiful beaches in Naples, if not all of southwest Florida.

It also has a lot going for it beyond just pristine beauty — it offers some of the best shelling in Naples, and Keewaydin is also one of the only dog-friendly beaches in Naples!

Matlacha And Pine Island

A visit to Pine Island north of Ft. Myers is like stepping back in time to Old Florida.

Known for its calm backwaters, it's one of the area's premier fishing and paddling destinations.

On your way in, you'll want to stop in colorful Matlacha, a tiny spit of land between Pine Island and the mainland with its funky art galleries, and salty, good time restaurants.

Cross the Matlacha Bridge, “The Fishingest Bridge in the World”, and you’re on Pine Island.

Many visitors pass up Pine Island though nature lovers will enjoy exploring natural environment with native vegetation and a variety of animals and birds.

A walk on the Calusa Heritage Trail will take you back in time to when the site was a Calusa Indian village over 1500 years ago.

Thinking of where to go for lunch? For a lot of local flavor, the Blue Dog Cafe in Matlacha is a fun, lively place with mouth-watering shrimp tacos!

If you decide to skip lunch, we highly recommend dinner at the Tarpon Lodge.

Before dinner, order a beverage to sip on the manicured grounds or at the sea wall while taking-in the sunset. And yes, you should make a reservation.

Venice

About an hour and a half north of Naples just south of Sarasota is one of the most beautiful stretches of beach on the Gulf Coast.

14 miles of beach to be exact, stretching from Casey Key to Manasota Key — fun in the sun and surf include swimming, sunbathing, fishing and boating.

A favorite vacation destination with excellent shopping in downtown and lots of green space in which to relax like Centennial Park with an interactive fountain.

Or rent a bike and peddle along the Venetian Waterway Trail.

For dining there are casual and upscale restaurants serving the fresh catch of the day.

Wet a line at the Venice Pier for excellent fishing, but the big draw here is Casperson Beach where you can hunt for prehistoric fossilized shark teeth with a “Florida snow shovel”, a wire basket with a long handle to sift through the sand on your quest for these prehistoric gems.

Marco Island And Goodland

Just 30 miles south of Naples lies lovely Marco Island surrounded by its sleepy neighbors, the island of Goodland and the Isle of Capri. 

Tigertail Beach on Marco island is a hotspot for beachgoers and one of the best things to do in Marco Island.

Follow your fun in the sun with a cold beverage and lunch at The Snook Inn, one of the most famous chickee huts in southwest Florida.

Or head to Kirk Fish Company in Goodland, one of the few working water-front fish houses left in the area.

Their retail market is open seven days a week, October-May and full of fresh, local seafood.

If you’re wanting something more upscale, enjoy dinner at one of Marco Island’s best restaurants — Sale e Pepe and Fin Bistro are both excellent.

The Everglades

The Florida Everglades is the largest sub-tropical wilderness in the United States, home to Everglades National Park and several huge adjoining preserves.

Keep this in mind if you're looking to explore this vast territory — it could take weeks to see it on your own.

But hitting the highlights makes an excellent day trip from Naples.

For outdoor hikes, drive through East Naples on Rt. 41 into Big Cypress National Preserve.

There are several easy boardwalk hikes to enjoy at Big Cypress Bend boardwalk in the Fakahatchee Strand State Park and Collier Seminole State Park. Shark Valley, about an hour’s drive into the park is an educational center and has incredible panoramic views of the surrounding Glades from its tall modern tower.

Here, you can immerse yourself in the Everglades for a while and see alligators and other native species.

Or take an Everglades eco tour, where a naturalist guide will show you some of the most interesting flora and wildlife in the Everglades.

On your way back, be sure and stop at the Clyde Butcher Gallery in Ochopee, the photography store and gallery of one of Florida's most beloved conservationists and photographers.

Not far from the Clyde Butcher Gallery is the Smallest Post Office in the USA.

You'll never believe it's really a working post office! Inside there’s only room for the lone clerk, but you can send your friends a postcard postmarked from the Smallest Post Office. Pretty cool!

Get a glimpse of the area's fascinating history at the Museum of the Everglades and then explore the towns of Everglades City and nearby Chokoloskee. 

There's no better way to see the Glades than on an airboat ride. Wooten's Animal Sanctuary & Alligator Park is one of the most popular — and crowded — tour operators.

There are several Everglades airboat tours from Naples along the main road, but our pick for small (4-6 passenger) airboat rides is Speedy's Airboat Tours on Begonia Street in Everglades City.

Day Trips from Naples Florida: South

Key West

Southwest Florida is so close to Key West (as the crow flies) and if you had to drive across Alligator Alley (I-75) and head south from Miami and Homestead it would take you 6-8 hours depending on traffic. 

If you're backpacking this part of the country or just want a fun little Key West road trip, here’s our recommendation for the best way to go.

The much quicker option is the Key West Express. The 170’ jet-drive powered catamaran runs daily service from Ft. Myers Beach to Key West in just 3 hours. (There's also service from Marco Island but less frequently.)

In just three hours you can be sipping a cold one at Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street.

You'll get there around noon and there's no shortage of fun things to do in Key West in that amount of time.

Spend the afternoon taste-testing the best Key Lime pie in town, or book your return trip the next day and spend the night in Old Town to add a nice mini vacay to your Paradise Coast vacation. 

We can never get enough!

Day Trips from Naples Florida: East Coast

Fort Lauderdale

If you're looking for more urban flavor, head east across Alligator Alley to lively Fort Lauderdale.

It’s just 2 hours from Naples, and make a fun day or overnight trip when you feel like a romantic date night or some serious nightlife in South Beach.

Fort Lauderdale is known for its great beaches and boating. Running along highway A1A is The Strip, a promenade lined with upscale outdoor restaurants, bars, boutiques, and luxury hotels.

It’s great place to wile away the afternoon people watching. The International Swimming Hall of Fame is worth a visit and has pools and a museum. 

Miami

If you’d like a bit of glamour or a bit more of a Latin vibe, drive across Alligator Alley to the east coast and visit Miami and South Beach.

The drive is a bit shorter than going to Fort Lauderdale (around 1.5 hours from Naples).

Just remember — and this is important — the highways around Miami can get pretty busy at all hours of the day, making things a bit confusing for first time visitors, so just be sure to follow the signs south to Miami. 

To make things easier, why not take the bus! There’s a bus that runs from Naples to Miami and you don’t have to deal with the traffic.

The area around Wynwood is hip and colorful with great places to eat and amazing murals collectively known as the Wynwood Walls.

Visit the incredible and beautiful Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, or take your time strolling Española Way, a charming  pedestrian strip in South Beach lined with shops, restaurants and cozy hotels.

But for most visitors it’s the lure of chic South Beach (have you seen The Birdcage?).

Book a night in one of the beautifully restored deco hotels and enjoy dinner at an upscale South Beach restaurant. People watching doesn’t get any better!

These are some of our favorite day trips from Naples Florida — but there are more to come!

---