Introducing Naples, Florida

Around 1870, promoters likened the seven-mile stretch of sugar sand beach in Naples, Florida to that of the beautiful Italian peninsula of Naples, Italy. The area was originally the native home to the Caloosa Indians, and the first white settlers arrived in about 1887. Walter N. Haldeman, the owner of the Louisville Courier-Journal, purchased almost the entire town of Naples, and was the first to protrude a 600-foot fishing pier out into the Gulf of Mexico. The Naples Pier, though destroyed on three separate occasions, has consistently been rebuilt and still stands today. What really brought Naples into its own was the opening of the Tamiami Trail in 1926. This paved highway linked the state's two largest cities: Tampa and Miami. Accessibility to Naples made it a playground for the rich, the famous, and certainly the intelligent. On a Sunday afternoon at the Naples Hotel, one could find the likes of Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, Greta Garbo, Hedy Lamarr, and Gary Cooper.

Today, Naples is still the playground for the rich, the famous, and the intelligent, except there are more homes, more mansions, and the prices have risen. In 1905, one could purchase a beach lot for $125. Today, Naples is still a bargain—if you like paradise. And this piece of paradise offers a variety of arts and entertainment, water recreation, dining and shopping, and activities for all ages. Some of the more popular things to do include strolling along Fifth Avenue South and Third Street in Old Naples where shops and restaurants abound. And there's also Tin City, where unique and kitschy shops and eateries overlook Naples Bay. Naples has it all: fun and charm.