The Best Day Trips for Sarasota, Lee, Broward, and Miami-Dade County

How relaxing is hanging out over the scenic beach area, trying to catch some dinner with family and friends. This Pier is flat out fun, cool, and just proto-typical of what Southwest Florida offers visitors. It is free in Naples!

A visit to the Naples Pier is a great day trip for the residents of Sarasota, Lee, Broward, and Miami-Dade County. Nothing is better at rejuvenating your inner sole than getting away from the daily tasks. Bring a friend or the whole family. Hey gang, why do we not stay at a beach hotel for the weekend!

A family fishing outing on the pier is a great day out. Family options in Naples are endless, so take a chance and go for something your kids will find special. All kids will think it is cool to get up close and personal with animals and reptiles from the Naples Zoo, buzzing around on a waverunner, building a giant sand castle, or taking a sunset boat cruise. Naples makes children happy.

Yes, you are to walk all the way out to the end of this giant pier anytime you like. It is free, and a grand treat to all visitors. Once you venture out to the end, you will be amazed at how far out you really are. It is a stunning view from the far tip.

This pier is one of the most popular attraction destinations in the area. It is such a treat to stroll along, all with a nice Gulf breeze. If you still have some energy left after the pier, we also enjoyed checking out: Tin City, The Dockside Boardwalk, and the Village on Venetian Bay. Each are fun-to-do spots, perfect for families.

A total blast is to try your luck fishing down into the Gulf Waters below the Naples Pier. I have been here enough times to know that your best bet is to first scout the pier, learn what is biting, and then plan the fish attack. Your scouting trip will let you know if the snook, redfish, or sharks are schooling. The pier-fishing regulars will gladly tell you what is biting and how to catch them. Then, you just go get the tools and you are back to catch them!

This is a top-10 rated beach zone, truly a very special Collier County Beach. You can really go wrong with any of the famous beach parks. We also enjoyed visiting Lowdermilk Park, Vanderbilt Beach, Clam Pass Beach, Delnor Wiggins State Beach Park, and Lely Barefoot Beach Park. Let us know what you think!

For us, it is very interesting to observe such a fun group of people, most of which is either on vacation from or have migrated to the Naples area. The crowd mix does also change throughout the day and into the night. Plan a night trip to see some really interesting fishermen do their thing. They even pull up thrashing sharks.

The Pier here on 12th Street South is one of my two favorite places to watch the sunsets. Here, it is because of all the people and the live entertainment. The other is dining with a sunset view at the Turtle Club (9225 Gulf Shore Drive North). It is a nice spot to "wine" down the day! Call them (239-592-6557) if you get lost. They even have free valet parking.