Be a V.I.P. on Southwest Florida’s Paradise Coast

Naples, Fla. – The beach communities of Naples and Marco Island and the rustic, old Florida outpost of Everglades City comprise the Paradise Coast region of Southwest Florida. The diverse area includes over 30 miles of white sand beaches along with natural mangrove coastal areas, vast expanses of pristine inland wilderness preserved as park or conservation land, along with vibrant and growing urban areas in between. If you haven’t visited the area recently there is plenty to explore that’s new since your last visit.

Getting Here & More Info

Air service is available to Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Ft. Myers just north of Naples via most major air carriers, including direct service from Dusseldorf aboard Air Berlin on four flights weekly. Air Canada, WestJet and Sunwing fly direct to Toronto; and Air Canada also flies direct to Montreal. Connecting service on all major airlines is available through New York, Atlanta and most major USA airports. Direct service from the UK is available via the Miami (2-hour drive) and Orlando (4-hour drive) airports. For more information on Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades – The Paradise Coast, call 1-239-225-1013 for a free visitors guide or go at the area’s official visitor information Web site, www.ParadiseCoast.comV or in the UK, www.ParadiseCoast.co.uk, and in Germany, www.ParadiseCoast.de.

The Coast is Clear

Beaches in Naples, Marco Island and the Gulf Coast Everglades are clean and have not been affected by the oil spill created by the accident on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in Gulf of Mexico waters south of Louisiana. The Naples and Marco Island beaches are on the Southwest Gulf Coast, well over 400 miles from the oil spill.

Officials are monitoring the movement of the oil and are ready to take preventative action should the oil become caught in currents that would bring it south. Daily beach conditions and informational updates are available at www.ParadiseCoast.com/beach_conditions.

How to Save

Many travelers are looking for the best deals available – so to make things easier, the convention and visitors bureau has gathered together the Paradise Coast’s most attractive hotel offers, ranging from hundreds of dollars in resort credits to low nightly hotel rates. You can find the full list of these offers at www.ParadiseCoast.com/deals.

The Paradise Coast Values in Paradise VIP card is available May 1 through December 15, 2010. It offers visitors thousands of dollars in savings at participating restaurants, attractions and shops. Some of the savings for 2010 include attraction discounts, buy-one-get-one-free or half-off offers and other great discounts and deals. The VIP card is free to all visitors, can be used immediately upon arrival and is easily found at four convenient visitor center locations: the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, the Downtown Naples Association Visitor Center, Marco Island Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center and the Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center.

Visitors that would like to take in the atmosphere on a budget have some excellent choices. Many hotels offer value-priced rates throughout the year that leave plenty of room in your travel budget to splurge on dining, spa treatments, shopping, fishing, eco tours and more. Also, prices on hotel rooms and golf course greens fees drop by as much as one third to one half the rates during the peak winter season during the slower months of May through December.

New and Updated Attractions:

Naples Botanical Garden re-opened to the public as a world-class tropical garden paradise called “Gardens With Latitude,” in November 2009, featuring the plants and cultures found along 26-degrees latitude North and South. The attraction includes cultivated gardens of Brazil, the Caribbean, and a hands-on interactive Children’s Garden along with 90-acres of beautifully restored natural Florida habitats. In November 2010 the new Asian and Florida gardens will be complete.

Seminole Casino Immokalee has undergone a 35,000 sq. ft. expansion that includes additional gaming, dining and nightlife to the attraction. New gaming options in place now include blackjack, several varieties of poker and Las Vegas-style slot machines. The casino is located about 40 minutes northeast of downtown Naples. Transportation service is available from various Naples-area locations.

Sea Excursions offers custom team building and learning experiences for groups aboard the scientific research vessel Dolphin Explorer, in addition to regular daily public cruises. Work alongside naturalists gathering data for the 10,000 Islands Dolphin Project to spot, observe and photograph the area’s resident bottlenose dolphin, and then evaluate and log their behavior patterns.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, a classic area attraction that recently become a non-profit zoo, is the only zoo in the Southeastern United States to exhibit the fosa, a rare predator from Madagascar. Naples Zoo also has a large population of Madagascar lemurs, the main prey for the fosa. Of course, the Naples Zoo lemurs are safe from the fosa, which are visible through a glass pane while they stalk their rocky habitat. Another new state-of-the-art exhibit is Black Bear Hammock, the largest black bear exhibit at an Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo east of the Mississippi, with Florida black bears.

Opening in Spring 2011, C’mon, the Children’s Museum of Naples will be an inspiring environment where children and their families play, learn and dream together. Under construction at North Collier Regional Park in Naples, the 30,000 sq. ft. Children’s Museum of Naples will feature ten spectacularly designed, child-scaled exhibits to invite sensory and intellectual exploration.

Hotel News

The Inn on Fifth has a gem of a package inviting guests to enjoy four days and three nights of regal pleasure. Starting at just $555.50 per person, the package combines the best of the Inn and its downtown Naples location, with the enduring appeal of the beloved Princess Diana. Complete with spa treatment, afternoon tea, and daily breakfast, the package centers on the “Princess Diana: Dresses of Inspiration” exhibit on display through June 27, 2010. Housed at the von Liebig Art Center across Fifth Avenue from the Inn, the exhibit features a collection of the late Princess’ gowns, shoes, handbags and memorabilia, including at least two dresses that have never been exhibited in the United States.

The Hotel at Naples Bay Resort is an 85-room hotel that opened in 2008, part of the new Naples Bay Resort mixed use development on the Gordon River and Naples Bay with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico. Naples Bay Resort includes condos, a spa, vacation cottages, a marina, the Olio on Naples Bay and Bonefish Grill restaurants, and shopping.

Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club opened a new $5 million swimming pool complex in early 2010 with two beachside pools, one a large recreational pool and the other a more secluded quiet pool. The pool complex also includes private cabanas and a bar with food service. This area is also an appealing tropical event space close to the Gulf of Mexico for evening sunset events. The resort also has completed an extensive upgrade of guest rooms and guest bathrooms.

LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort recently refreshed the luxurious guest rooms with new bed linens, decor and fresh paint, including the addition of an accent wall. The poolside cabana furnishings have been completely updated, and upgraded package options are available for guests’ comfort and relaxation. The resort’s signature fine-dining restaurant Baleen boasts new furnishings, and it was recently awarded the prestigious “Award of Excellence 2009″ by Wine Spectator magazine.

May 13, 2010   Posted in: United States SouthEast