Looking for a Florida getaway that mixes beach time with great food, shopping, and just enough adventure? Naples checks every box. Spend your mornings spotting wildlife or strolling tropical gardens, your afternoons exploring boutiques and museums, and your evenings watching spectacular Gulf sunsets over fresh seafood. Here’s how to spend the perfect 48 hours in Naples.
Day 1: Outdoor Naples
Morning
Ease into the day with breakfast beneath the iconic red umbrellas at Jane’s Cafe on 3rd, a longtime Old Naples favorite known for its generous brunch menu. Toast the morning with a mimosa topped with a miniature rubber ducky, then choose from crowd-pleasers like crab cake eggs benedict or Nutella crepes. Looking for a waterfront start instead? Grab a patio table at EJ’s Bayfront Cafe, where banana-stuffed French toast and smoked salmon platters come with views of boats drifting through the marina.
Spend the rest of the morning exploring the 170-acre Naples Botanical Garden, where themed landscapes showcase plants from Brazil, the Caribbean, Florida, and Southeast Asia. Wander elevated walkways past giant Victoria water lilies, bamboo groves, waterfalls, and colorful blooms while butterflies, hummingbirds, and turtles make regular appearances. Complimentary guided tours offer a deeper look at the gardens and their unique collections.
If you’re ready to stretch your legs, head to Gordon River Greenway. The 2.5-mile trail winds through mangroves, marshes, and pine flatwoods with a mix of paved paths, boardwalks, scenic overlooks, and wildlife viewing platforms. Birdwatchers will want binoculars close at hand. Prefer your morning with sand between your toes? Make your way to Lowdermilk Park for a few relaxing hours swimming, playing beach volleyball, or simply unwinding beneath the palms.
Afternoon
Seafood is always a good idea in Naples, and Grouper & Chips makes an easy lunch stop. Their signature beer-battered grouper and chips lives up to the hype, while fried shrimp baskets and homemade key lime pie are equally tempting. Traveling with adventurous eaters? Celebration Park offers something for everyone with waterfront food trucks serving everything from seafood to tacos and gyros, plus a lively outdoor bar overlooking the canals.
Next, head to Clam Pass Park, home to one of Naples’ most memorable beach entrances. A scenic boardwalk winds through a mangrove forest before opening onto a wide stretch of Gulf shoreline. Don’t feel like carrying chairs and coolers? Hop aboard one of the free golf cart shuttles. Once you arrive, watch for fiddler crabs and wading birds, stroll the shoreline, or rent a paddleboard or canoe for a different view of the coast.
Still have energy to spare? Naples Zoo offers an easy way to spend another couple of hours. Hand-feed giraffes from an elevated platform or board the Primate Expedition Cruise to see monkeys and lemurs living on island habitats. If you’d rather venture farther afield, the 30-minute drive to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary rewards visitors with one of the world’s largest remaining old-growth bald cypress forests. Its famous boardwalk passes through wetlands filled with alligators, otters, turtles, white-tailed deer, and an impressive variety of birds.
Evening
Cap off the day with dinner overlooking Naples Bay at The Dock at Crayton Cove. A table on the covered deck comes with front-row marina views while you dig into stone crab claws, middleneck clams, Key Lime Grouper, or Pineapple Chilean Sea Bass. Looking for something a little different? USS Nemo has built a loyal following thanks to its creative Pacific Rim-inspired menu. Favorites like Tuna Pizza, sushi tacos, and miso sea bass continue to draw both locals and visitors.
After dinner, take a sunset walk along the beach near Naples Pier. While the historic pier is still being rebuilt, nearby public beach access points make it easy to enjoy the shoreline. Watch pelicans plunge into the surf, keep an eye out for dolphins offshore, and settle in as the Gulf puts on one of Naples’ signature sunset shows.
Before heading back, stop by Gelato & Co. on Fifth Avenue South for a sweet finale. Choose from authentic gelato flavors like pistachio, mango, and dark chocolate, or pair espresso with gelato in the form of an affogato. Grab a seat inside the bright café or enjoy your dessert outdoors while soaking up the easygoing evening atmosphere.
Day 2: Around Town, Shopping, Museums & Culture
Morning
Start your second day at Wild Berry Cafe (it’s seriously some of the best breakfast in Naples). Dig into a plate of strawberry-banana pancakes or try the biscuits and sausage gravy.
Once you’re fueled up, set aside a few hours to explore Naples’ two signature shopping districts.
Begin on Fifth Avenue South, where Mediterranean-inspired architecture frames more than 100 independently owned boutiques, galleries, cafés, and specialty shops. Browse colorful storefronts, wander tucked-away courtyards, cool off with a frozen cappuccino from The Brick, then pop into Aldo Castillo Gallery and Native Visions Gallery to admire works from regional and international artists.
Next, make your way to Third Street South, where brick-paved streets, lush landscaping, and historic charm create a slower pace. Browse resort fashion at Marina St. Barth, pick up your next vacation read at Third Street Books, or grab beach-inspired gifts and apparel at Old Naples Surf Shop.
Before lunch, step inside the Naples Depot Museum, housed in a beautifully restored 1927 train station. Exhibits trace the arrival of the railroad and the role it played in transforming Naples into the destination visitors know today. Be sure to climb aboard the vintage railcar before heading next door to the Naples Train Museum, where an expansive model railroad and miniature train rides delight visitors of all ages.
Afternoon
Lunch calls for Italian at Osteria Tulia, where the warm farmhouse-inspired dining room sets the stage for handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, Sicilian meatballs, and artisan bread. An Aperol Spritz pairs nicely with just about anything on the menu. If contemporary American cuisine is more your style, Bicyclette Cookshop serves inventive dishes like stuffed zucchini blossoms, fresh ceviche, chicken schnitzel, and the restaurant’s memorable olive oil soft serve.
Continue your afternoon at The Baker Museum, one of Southwest Florida’s premier art museums. Galleries feature works by artists including Pablo Picasso and Georgia O’Keeffe alongside rotating exhibitions such as The Passion of Collecting, highlighting ceramics and glass. The Chihuly Collection is another standout, anchored by the spectacular 51-foot Persian Seaform Ceiling. Before you leave, take time to explore the sculpture gardens and enjoy the views from the third-floor terrace.
Finish the day at Tin City, where Naples’ fishing village roots still shine through. Historic waterfront buildings now house an eclectic collection of locally owned shops selling coastal décor, souvenirs, gifts, and plenty of fun finds. Browse stores like Pier 37 and Tropical Beauties II, then hop aboard a sightseeing cruise departing directly from Tin City for a relaxing ride past waterfront estates, local landmarks, and the wildlife that calls Naples Bay home.
Evening
Celebrate your final evening with dinner at Mediterrano, where a flower-filled courtyard and cozy dining room evoke the feel of a neighborhood restaurant in the Greek Isles. Start with shrimp saganaki or Spanish octopus before digging into seafood paella or the slow-braised lamb shank.
Prefer to spend your last night in the heart of Fifth Avenue South? Alberto’s on Fifth pairs elegant dining with excellent people-watching from its sidewalk patio. Inside, the contemporary dining room offers an equally inviting setting for dishes like roasted scallops, lobster salad, saffron risotto with veal osso buco, and blackened Florida grouper.
Wrap up your weekend with a live performance before heading home. Artis—Naples regularly hosts Broadway productions and concerts by the Naples Philharmonic inside its striking performance halls. For community theater, musicals, and comedies, check the Naples Players’ schedule at Sugden Community Theatre and end your Naples getaway on a high note.
