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RSW Living Magazine

Tourist in Your Own Backyard: Wonderful getaway choices in Southwest Florida

Oct 25, 2017 06:47PM ● By Mandy Carter

Photo by Mandy Carter.

Sometimes you just need to get away―but then realize you can’t. Luckily we live in a popular tourist destination making for a wonderful local vacation!         
   
Here is a great 3-day itinerary for being a tourist in your hometown.

Friday

p.m.

 

Start your staycation on 5th Avenue at Ocean Prime to enjoy the wonderful Friday happy-hour specials. Be sure to try the Berries & Bubbles for a special treat to kick off your weekend.

Check into the Edgewater Beach Hotel for a home feel with a luxurious touch. This all-suite boutique hotel is the perfect home away from home for any type of getaway.

After settling in to your beautiful suite, head down to catch a beautiful beachfront sunset over the Gulf Coast while lounging in one of the hotel’s comfy beach beds. After the sun goes down, walk upstairs to Coast, the hotel restaurant, to enjoy a nice seafood or steak meal in a contemporary setting.
 

Saturday

a.m.

Start the morning with brunch at Jane’s Garden Cafe on 3rd Street before heading to the marina to escape for 3 hours on a catamaran adventure with Cool Beans Cruises―charter your own sailing with Cool Beans or join a group tour that runs daily. In addition to enjoying the scenic views, you get to enjoy complimentary beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages and snacks.
 
 
Photo by Mandy Carter.

 

p.m.

Enjoy an early dinner at the Fogg Cafe inside Naples Botanical Gardens. This restaurant is a true destination dining experience, offering a beautiful setting with a garden-to-table menu. The dishes change frequently since it is derived from local, sustainable and seasonal products. After lunch you can spend a few hours strolling through the botanical collections.

On your way back to the hotel, pick up some freshly prepared food from Wynn’s Market, goodies such as the lobster salad or rotisserie chicken. You can easily prep it in your suite and enjoy dining on your beachfront balcony before taking a walk along the water under the stars.
 

Sunday

a.m.

Send someone on an early morning run to Peace, Love and Little Donuts. Load up on energy for the day with these cute and crazily topped little bites of goodness.

Request a late checkout so that you can use that donut-sugar rush to take one of the hotel kayaks into the ocean for an hour before enjoying the last few hours of your staycation relaxing at the Edgewater Beach Hotel pool.

At a Glance

Ocean Prime, Naples

 

Edgewater Beach Hotel, Naples

 

Jane’s Garden Café, Naples

 

Cool Beans Cruises, Naples

 

Fogg Café
Naples Botanical Garden, Naples

 

Wynn’s Market, Naples

 

Peace, Love and Little Donuts, Naples


Mandy Carter is a local mom with a passion for family travel, a popular travel blogger including her own family blog at Acupful.com and the Digital Content & Engagement Editor for TOTI Media.