Five Ways to Fall for Southwest Florida

Whether for a weekend or a season, these regional destinations offer a mix of nature, shopping and Old Florida charm

Down by the Riverside

If you’ve ever needed an excuse to abandon the bustle of Tamiami Trail, Riverside Park in Bonita Springs has your alibi. The Imperial River runs straight to the heart of old downtown Bonita and its ongoing redevelopment, trickling into the past at the historic riverside Liles Hotel. Dating back to 1926, the old hotel is now the centerpiece of a historic plaza.

Later in its life, the hotel became the Imperial River Court tourist camp, and the six restored circa-1945 fishing shacks next to it survive from that era. (They made a cameo appearance in Sean Connery’s 1990 “Just Cause.”) They are home to art galleries and a paddlecraft rental operation.

The park’s imposing bandstand makes this a popular spot for community events such as music and art festivals. It’s the perfect place to bring a picnic lunch, walk shaded trails, explore the park’s sculptures or take a leisurely paddle into the past.

Riverside Park makes an excellent jumping-off point for downtown’s burgeoning entertainment scene. Stroll to the neighboring shops, Rooftop at Riverside food truck park, Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge, Sugarshack Downtown music venue, Downtown Coffee & Wine Company and Ceremony Brewing.

Shop ’til you dine

North Naples has been making a name for itself as a youthful, trendy neighborhood where it’s easy to spend an entire day on retail therapy sustained by endless dining and clubbing options.

From Mercato entertainment center on the district’s north end and south to Waterside Shops, Tamiami Trail takes you on a trip along such dining hotspots as Bar Tulia, Joe’s Diner and Bicyclette Cookshop. Interspersed are luxury name boutiques like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Pottery Barn at Waterside Shops and art galleries, Whole Foods and Sur La Table outlets at Mercato.

Off Tamiami, Pine Ridge Road leads eastward to the Naples Art District, home to studios of local artists, which offers a shopping experience that is purely Naples. For the family, North Naples holds two side-by-side destinations in North Collier Regional Park: Children’s Museum of Naples (CMON) and Sun-N-Fun Lagoon waterpark.

To the west, you’re bound to end up at the beach. Vanderbilt Beach scores with those who love a long stroll with a lunch stop at the Turtle Club or the Ritz-Carlton Naples’ Gumbo Limbo beach bar. Nature-lovers will gravitate to Delnor-Wiggins State Park for an escape from city vibes.

Fishy and old Florida

At the opposite end of Collier County from Naples — physically and fundamentally — Everglades City originally served as the county seat, back in the days when the Tamiami Trail was inching across the wetland wilderness to Miami circa 1923. You can learn more about that formidable feat at the Museum of the Everglades, where developer Barron Collier housed the laundry operation for his roadbuilding camp. Another remnant of the era, the Rod & Gun Club, once Collier’s grand home, today serves fried frog legs, alligator tail, stone crab and other ‘glades fare.

One of Florida’s few remaining working waterfronts, the Barron River is home to a vibrant fishing fleet and a handful of seafood houses like City Seafood, where the fish is same-day fresh. The river also serves as a throughway for airboat tours buzzing like giant mosquitoes into the Everglades’ River of Grass for a zippy ride of a lifetime.

As a gateway to the western entrance of Everglades National Park, Everglades City offers the opportunity to spy myriad birds, dolphins, alligators and other rare creatures in their natural habitats. Park tours depart from the visitor center docks. It is also the launch of the 99-mile Wilderness Waterway paddling trail, which runs across the state. You can also set up a shorter adventure to get close to the region’s secluded, wildlife-rich Ten Thousand Islands.

Way-back wayfaring

Pine Island is something of a local secret in these parts — known mostly to fishing types — and dates back 2,000 years. That’s when the Calusa tribe settled in what is known today as Pineland. The 0.7-mile Calusa Heritage Trail envisions the tribe’s social structure, daily life and spirituality. Vivid signage interprets points of interest along the way: the 30-foot-high Brown’s Mound visitors climb to reach “the top of the world,” with a scenic overlook, the Calusa Canals and the Smith Mound, where the Calusa entombed their departed.

Pineland is one of Pine Island’s four communities, and it’s the least discovered. Across the road from the Calusa Heritage Trail, another historic complex remembers another bygone era of fisherfolk. In the 1920s, visitors came to sip, sup and sleep at the Tarpon Lodge following a day in Pine Island Sound pulling in tarpon and other trophy fish. The tradition continues in the historic lodge with its acclaimed restaurant and water-view rooms that take you decidedly away from it all.

Riveting river vibes

Don’t let its compact size fool you. Downtown Punta Gorda is a vibrant cultural destination. On the Peace River, on its historic streets, on its walls — roughly half of the city’s 30-plus murals pop up around the heart of downtown’s main streets of Tamiami Trail, Marion Avenue and Olympia Avenue. They tell the stories behind the historic buildings, some of which now house highly acclaimed restaurants such as The Perfect Caper, River City Grill and Leroy’s Southern Kitchen.

Boutique shops intersperse with the restaurants, selling books, art and fashion finery. The best dining and drinking with river views is at the Wyvern Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton. Head up to the rooftop at the Wyvern for tapas and cocktails at Perch 360. TT’s Tiki Bar fronts the Four Points along the 2.5-mile Harborwalk. Go for a relaxed lunch and local craft beer, followed by a scenic stroll.

Stop for ice cream at Harborwalk Scoops and Bites, part of the marina, restaurant, interactive fountains, pathways and green space of Laishley Park.