Nick's parent recently purchased a house in Naples, and we wanted to visit before we moved to Abu Dhabi. And, neither of us had visited the Everglades. So, visiting family and the park made for a well-balanced weekend trip.
What We Did
Big Cypress
Shark Valley Visitor Center: It’s $30/vehicle just to enter, and we had to wait a little while to get in. It’s a one-car-in-one-car-out type of parking lot. So, get there early if you can.
Bike ride and tower: There are certainly other things to do, but to us, the bike ride to and from the observation tower was the main attraction. At $15/person, the 15-mile scenic route is well worth the trip. We saw A LOT alligators and different types of birds. And, the observation tower has some really great views of the swamp. In all, it took us about 2 hours to complete, which includes stopping for pictures and hanging out at the tower.
Naples
Tigertail Beach: This is a really nice beach on Marco Island. We took the “shortcut” to get there by wading through a lagoon, and we took the “long way” back (around the mangrove) since the tide came in and lagoon water had risen by then. We did some exploring through the older mangroves on the beach, as well as near the bird preserve that was nicely sanctioned off from people.
Naple’s Pier: Apparently “the choppiest” Nick’s parents had ever seen it. We hear it’s beautiful, but we didn’t stay for long. They say it’s great to visit for sunrise or sunset!
Food
Naples
Adelheidi’s Organics (ice cream): This is exactly what we needed after a long day at the beach and exploring downtown Naples. The ice cream was SO good! Unfortunately, it now looks like it's permanently closed.
Fish Restaurant: Really delicious food. I (personally) didn’t enjoy seeing the live lobsters suffering on ice at the front of the restaurant. But, I really did like the sushi and other assortments of fish the restaurant had to offer.
Leoni’s Pizzeria: Farther north of Naples but one of Nick’s parents’ favorites. If you’re in the mood for carbs, definitely go here. It may not look like much, but the calzones and pizza are really tasty!
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