Naples, Florida with the fam

Reflections & things to do

My parents, brother Kevin, and I have been going to Naples, Florida, for as long as I can remember. There are pictures of me as a baby taking a bath in the sink at my grandma's condo. We celebrated my grandparents' 50th anniversary with the extended family there, when I was about nine. All six of my dad's brothers, his one sister, all of their spouses, and all of my cousins — they were all there. 




I remember the plastic alligator that sat in the courtyard of my grandma's condo building — you could see it every time you got on the elevator from the lobby. "Is it really real?" we kids would ask, ever skeptical. My dad insisted it was, even though it never budged from its spot, year after year. We eventually got wise. 

Every day of Naples vacation, we'd walk down to the boardwalk that stood between Grandma and Grandpa's high-rise and the Gulf. In those days, it felt like an excruciating distance. If we were lucky, Dad would let us hop on a passing tram — but he and my mom preferred the walk. Easy for them, but tough on little legs. Kevin and I now laugh at how un-epic the walk from the Stratford condo to the beach is. 




These days, it's my dad's aforementioned "one sister" — my only blood-relative aunt on the Lawler side — who now occupies my grandparents' former condo. It's been a handful of years now since they left this world for that big, beautiful boardwalk in the sky. Shoutout to my aunt for keeping the Naples tradition alive and letting our family of four — plus Kevin's fiancé, Erin — stay for a week this April. Below are some thoughts and notes-to-self for making a Naples family vacation worth your while. 

First off, recognize that Naples is largely well-to-do retirees. This means a lack of youth culture, limited nightlife, and drivers who are allegedly either drunk or asleep at the wheel by mid-afternoon. You can never be too careful when cruising through Pelican Bay. Due to its demographic, the bulk of what one does in Naples is beach, eat, nap, eat, pool, and eat.




If it's shopping you crave, know that you're probably not going to buy anything — not the $200 chambray shirtdress and not the $400 yellow mule sandals. Since all you're doing is browsing, browse downtown, rather than at a mall. Scope out 5th Avenue, 12th Street, and 3rd Avenue; it's cute even if you leave empty-handed. 

Activity-wise, we made the best of it. On Friday morning, my mom, Erin, and I accompanied my aunt to the condo pool for water aerobics — an unforgettable hour of shakin' what mama gave us with a bunch of darling oldies. If that's not quintessential Naples, I don't know what is. We also borrowed bikes and rode the path along the boardwalk one morning. Next time, a sunset bike trip would be even more picturesque, given the golden hour. 




We also spent a day on a boat, meandering the inland waterways until we reached Marco Island and our lunch destination, Snook Inn. This was actually one of our favorite spots we ate at. It's cazh, has a giant patio on the water with ample umbrellas for shade, and serves up scrumptious grouper sandwiches (get it fried!) and iced lemonade. Note to self: On our way to the island, we passed many boats camped out along small beaches. In the future, it would be fun to work some beach time into the boat day.

On our final morning in Naples, some of us rented tandem kayaks to paddle the mangroves. It was a fun time, even if the view offers a lot of the same. We did see some birds, but nothing more impressive than that — not like the family of otters we saw while biking or the dolphins we spied during boat day. The act of renting the kayaks was also a bit of a hassle. But would we do it again? Why not!




Probably one of our favorite mornings was spent at the Botanical Garden, where most of these photos were taken. It was Kevin's birthday, and they happened to have a dino exhibit — his favorite. The gardens are gorgeous and lush — absolutely worth the trip. Just bear in mind that it can get scorching around midday, however, there is a café in the gardens, if you're craving shade and sustenance. 

Speaking of eating! I already mentioned Snook Inn, which was our favorite casual spot. Our favorite fancier spot was Tommy Bahama. Yes it's a chain, but Naples boasts the original, and the experience really is a treat. The live music was on point. Our waiter was such a delight and made us feel like every dining decision we made, from the drinks we ordered to our entrée picks, was the right one. 




The cocktails are a must. Loved the pina colada and flavored margaritas. The house marg tastes like any house marg, so spring for something special. For dinner, about half of us got the macadamia-crusted snapper and half got the signature chicken. The snapper was delish, but I'd pick the chicken next time. Trust me.

As for nightlife, Kevin, Erin, and I attempted to find some at the Sunset Beach Bar. My guess is that it's a fun place to hang if it's earlier in the evening — say, around actual sunset. But later (like, after 9pm), there were hardly any people there and the drinks were just so-so. If you're going out after your elders hit the hay, I say check out a spot in downtown Naples. Not sure exactly where, but it'd be worth a peek, rather than growing increasingly tired in a low-energy beachside bar. 




At the end of the day, nobody goes to Naples for the wild and crazy nights, though. They go for sunny days spent with family — and sometimes that's all you need.