Planning Your Time

Although the cities in the South Gulf Coast [1] region are relatively close together—the distance from Sarasota [2] in the north to Naples [3] in the south is just over 100 miles—each of them is a rather discrete experience. When you add in the wildlife and natural expanses of the Everglades [4], the region’s diversity of offerings becomes all the more apparent.

Exploring the urban beaches and galleries of Naples is a far different affair than digging your toes in the sand for an extended decompression period in Fort Myers [5] or Sanibel and Captiva [6]. Likewise, Sarasota’s galleries, gardens, and shopping opportunities would require an entirely different itinerary than simply relaxing on nearby Siesta Key [7] or setting forth in a canoe or kayak into the backwater wilds of the Everglades [4].

The best plan for seeing the entire area would be to establish an initial base of operations in Naples [3], and then explore that city’s beaches and sights for a couple of days, as well as planning for a day at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers [8]; Naples is also the “gateway city” to the Everglades, and the hotels and dining options there provide a civilized point of departure into the swampy environs of the River of Grass.

From there, you could move north to Sarasota [2], stopping for half a day briefly to explore Sanibel and Captiva, for the three days needed to fully explore the city and the beach towns that line the coast. A dedicated visit to Fort Myers Beach [9] or the islands of Sanibel and Captiva [6] will mostly be spent at the beach, so time spent in those locations should be in direct proportion to the amount of stress you need to relieve.