Florida - Naples area
 

Heading to Naples for a week in July. We have two teenage boys (13 & 15) so looking for many outdoor activities to do. We've been to Captiva Island before so somewhat familiar with that area. Best place to swim with Dolphins? Snorkel? Is a day trip to the Key worth it? Or a day trip to Miami? Must do and see's I Naples? Thank you!

Rent canoes at Barefoot beach park, north end of Naples/Bonita beach.

You can explore the mangroves.

Collier county also has their own water slide park. Good for kids.

Swimming with dolphins is animal mistreatment and abuse, if they are captive and it is, in fact, illegal if they are wild. At leasts in Florida, it is, and it should be anywhere.

Definitely take a day trip down through the Keys.

If snorkeling and swimming with the Dolphins are big priorities, definitely go to the keys. Those are not Naples attractions.

A day trip to the Keys from Naples is quite a trek. If you want to do tourist stuff with Dolphins and snorkel, you should just go stay in the Keys. You can't really do those in Naples.

A day trip the Fakahatchee Strand and the Everglades works. Alligators galore. A day trip to Miami/Miami Beach works well if you are up and out early. I don't like to drive across the state at night because of critters in the road.

Naples has fabulous beaches, all public. You can walk for miles and miles.

They might like Corkscrew Swamp, an Audubon area that has a boardwalk through a cypress swamp. We saw an alligator grab a heron there.

If they haven't yet been, I would go north to Ringling Museums and I'd go south to Edison's house/museum. And here are some of the nearby outside park activities.

http://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/tr...southwest.html

Thank you all for the great input! Any fishing excursions you would recommend? Or must eat restaurants with teen boys?

All on US 41.

There used to be a very modest place near downtown Naples called Lindberg's with something like 50 kinds of burgers. There are diners that are part of a [local] chain!The Clock. Vast breakfasts, guy-friendly lunches. I was a huge fan of Randy's Fish Market Cafe in North Naples for supper, Great seafood, not close to fancy.

On Bonita Beach Road, on the left heading toward the Gulf is a long, low joint called maybe the River Grill. Seafood on the deck, overlooking a canal where dolphins sometimes visit. You need to be laid back here because you aren't up north any more and service is "relaxed".

Ackislander, both Lindburgers and The Clock are GONE!

I can never guess exactly what might appeal to teen buys. At Vanderbilt Beach, right across from the Turtle Club (where at night you can actually eat right out on the beach -- pretty upscale), there is Buzz's lighthouse, a small rustic place with a nice deck over the water of the bay. Their grouper ruebens are outstanding.

Sister restaurants The Dock at Crayton Cove and The Riverwalk at Tin City would probably be teen favorites. Otherwise of course there are always Chipotle, Five Guys, Outback, and all those type places.

Thank you for the dining input! Although my husband and I love fresh seafood (we don't get much of that in Iowa!!), our boys gravitate towards a good steak. Again, thank you for your advice!