I'll be travelling to Naples, Florida in November this year - coming from Europe, what is the best way to get there? Or even travelling domestically? Does it make sense to travel to Miami (international airport) and then rent a car, or better to travel to Tampa (internal flights) and then rent a car, or to travel all the way to Naples airports (lots of changing planes!)? Any advice from Florida-savvy travellers would be appreciated.

It is pretty difficult to fly into Naples these days. We used to have American Eagle, tied in with American and we flew right into and out of Naples going on American to and from Europe. But now basically we only have a division of US air with very limited service.
I would suggest Miami over Tampa. And an even better suggestion if you can find a flight is to fly into Ft. Lauderdale. The drive over from there is easy, straight across the Everglades on "Alligator Alley" a nice expressway. Also car rental and check in are much less chaotic there than in Miami.

It's not a bad drive from Tampa Airport either, though longer than MIA or FLL. It takes us about 3 hrs from Tampa to Naples, nearly all interstate. In your shoes, I'd fly into whichever city you found the best fares for and drive into Naples from there. Don't know where you are coming from but, British Airways has daily flights into Tampa.

its a 45 min drive from Ft. Myers airport -- that's where I fly into from DC. after that, the drive is easy.

Went there yearly for 20 years. Go to Ft Myers airport- the drive from Miami is terrible.Easy drive on 75 S from Ft Myers airport- you get on the interstate about 2 miles from there. No traffic, in other words. RSW is Ft Myers airport code. If you have trouble getting direct flights, try to get to Ft Myers through Atlanta or Cincinnati. I don't suggest connecting through Florida airports for reasons I won't discuss- but if you must, make it Orlando.

Direct flights from Europe to Ft Myers? Get real.

Fly into Miami. Miami has more direct flights to/from Europe than anywhere else in the Southern US. Otherwise you will be changing planes alot. The drive is not bad. I wouldn't come all the way from Europe to go to Naples. That would be like an American going all the way to CH and seeing only Lugano.

YES X. There are many direct flights from Europe to Ft Myers. Get real, indeed. It is an international airport and has all sorts of direct flights from Paris, Dusseldorf, etc. For a foreigner to come and get on the crazy Alligator Alley with all the rednecks and blue-hairs would be terrible! Especially is she's not used to driving on the right. Read the thread "FLORIDA...Are ALL DRIVERS NUTS?"From Ft Myers airport, it's an easy drive down 75 to Naples exit, then a straight shot into town.

Karen,

Linda is a little optimistic re transatlantic service to Ft. Myers (RSW) - which is the most convenient larger airport in the area. The only nonstop service is to Dusseldorf, twice a week, on LTU, a German charter carrier on shaky financial ground.

I assume you're traveling from CH. If you're leaving from GVA, your best bet is probably Swiss to NY JFK, then JetBlue to RSW. From ZRH you have additional options: Continental via Newark, Delta via Atlanta or AA via Miami.

Hope this helps,
Andre

Gee Michelle maybe Karen has relatives in Naples or business. Don't be an ass and assume that she is coming just for vacation. And, just because you personally don't like Naples don't knock it.

Alitalia has a direct flights daily from Milano to Miami and they are a good price. If you are in the south of CH this may be good for you. Also I have flown Iberia, but you have to connect in Madrid then to Miami. I personally do not like flying for many hours across the Atlantic then wait around in JFK which is a mess and dirty and confusing ( you have to get on a noisy bus to change terminals) and get on another airplane or two more to get somewhere. Fly direct to Miami and drive the short drive along an excellent motorway. It is a beautiful ride across the Florida Everglades.

Fly direct to Miami then drive over. The drive across Alligator Alley is quick and simple, with nothing to fear but boredom. You will find the best fares to MIA as there is more competition between airlines. Not only will there be plane changes and accompanying delays if you fly into RSW, it will cost plenty more.

Linda, any airport can put international in their name. We are talking direct flights. Find me a direct flight from Paris to RSW. Also, darlin', I've been a Boca resident for 10 years with nary an accident to my name, nor my wife to hers, nor our son to his. Let's not be paranoid.

Not that this hasn't been beaten to death already but flying into Ft. Lauderdale or Miami or even Tampa is a good option if it will save more money. I visit my parents who are retired in Naples twice a year and always fly into FLL and drive across the "Alley". Been doing it for nearly ten years and once once did I even witness an accident. If you make that drive in the late morning/mid afternoon during a weekday, you may end up having stretches of the road to yourself. I've also driven Tamiami Trail numerous times and like the two-lane road into the swamp but it may not be the best introduction to US roads...The Alley is fine, well-paved and once on the road, there will be no worries about driving on the correct side of the road because the highway is divided. The only warning is that since it's a toll road, get quarters to dump in the baskets...

Why are people concerned about Karen driving on the right side of the road????? In CH and the rest of continental Europe they drive on the same side of the road as here!!!

Toxxx whose parents live in Naples: Just out of curiosity why do you always fly into FLL instead of Ft. Myers?

FLL is a major airport. Home to the most heavily traveled air route in the world in a metro area of almost 6,000,000 people. NYC to FLL. RSW is just what it says, a regional airport hence the name Regional South West, or RSW.

I basically agree with xxx except for one point. There is no way to dump quarters into any baskets. The toll to cross Alligator Alley is $1.50 and is paid only once as you enter. (It used to be 75 cents at each end, but no more). There are no baskets to put quarters into -- you must hand your money to an attendant. He or she will be just as happy to give you change from a ten or twenty as for you to give him six quarters.

And although I wasn't asked, since the closure of American Eagle at Naples, I always fly out of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, not RSW which is closer. Why? Because most of the flights I'd take -- especially on American, would simply take me from Ft. Myers to Miami where I'd wait and then transfer to the flight I needed to wherever. When I leave for London/Amsterdam in two weeks, I could have flown out of Ft. Myers, but I would have had to spend five hours in Miami waiting for my flight. Instead, I've chosen to rent a car for the day, drive to Miami and go directly from there.

Just reread my post, and realized it was a bit confusing re AA from Zurich: of course when I said "via Miami" I meant TO Miami.

Andre