Marco or Naples??
 

Hi, we have been to Naples for a quickie but not Marco.
Marco sounds like shangri-la but is it mostly gated homes and exclusive?

Meeting my 33 year old daughter and her fiance for a summer get away and we narrowed the vacation down to Marco or Naples...

Do I assume Naples has a lot more to do but more frenetic?

If there are any charming beach town between the two, happy to hear.

J

Call me stupid, but where is Marco?

Marco Island is a small barrier island just south of Naples. It has a population of about 18,000 all crowded into a land mass of about 12 sq. miles. There's an additional 10 sq. mile area of waterways surrounding the island. It's a high end community of private homes, condos and a few high-rise resorts/hotels where even modest sized homes and apartments sell for over a $1million. Bigger home and luxury condos sell for 5 to 10X's that. it's about a 30 minute drive from the center of downtown Naples.

Personally, because of the limited land area Marco Island feels much too crowded for my tastes, especially during High Season. Naples which is just north covers a much larger area and while it too gets a bit crowded during high season is much easier to navigate and has much more to do. Just north of Naples is the town of Bonita Springs which has almost as much to offer as Naples is less crowded and only a few minutes drive away. Just north of Bonita Springs are the towns of Estero and Fort Myers. These three areas are worth checking out.

Did you look at Sarasota or Siesta Key? The nice thing about Sarasota is that there is a lot to do, lots of dining options and you can visit the beaches on Lido Key or Siesta Key. Longboat Key is the third but very upscale.

I have been to Marco Island but too long ago to remember much about it and have driven through Naples as well. If I recall correctly Naples is similar to the Lido Key Saint Armand's Circle area with shops and restaurants. I do recall driving past what I would describe as mansions facing the water in Naples, more like Palm Beach.

Not sure if any of this information is helpful.

Based on only two visits, there was a traffic jam between Marco Island and Naples at certain times of the day. Seemed like scads of condos and private homes on Marco. Naples has a walkable downtown, lots of restaurants, theatre, and great water tours. Again, two visits only... others can help more.

Based on a lot of visits, traffic up and down Rt 41 can be pokey slow for miles anywhere in that area. Naples stretches for miles north to south. If its beaches you want, then somewhere on the north side gives you access to Vanderbilt Beach (large parking garage), Delnor Wiggins Park / Clam Pass, or even Barefoot beach. The latter 2 are much less developed, but during high season parking can fill up. Summer is not high season. Beaches can be scorching hot between the hours of 11 to 3 or so, so plan accordingly.

If you want easy access to downtown Naples restaurants and nightlife, then staying closer to downtown can be a plus.

You don't need to pay a premium & be close to the water, unless you’re actually wanting that. There are countless small gated condo communities all around the area - each of which will have pools. I don’t know what short term rentals are allowed though in those.

Anything with a mile or 3 west of Rt 41 is close enough for a quick drive to one of the area beaches.

Many (if not most) gated and HOA communities in the Naples/Marco Island and surrounding areas only allow long term rentals (think 3, 6 or 12 months). Some stand alone condos and villas not in gated or HOA communities do shorter term rentals and, of course, the usual motels, hotels and resorts that have "per night" rates.