Trying to Decide between Naples, Florida or Amelia Island
 

We plan to take our first trip to Florida in mid-November and have narrowed our destination choices down to the LaPlaya Resort in Naples or the Elizabeth Point Inn on Amelia Island. We'd like to be able to enjoy the beach--which one of these places would be warmer, or is there really much difference? We'll be driving on to Orlando, so I could also use some help regarding driving distances. On the map it looks like Amelia Island would be an easier drive--is this true?

Mid-November is almost perfect weather here in central Florida. Amelia is almost into Georgia and is always a bit cooler than here in Orlando, and Naples is always a bit warmer. Both are easy enough drives from Orlando...about 3-1/2 hours to Naples and approx same to Amelia. Elizabeth Pointe is a great place..I know the owners. It has a fabulous beach setting with miles of sand and Atlantic ocean water. Naples would be a quiet surf and my experience is that the beaches there would be rougher shelly sand. I could be wrong but that has been my experience the couple times there. Naples is very upscale and the prices at restaurants and shoppes reflect that. Amelia would be more mid-range...IMO. depends on what you are looking for. Amelia is close to St. Augustine if you want a day trip option too. Naples is near Ft. Meyers and Sarasota for day trips.

If the beach/swimming is very important, definitely Naples! It can get pretty cool by mid November in far north FL. Naples is more typical of what people expect of Florida...types of palms, types of flowers etc. Amelia is more typical of coastal GA with more cabbage palms.

I've only stayed at the Ritz on Amelia, and although the hotel was terrific, we were not fond of the beach at all. Very loose, very deep sand, difficult to walk. Rather sharp drop off in the water, quickly getting deep. Amelia, being on the Atlantic has surf.

Naples, from my experience there, has much prettier beaches and much better dining and shopping selections. The Gulf is generally calm. Water color that far south is very pretty.

Amelia is closer to Orlando than Naples, but I don't consider either to be a bad drive.

I'm a big Naples fan...have gone back many times, but once was enough for Amelia.

I'm also a huge Naples fan - I love that part of Florida. In November, that would be where I went (I don't know that resort - but I love the beach).....