Hotel at a Glance: Ramada Inn of Naples

The tagline of this AAA Three Diamond–rated hotel is “Centered in Paradise,” referring to its prime location—close to both the coast and downtown Naples. Not only that, it’s a 10-minute drive from the Naples Pier, which extends 1,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. Visit the pier at sunset, when the final rays of daylight transform the Gulf of Mexico into a canvas of orange, red, and purple waves. The New York Times called the spectacle an “applause-generating daily masterpiece.”

• Where you’ll stay: a courtyard room remodeled in 2014
• In-room amenities: free WiFi, a microwave, and a mini fridge
• Alternative to the beach: the hotel’s outdoor heated pool, set in a sunny courtyard
• Free breakfast buffet including scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, and a make-your-own-waffles station
• Dine on seafood and steak at the onsite restaurant, Jimmy’s Bait n Tackle.

Naples, Florida: Upscale Retreat on Pristine West Coast

Located along the southwest edge of Florida on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Naples is a small city set among wandering waterways and scenic estuaries. Everything in Naples seems impeccably clean, from the bleached sand of its 10-mile-long pristine beaches to the bathwater-warm water that’s as clear as glass. One of the prettiest spots is Naples Pier. This dock extends 1,000 feet into the Gulf of Mexico, leaving plenty of room for a crowd of anglers to cast their lines for pompano, a plump silver fish that makes for good eating.

Inland from the pier you can find Old Naples, where luxury cars are parked outside art galleries, upscale restaurants, and bars with outdoor patios. Walk along the brick sidewalks of Third Street South and you’ll find open plazas with antique bronze fountains as well as turn-of-the-century cottages and striking Mediterranean Revival homes.

More than 80 championship golf courses are located throughout Naples, and the city bills itself as the Golf Capital of the World. It’s a lofty claim, to be sure, but Naples has warm, tropical weather year-round and the second-most golf holes per capita in the country, according to World Golf.

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