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Naples & Everglades National Park Escape Encore Symposium 2025

April 28 - May 1

An Encore to Lifelong Learning

Register Now for $1025

Naples - Everglades National Park-America's Largest National Park!

Location: Naples
Phone Number: (305) 242-7700
Website: http://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm

Everglades City Visitor Center (239) 695-3311

Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. Everglades National Park covers 1.5 million acres of South Florida. The closest entrance is Everglade City. The area boasts rare and endangered species, such as the American Crocodile, Florida Panther, and West Indian Manatee. Everglades National Park Map The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is located in Everglade City, 37 miles from Naples, approximately 45 miles from the resort via US 41 and SR 29.

In many areas of the park, trails allow you to explore the diversity of habitats within South Florida. While exploring the park be sure to bring plenty of water and be aware of changing weather conditions. A variety of land trails offers visitors opportunities for leisurely walks, extended hikes, and bicycle treks. All boardwalk trails in the park are wheelchair accessible.

Everglades National Park Boat Tours Narrated boat tours of the Ten Thousand Islands from the Gulf Coast Visitors Center which operates every day, year-round. Canoe rentals are also available to explore nearby waterways.
Reservations and information: (239) 695-2591

Two-hour Shark Valley (no sharks and no valley) Tram Ride
All tours are led by park-trained naturalists, fully prepared to make your journey a memorable one. Besides giving insight into the ecosystem as a whole, your guide will also help to point out some of the "hidden" aspects of these amazing wetlands. Get there early as Tram fills up! Reservations Recommended December-April. For reservations and information: (305) 221-8455

Naples - Everglades Airboat Tours

Location: Naples, FL (area) Everglades City
Phone Number: (877) 571-0674
Website: https://www.captainjacksairboattours.com/airboat-tours/mangrove-airboat-tour/

Captain Jack's Airboat Tour: Mangrove Airboat Tour

A visit to Southwest Florida isn't complete without a tour through the Everglades. Guests will enjoy a forty-five-minute airboat ride. Each boat captain is Coast Guard certified and an acknowledged authority on the Florida Everglades and sea life. They offer colorful commentary on the sights and sounds of the intricate waterways of Southwest Florida. Guests enjoy a beautiful sightseeing tour mixed with the excitement of riding a true Florida airboat. Free admission to the Animal Sanctuary where you'll see plenty of alligators and other Everglades animals is included in the airboat ride fee!

On your way, visit Camellia Street Grill, an eclectic treasure and a favorite of the Everglades City locals. You can enjoy lunch or lounge on the deck with a glass of homemade sangria. Trip Advisor Reviews of Camellia Street Grill

Naples Babcock Wilderness Adventure

Location: Naples, FL
Phone Number: (800) 500-5583
Website: http://www.babcockwilderness.com/

Enjoy a 90-minute Swamp Buggy Tour through the Babcock Ranch and Telegraph Cypress Swamp. Experienced guides offer in-depth descriptions of birds,animals, plants, and the cattle and horses that are raised on the ranch. Visitors will see panthers, alligators, and many other animals living in Southwest Florida. All tours are by reservation only. Educational programs consisting of natural history, Florida history, and history of the Babcock Ranch, as well as a personal appearance by a Florida critter, is available at no cost. All tours by reservation only.

Address: 8000 State Road 31, Punda Gorda, Fl - located 1.5 hours from resort

Adventure Video

Naples - Conservancy of Southwest Florida

Location: Naples, FL
Phone Number: (239) 262-0304
Website: https://www.conservancy.org/

The 21-acre oasis is the perfect setting for family fun. The Discovery Center offers a chance to see live sea turtles, snakes and baby alligators. Take a relaxing eco-tour up the Gordon River through a maze of Mangroves. Venture out on your own on a Kayak or schedule a guided Kayak tour through the Lagoon. Stroll trails spotted with native plants, mangroves, butterflies and birds. Open: Monday - Saturday 10:30am - 4:30pm

Address: 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples, FL - located 15 minutes from resort

Naples Botanical Garden

Location: Naples, FL
Phone Number: (877) 433-1874
Website: https://www.naplesgarden.org/

In 1993, a group of eight Naples residents founded the Garden with nothing more than the dream of creating a world-class botanical garden. In 2000, a gift from the Kapnick Family enabled the purchase of an extraordinary 170-acre site with seven different habitats just south of Old Naples. An existing strip mall and parking lot were transformed into a garden experience to introduce the community to what was to come, a paradise that combines delightful cultivated tropical gardens with beautifully restored natural habitats. Open daily 9am-5pm.

Address: 4920 Bayshore Drive, Naples, FL - located 30 minutes from resort

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Location: Naples, FL
Phone Number: (239) 262-5409
Website: http://www.napleszoo.org/

The Naples Zoo is a nationally accredited zoo. Wild Shows - Enjoy Safari Canyon feature shows, Meet the Keeper Series, Snakes Alive! Alligator Bay Hand-Feeding, and more. Natural Fun - Glass walls get you thrillingly close to rare predators. Plus, see the new herd of giraffe in their Preview Exhibit! Island Cruise - Embark on a catamaran for a guided journey through tropical islands of apes, monkeys, and lemurs. 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Daily

Address: 1590 Goodlette Frank Road, Naples, FL - located 15 minutes from resort

Naples - Rookery Bay Estuarine Research Reserve

Location: Naples, FL
Phone Number: (239) 417-6310
Website: http://www.rookerybay.org/

Located on the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands on the Gulf coast of Florida, the Rookery Bay Reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. An amazing world exists within the 110,000 acres of mangrove forest, uplands, and protected waters of Rookery Bay including 150 species of birds and threatened and endangered animals. The two-story exhibit hall highlights Florida's coastal habitats and unique plant and animal species and you can take a boat trip sighting birds and other wildlife.

Address: 300 Tower Road, Naples, FL - located 30 minutes from the resort

Naples - Museums to Visit

Location: Naples, FL

Collier County Main Museum (239) 252-8476
From prehistoric saber cat skeletons and Calusa Indians to Spanish explorers and Seminole warriors, newly created exhibits capture the panorama of local history.
The Museum of the Everglades (239) 695-0008
Presents the story of 2,000 years of human habitation in the Everglades region with artifacts and period photographs.
The Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida (239) 263-9200
A collection of some 300 authentic Holocaust artifacts on permanent loan and a unique picture of history beginning with the rise of Nazism and ending with Allied Liberation and the Nuremberg trials.
Palm Cottage - Naples Historical Society (239) 261-8164
Built in 1895, it is now restored to its original condition. This house museum is a treasured symbol of Naples's history.
The Baker Museum (239) 597-1900
The three-story museum houses a diverse collection of art including fifteen galleries that highlight paintings, sculptures, and drawings.