Florida’s Paradise Coast includes Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades. Whether you are looking for beautiful beaches, great shopping opportunities, getting up close to tropical wildlife or just a relaxing family holiday, this is the place to be.

Florida’s Paradise Coast is blessed with beautiful white sandy beaches that stretch from Barefoot Beach Preserve at the northern tip of Collier

Naples Florida

County, through Naples, along Marco Island’s four mile crescent shoreline and into the Ten Thousand Island area of the Everglades. Some beaches offer full facilities whilst some are just perfect for beach walks along deserted sands. The beach resorts in Naples and on Marco Island allow easy access to the Gulf of Mexico.

Explore the backcountry mangrove estuaries by sailboat, canoe, kayak, motorboat, yacht, parasail or wave runner and marvel at the amazing scenery and wildlife. Whilst cruising the waters you will be treated to all kinds of wildlife including fish, birds, dolphins, sea turtles and manatee.

The natural beauty of the area attracts artists and art lovers who visit to see the amazing permanent art collections and travelling exhibitions. Apart from the Naples Museum of Art, the Marco Island Centre for the Arts and the Von Liebig Art Centre there are also some fine galleries to visit in the shopping districts and the Big Cypress Gallery which you will find deep in the Everglades. Every month the area hosts hundreds of art and cultural events and performances at the Philharmonic Centre for the Arts which is home to the Naples Philharmonic. The area has numerous museums displaying artefacts dating from the Calusa Indian Civilization and from the pioneers who settled in the area at the turn of the century. The unspoilt beauty of the area can also beseen at the many public parks including the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Preserve. Enjoy a host of outdoor activities at the parks including nature photography, bird watching, hiking, boating and many more on your holiday packages to Florida.

Everglades Florida

A must on your family holidays to Florida’s Paradise Coast is a visit to Naples Zoo at the Caribbean Gardens. These historic botanical gardens are home to all kinds of wild creatures from zebras to alligators, islands which are home to apes and monkeys and great wildlife shows which the whole family will enjoy. Other great fun attractions for the whole family to enjoy are the Children’s Museum, the nature centre which is home to a wildlife rehabilitation zone and miniature golf.

Collier County has more than 80 golf courses which offer different levels of difficulty for the serious golfer and those just wanting a fun round of golf. Whatever your need there is a course for you. If you enjoy a spot of shopping then leave the men enjoying their golf and head off to the Naples area where you will find unique boutiques selling one-of-a-kind items, boutiques, interior design shops and art galleries. If you are lucky enough to book holiday packages to Florida anytime between Thanksgiving and New Year you will be treated to the festival of lights in downtown Naples. Marco Island offers several shopping venues where you can purchase art, island treasures and clothing.

Marco Island Florida

Dining out on Florida’s Paradise Coast is an experience not to miss. The area offers everything from waterfront cafes to top class five-star restaurants. Around Naples you will find a vast array of dining venues including open-air bistros and even a pub serving traditional Irish food. Dine by the water at Tin City and the Village on Venetian Bay. Marco Island offers all types of dining from laid-back waterside grills to gourmet restaurants serving freshly caught seafood. In Everglades City locally sourced seafood is the order of the day. Offering amazing views of the Ten Thousand Islands these restaurants offer all kinds of seafood dishes including stone crab, shrimp, snapper and if you are feeling adventurous you can try frog’s legs and ‘gator tail!

Whatever you are looking for in a holiday, Florida’s Paradise Coast has it all.

The Best Friends Pet Resort is due to open on August 27th.

Located on Bonnet Creek Parkway within the Disney World complex, the resort will be able to accommodate 270 dogs, 30 cats and other animals including birds and small mammals.

The luxury facilities available here for dogs will include standard accommodation with bedroom area and small patio, vacation villas with a television and luxury VIP suites with a television a large private outdoor play area, all located in the Doggy Village.
For cats there will be 2 and 4 storey condos which are located in the Kitty City Pavilion.

The whole luxury resort covers an area of over 50,000 sq ft both indoors and outdoors, 17,000 sq ft of which is an air conditioned indoor area. The resort has a waterpark( just for the dogs), a 3,300 sq ft play area with artificial turf and a 4,500 sq ft play area complete with trees.

The resort even offers a ‘bedtime stories’ service where they read a story to the dog before it goes to sleep!

Owners can leave their pets here just for the day or they can be left for longer periods and they can visit whenever they wish.

There are lots of travel deals to America available throughout the internet.

When on your bargain holidays to Florida why not book your animals into this great pet resort and enjoy your day without having to worry about your loved ones, remember you can visit them whenever you like.

Location

This beautiful tropical lakeside paradise is located on the 45 acre Barefoot Bay, near Epcot Theme Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park and Disney’s BoardWalk Area. This is an ideal resort for all the family to enjoy their summer holidays.

Accommodation

The guest rooms are spread over 200 acres of landscaped greenery, consisting of six villages – Trinidad North, Trinidad South, Martinique, Barbados, Aruba and Jamaica. Each village has 2-storey pastel coloured

Guest room

buildings which are located around a heated swimming pool. Accommodation here includes pirate themed rooms which have pirate ship beds and buccaneer accessories.

Facilities

The Custom House is designed to look like the reception area of a Caribbean retreat. Here you will find the resort’s lobby where guests can register.

The hub of the resort is Old Port Royale. Here you will find dining venues from quick snacks to a full service restaurant, a lounge, shops and a concierge desk.

Recreation and Activities

Relax on one of the resorts white-sand beaches. Swimming is prohibited in Barefoot Bay but there are lots of watercraft available for hire.

At The Marina you can rent a variety of watercraft, including sailboats, pontoon boats, canoes and pedal boats.

Enjoy the main pool complex, Fuentes del Morro Fort, which is themed like

Fuentes del Morro Fort

 an old Spanish Fortress with two waterslides, two 12-person spas and antique water cannons.

Join a game of beach volleyball at the lakeside court.

Take a jog around the 1.4 mile scenic run.

Take a bike ride around the resort.

For children there is Parrot Cay Island, complete with a playground, nature trail and birds in cages.
There is a water play area with three water slides and squirting hoses.
For the older children there is an arcade, inside the Old Port Royale complex, with video and pinball games.

Food court

Dining Options

Shutter’s at Old Port Royale – a Caribbean inspired restaurant.
Old Port Royale Food Court – here you will find four different food outlets.
Grab N Go Market – for freshly baked pastries, fresh fruit and ice cream.
Montegos Deli – for pancakes, cheesecake, soups, deli-style sandwiches and Philly cheese steaks.

This review has been supplied to us by our reader Lisa Smith

” A good hotel situated towards the bottom of International Drive, within walking distance of many bars, shops and restaurants. We found the hotel very clean and our room was very spacious.
This hotel is a 100% smoke-free environment which we liked.
Would recommend this hotel for couples looking for bargain holidays or anyone on business.  The location is great but I would certainly recommend hiring a car in Orlando so you can get to see all the attractions and it’s also easy to get to the Coast both being approx an hours drive away.”

Rosen Plaza

Rosen Plaza

Located on International Drive, next to the Orange County Convention Centre, the Rosen Plaza is just a 10 minute drive to Universal Orlando Resort, 20 minutes to Walt Disney World Resort and 5 minutes to SeaWorld Orlando.

Accommodation
The hotel has 800 rooms on 14 floors in 1 building with 6 lifts. All of the rooms have air conditioning, hairdryer, tv, tea/coffee maker, iron and board and safe.

Food and Drink
Jack’s Place (gourmet fare), Café Matisse, Lite Bite Deli (24-hour), Rossini’s Italian Pizza (until 1.00am), lobby bar, coffee bar in lobby (serving Starbucks Coffee).

Activities
Swimming pool, jacuzzi, electronic games room, fitness room.
Pirate’s Cove mini-golf is just a short walk from the hotel.

Extras
Room service, laundry facilities, high-speed internet access.