Naples Florida — Patti Part Two

I survived the drive across Alligator Alley! Highway 75 connects Fort Lauderdale to Naples by taking you straight across the Everglades. And that is apparently where the alligators live. The question came up as to what is the difference between the alligator and the crocodile. The quick answer is that all alligators are crocodiles but not all crocodiles are alligators! Crocodile is the family and alligator is a species within that family. Alligators have U shaped mouths and crocodiles have pointed ones - but south Florida is one of the few places in the world that has both! Sorry to report it was a pretty disappointing drive across. I saw a lot of birds but no gators - maybe because there are tall wire fences with barbed wire across the top to prohibit access? There is nothing the entire way across which is about an hour and a half drive. Not even a gas station. There are signs before getting on that advise you to have a full tank of gas - and I did!

This was my first time in Naples and it is really a pretty place. VERY upscale! I think it is to the gulf side what Palm Beach is to the Atlantic side. It’s most famous landmark is the Naples Pier, so that needed to be my first stop. It was built in 1888 so I can’t even imagine how many hurricanes it has survived. The latest one that hit this past fall Irma did some damage that is currently being repaired, but you can still walk halfway down. And it’s free! They used to allow fishing off it but no longer. It is also a wonderful place to see the sunset, so I saw the sunrise in Delray Beach and the sunset in Naples in the same day - pretty cool!

Later in the day is also a great time to see dolphins from the pier, and I was lucky enough to see them. They were actually really close to shore - maybe 50 feet from the beach?

The old downtown area of Naples is filled with expensive stores, art galleries and wonderful bars and restaurants. It is beautifully landscaped and maintained and surrounded by lavish huge old and new mansions - some on the gulf and some on the surrounding streets.

I loved the pretty colors of the buildings, yello, pink, blue, greeen and even lavender. Lots of palm trees and flowers.

I turned to my trusty Trip Advisor information and found that The Botanical Garden was highly recommended. So on Day two I decided to start my day there. I’m not a huge plant and flower person but I thought it was wonderful. They have a special exhibit right now of 10 life-size animatronic dinosaurs displayed around the gardens and the kids (and adults) were loving them. They moved, roared and even spit water if you weren’t careful. They have 5 different main gardens - Children’s, Brazilian, Caribbean, Florida and Asian. And other gardens that showcase certain things like orchids. The whole complex is surrounded by different lakes that you can walk around and observe birds and other wild life.

These signs definitely got my attention!! Luckily they didn’t present a problem for me.

Top right is called the Citipati. Close enough to Patti for me that I thought it was the cutest!

One night I had dinner at The Bevy. It was really hopping especially for a Monday night. I had a kale salad and grilled salmon and it was delicious.

I got a great suggestion to try Captain and Krewe for the Blackened Grouper sandwich. I did and I will now dream about it. It was fantastic! The grouper is fresh everyday. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Totally worth driving across the state to eat it!

It’s also a fish market but doesn’t smell fishy at all. Everything about the sandwich was perfection.

I finished with one perfect scoop of toasted coconut gelato from Barbatella on 3rd St.

Next up......Marco Island!

“You must go on adventures to find out where you truly belong.” Sue Fitzmaurice