Naples is a beach town first and everything else second. The Gulf here is calm, warm, and shallow, the sand is soft and white, and the sunsets are the kind people plan whole trips around. But not every beach is the same, and the right one depends on whether you want a full-service family day, a quiet natural stretch, or the best sunset in town. Here is the local guide to where to go and how to park once you get there.
| Beach | Best for | Parking |
|---|---|---|
| Lowdermilk Park | Families, amenities, easy access | City pay-by-space meters |
| Naples Municipal Beach (Pier area) | Sunsets, the classic Naples stroll | City pay-by-space meters |
| Clam Pass Park | All-around day, boardwalk and tram | County garage, free tram to sand |
| Vanderbilt Beach | North Naples, dining, water sports | County garage |
| Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park | Most natural stretch, shelling | $6 per vehicle, state park |
| Barefoot Beach Preserve | Undeveloped nature, shelling | County lot |
The stretch of sand around the Naples Pier at the end of 12th Avenue South is the postcard version of Naples, and it is still the best free show in town at sunset. One important note for 2026: the pier itself has been closed since Hurricane Ian in 2022 and is in the middle of a full rebuild, with reopening expected around July 2027. The beach on both sides stays open, so you can still spread out a towel and watch the sun drop into the Gulf; you just cannot walk out on the pier while construction is underway. Parking downtown is pay-by-space at the meters along the west ends of the avenues, so bring a card.
Lowdermilk Park at 1301 Gulf Shore Boulevard North is the easiest beach day in the city. It has a playground, sand volleyball courts, restrooms and showers, ADA beach access mats, picnic tables, and the Lowdermilk Beach Cafe right there for when someone inevitably needs a snack. That combination of amenities and relatively easy parking makes it the default pick for families and anyone who does not want to haul a cooler half a mile from the car. Parking is pay-by-space and enforced year round, so plan for a few dollars an hour unless you have a Collier County resident permit.
Clam Pass Park at 465 Seagate Drive routinely lands at the top of best beach in Naples lists, and the approach is half the fun: a three-quarter-mile boardwalk winds through a mangrove estuary out to the sand, with a free tram running the length of it if you do not feel like walking. The beach itself is wide and clean, there is a concession plus kayak and paddleboard rentals, and the pass at the north end is a fun spot to wade. Parking is a county garage that is free with a Collier County resident beach parking permit and around ten dollars a day without one.
Vanderbilt Beach at 100 Vanderbilt Beach Road is the North Naples anchor, sitting right next to the upscale hotels and a short walk from the restaurants at the north end. It is wide, walkable, and one of the better spots for on-the-water rentals like kayaks, paddleboards, and jet skis. It is also one of the most popular beaches in season, so parking in the county garage can fill up before ten in the morning from January through March. Arrive early or come in the afternoon.
If you want the prettiest, least developed beach in the area, drive north to Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park at 11135 Gulf Shore Drive. This 166-acre barrier island regularly ranks among the top-rated beaches in the country, with white sand, dune vegetation, and clear water at the pass. The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year, and admission is $6 per vehicle for up to eight people, $4 for a single-occupant vehicle, or $2 to walk or bike in. One catch: the park closes to new vehicles once the lots fill, which happens early on nice-weather weekends, so get there in the morning or take the county trolley from the Conner Park lot on Bluebill Avenue.
Just north of Wiggins Pass, Barefoot Beach Preserve protects two miles of undeveloped shoreline and is the closest thing Naples has to a wild beach. It is one of the best local spots for shelling, especially early in the morning after an outgoing tide, and you may share the dunes with gopher tortoises. There are basic facilities near the entrance, but the further you walk, the more it feels like you have the Gulf to yourself. Bring water and sunscreen, because there is little shade once you are on the sand.
For a quieter city beach, Seagate Beach at the end of Seagate Drive is a small neighborhood access point that most visitors never find. And if you are willing to make a day of it, drive south to Marco Island, where Tigertail Beach is one of the best shelling beaches in Southwest Florida and a fun spot to wade the lagoon with kids.
Almost all Naples beach parking is paid. City beaches like Lowdermilk and the Naples Pier area use pay-by-space meters that take credit cards; the county garages at Vanderbilt and Clam Pass run around ten dollars a day; and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is a flat $6 per vehicle. If you live here, a Collier County resident beach parking permit pays for itself fast, since it covers the county lots and garages. A few rules worth knowing: dogs are not allowed on Naples or Collier County public beaches, glass containers are prohibited, and you are expected to leave the beach the way you found it. Alcohol rules vary by beach, so check the posted signs.
Winter and early spring bring the best weather and the biggest crowds, which is why parking fills so early from January through March. Summer is hot and humid with near-daily afternoon storms and is also hurricane season, so aim for morning beach time and keep an eye on the forecast. Whatever the season, the water is calmest and the light is best in the first few hours after sunrise, and the crowds are thinnest then too.
It depends on what you want. Clam Pass Park is the best all-around beach day, Lowdermilk Park is best for families, Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is the most natural stretch, and the Naples Pier area has the best sunset.
City beaches like Lowdermilk and the Pier area use pay-by-space meters at a few dollars an hour, the county garages at Vanderbilt and Clam Pass run around ten dollars a day, and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is $6 per vehicle. Collier County residents can buy an annual permit that covers most of them.
No. The pier has been closed since Hurricane Ian in 2022 and is being rebuilt, with reopening expected around July 2027. The beach on either side stays open.
Barefoot Beach Preserve and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, especially early in the morning after an outgoing tide. Tigertail Beach on Marco Island is worth the drive too.
No. Dogs are not permitted on Naples or Collier County public beaches.
The county beaches and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park are open 8 a.m. to sunset. The state park closes to new vehicles once its lots fill, so arrive early in season.
Once you have your beach day sorted, plan the evening with our best sunrise and sunset spots in Naples guide, get out on the water with our outdoor things to do guide, or browse the full events calendar for what else is on this week.