Media Contacts: JoNell Modys, CVB, jonellmodys@colliergov.net, 239-252-2425 Maria Sabale, BCF, msabale@boomyourbrand.com, 757-497-4811
Fun Facts about the Paradise Coast
Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades
The state of Florida is divided into 67 counties. Collier County, which includes the cities of Naples, Marco Island and Everglades City, is the largest County in the State with a total area of 2,305 square miles, and a land area of 2,025 square miles. At least 80% of that is set aside as preserve lands, including Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, two national wildlife refuges, one national research reserve, three state parks, one state forest and many County, City and private parks and nature preserves, including Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The Travel Channel designated Naples as America’s Best All-Around Beach in 2005, due to the diversity of great things to see and do in the destination, all surrounded by beautiful white sand beaches. Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Naples on of the 20 Best Beaches in America in January 2006. “Dr. Beach” selected Barefoot Beach just north of Naples as one of the top ten beaches in the nation in 2006. Naples has been named “The #1 Small Art Town in America” by author John Villani in his book The 100 Best Art Towns in America. In choosing Naples as # 1, Villani notes the area’s amazing range of natural splendor along with its sophisticated and serious art galleries, its art fairs, community art centers and the Philharmonic Center for the Arts complex. There are at least 100 art galleries in the greater Naples area, extending from Gallery Row in downtown Naples all the way out to the Big Cypress Gallery in the Everglades – the home and studio of famed black and white nature photographer Clyde Butcher. The world class Philharmonic Center for the Arts, home to the Naples Philharmonic and the Naples Museum of Art, has helped put Naples on the map as a premiere cultural destination, as have the area’s many nationally recognized art festivals. Naples is said to have more millionaires per capita than any other city in Florida. Downtown Naples’ Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South shopping districts are renowned for their unique boutiques offering fashion, gifts and fine art – situated along pedestrian friendly, tropically landscaped avenues. Waterside Shops in Naples is home to some of the world’s top luxury retail brands, including Saks 5 Avenue, Nordstrom’s, Tiffany & Co., Hermes, Gucci, Cartier and the first-ever United States boutique for German contemporary fashion house, Basler. Known as the Golf Capital of the World, Naples has the second most golf holes per capita in the United States. The peak season for visitors in the area is January through April. From May through December, visitors can find exceptional deals on hotel accommodations. Rates drop by one third to one half of what they are in the peak winter season. Savvy travelers know to take advantage of the great savings on hotel rates and less crowded attractions and beaches. more th
Paradise Coast Fun Facts – Page 2 There are numerous free public access points to the beach throughout the city of Naples, including in the elegant Port Royal and Gulfshore Boulevard neighborhoods, where visitors stroll the beach in front of elegant mansions. The annual Naples Winter Wine Festival is rated as the #1 charity wine auction in the world as ranked by Wine Spectator since 2004 Collier County is the Purple Martin Capital of Florida, as designated by the Florida Legislature. Numerous purple martin houses have been erected on the ground of the Collier County University Extension office on Immokalee Road in Naples, where a research project is underway. The rare and elusive ghost orchid is the main attraction at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, the native orchid capital of the United States. The endangered flower is the subject of the book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean and the movie Adaptation. Ranger-led swamp walks through the tropical strand swamp have increased in popularity since the release of the book and movie. Marco Island is the largest of the so-called Ten Thousand Islands, a string of mostly uninhabited mangrove islands that stretch from Naples down to the southern tip of the Florida mainland. The islands provide an unspoiled natural habitat that is a haven for saltwater fishermen, nature lovers, kayak and canoe paddlers, photographers and more. Immediately south of Marco Island the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge begins. An eco-friendly guided Waverunner tour is available from the beach on Marco Island, taking visitors into the nation’s only subtropical mangrove forest. The Waverunners stop frequently to view wading birds including roseate spoonbill, egrets and herons, as wells as marine mammals including dolphin and manatee. Shelling on Marco Island’s beach rivals that of Sanibel and other better-known shelling destinations. Shelling gets even better when shell seekers hop on a boat to comb the beaches of nearby deserted outer islands and sand bars, filled with treasures from the sea. The Gulf Coast portion of the Everglades is home to hundreds of species of rare birds, plants and animals. It is the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles cohabitate. Hikers taking ranger-guided swamp walks in Big Cypress National Preserve and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park are often surprised by how pleasant are the area’s cypress swamps. Clear, flowing water cools the air, and two natural predators, the mosquito fish and the carnivorous bladderwort plant, feast on mosquito larva, keeping the cypress swamps remarkably bug-free. The Wilderness Waterway that stretches for 99 miles from Everglades City to Flamingo is considered by canoe and kayak paddlers to be a paddling experience of a lifetime. Completely removed from civilization, the paddling adventure takes between seven to nine days and requires camping and transport of all food and supplies. Backcountry camping permits are required and can be obtained at the Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center. Everglades Area Tours provide convenient access to the Gulf Coast portion of Everglades National Park and the Wilderness Waterway via a motorized shuttle boat. By loading kayaks and passengers on a motorboat, visitors are brought to the far reaches of the Gulf Coast Everglades for a day of paddling, kayak fishing and enjoying deserted island beaches. Then, it’s back in the mother ship for a quick run back to the dock in Everglades City – no camping or endless days of paddling required. Mutli-day kayak camping and fishing trips, as well as numerous custom tours, are also available. Phase I of the new Paradise Coast Blueway, a system of GPS-plotted paddling trails, begins in Everglades City and goes to Goodland on Marco Island. There is one multi-day wilderness trail route and six day trip routes. - more -
Paradise Coast Fun Facts – Page 3 The Ochopee Post Office, located along the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades, is the smallest post office in the United States. Everglades City is known as the Stone Crab Capital of the World. Stone crab claws are harvested during the annual season from October 15 to May 15. Only one large claw is harvested from each stone crab – fishermen are required to return the live crab back to the ocean, where it regenerates a new claw. Seafood lovers come from all over the world for the annual Everglades Seafood Festival held every year in Everglades City the first full weekend in February. Stone crab claws, fresh Gulf shrimp, grouper and much more are served up picnic style along with music, arts, crafts and rides. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, located on the outskirts of the Everglades just 25 minutes from downtown Naples, is regarded as one of the top bird watching spots in the United States. It is the favored nesting ground in the world for the endangered wood stork and supports many year round and migratory bird and animal species. Corkscrew is also the Gateway Site for the South Florida section of the Great Florida Birding Trail. There are currently 12 Collier County sites included on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Naples is home to the Swamp Buggy Races. If you like exciting displays of speed, unusual vehicles and mud, these unique events are for you. Held three times annually in January, March and October, the races feature everything from down home functional swamp buggies to high tech racing machines. The racetrack is a muddy mess that includes a huge puddle called the Sippy Hole – often the downfall of lesser buggies. The tiny village of Goodland on Marco Island is home to the annual Mullet Festival in January. Fresh fried mullet and other fresh fish rounds out the menu along with wacky entertainment, including the Buzzard Lope dance contest culminating in the crowning of the Buzzard Lope Queen. The Naples Zoo is located within a 52-acre old growth botanical garden, originally planted in 1919 by famed botanist Dr. Henry Nehrling. The zoo is fully accredited by the Association of Zoo’s and Aquariums and participates in endangered species recovery and other prominent conservation programs. All primates at the zoo live cage free on islands with the large Lake Victoria within the zoo. Boat tours of the lake take guests up close to the primate’s island homes. Because of its vast areas of undeveloped preserve lands, Collier County is the primary habitat for the severely endangered Florida panther, which roams through the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Collier-Seminole State Park. Sightings by the public are rare but occur occasionally along public roads and trails within the various parks. The town of Immokalee, which means “my home” in Seminole, started out as a ranching town in the 1800’s, but has blossomed into the center of the region’s agricultural industry. The farms of Immokalee produce a significant portion of the nation’s fresh produce, including tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, potatoes, citrus and more. Immokalee is also home to the Seminole Casino Immokalee, which recently underwent extensive renovation. The Ugly Ripe Tomato, a popular new sweet hybrid tomato variety, was developed by BHN Seed Company in Immokalee – home to many farms and agricultural companies. For more information on the Paradise Coast of Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades, call 1-800-688-3600 or visit www.paradisecoast.com. ###