Golfing in Naples by Nick Jurkowski

Naples is an upscale, sophisticated community on Florida’s west coast. Early settlers to the area described the bay as “surpassing the bay in Naples, Italy.” The name stuck, and the Naples of Florida was born. There are activities for any taste – Naples features seven miles of white sand beaches that border the turquoise-blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, while inside the city proper you’ll find boutiques, restaurants, and art galleries that rival those of Beverly Hills. In spite of all this, Naples retains a friendly, laid-back atmosphere that makes it a favorite among vacationers.

As far as activities, there are enough attractions to occupy your time in Naples that you could spend weeks in this little town and never do the same thing twice. If you enjoy golf, you’re in luck. Naples is the self-proclaimed golf capital of the world, and features more holes per-capita than any other place on the globe (or so they claim – and pay no attention to the double entendre). If shopping is more your thing, then you’ll love the downtown area, which offers a multitude of shopping and dining possibilities, as well as a string of art galleries descriptively called “Gallery Row.” If history is more your bag, take a look at Olde Town, and in particular, “Millionaire’s Row,” which features some amazing old mansions from the Victorian Area. With all of these fantastic attractions, you might be wondering why I will recommend that if you can only do one thing in Naples, you do something entirely different. You should attend the Swamp Buggy Races.

Now, hear me out. This is no ordinary boring NASCAR-style race around a track (note to NASCAR fans: I know that NASCAR is not really boring). This is a spectacle that’s about stepping back in time to the years when ridiculous looking vehicles with balloon tires were the only vehicles that could ply through the swampy land around Naples. This tradition of goofy oversized vehicles lives on in the Swamp Buggy Races, which are held a few times each year. Most of the track is covered in at least 18 inches of water, and there are a few 3 foot deep holes to keep things interesting. There are many classes of vehicles, from the tiny to the gargantuan, and good times are always had by all.

When headed to Naples for the Swamp Buggy Races (or for any other reason, really), be sure to consider Mirage Limo as your means of transportation. There’s no way to head to a swamp buggy race than in a limousine or other luxury vehicle (just don’t take it onto the track). Once you go to Naples, you’ll never want to leave.

About The Author

Nick Jurkowski is a senior editor for http://www.MilleniumLimo.com. The essays above can be found on his night life blog, The Urban Adventure Blog, which is updated daily.