Looking for two tickets to paradise? Well, with all due respect to Eddie Money and his hit single from 1978, you don’t need to limit yourself to two tickets when you visit Florida’s Paradise Coast. Heck, bring the entire family or a large group of friends to check out one of the lesser-known Sunshine State destinations for Canadian snowbirds. And, if you’re feeling a little more adventurous when heading south, combine a stop at the Paradise Coast, a 50-kilometre stretch of stellar Gulf of Mexico white sand beaches and coastline in the southwest corner of the state, with a visit to the Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach area about an hour drive north of Naples, where you’ll find the heartbeat of the region.
That’s exactly what I did recently, doubling up on the two often-overlooked destinations for a sensational few days in F-L-A. Here’s the breakdown. NAPLES, MARCO ISLAND AND THE EVERGLADES Get away from the maddening crowds you’ll find in other popular Florida destinations – that means Orlando and the Disney experience, Tampa and Miami – and drop into one of the most relaxing, and less populated, stretches of beach in the entire state.
Don’t pigeonhole the Paradise Coast as just a shopping (Naples is a pretty swank town), sun, sand and sea centre, though. It’s also a great base to get out and enjoy the environment, with the Everglades a short drive away, limitless boating and fishing options and golf courses out the wazoo, with more than 90 public and private .