Marco Island or Naples (water) (Fort Myers, Bonita Springs: where to stay, rentals, condos)

[Bette]

Where to stay? 2 days - weekend - 1 night.

Driving 2 hours from the east coast. Just need a break.

(My husband needs a break, he says).

[Kuota]

Marco is nice but the good beaches are for residents only. Naples I think has more to offer, nice beaches,stores,restaurants etc.

[RMD3819]

Marco Island Florida Marriott Beach Resort, Spa & Golf Course on Marco Island Florida

Florida Resort, Day Spa, Weddings & Meetings - Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club

http://www.edgewaternaples.com/

Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort, Vacation Lodging, Meeting Facility, Naples Florida .

The Marco beach being for residents only is not true. What is true is beach access is difficult, especially parking. Both the Hilton and Marriott are on the beach so you don't have to worry about it.

[Kuota]

The are three primary beach access points - besides the beachfront resorts and condos. They are

• Tigertail Beach.....Open to Public
• Residents' Beach
• South Marco Beach

South Marco Beach

Public parking is on Swallow Ave. Parking for residents is on the corner of Swallow Ave. and S. Collier Blvd. Residents displaying a permit are free. Visitors pay a small fee. Has public restrooms and a telephone booth

Tigertail Public Beach

From Collier Blvd. take Tigertail and left onto Hernando.
Has parking, restrooms, showers, BBQs, a child's play area, concessions, beach chairs, umbrella rentals and more. Parking is free for residents who display their permit. A small fee for visitors.

The best of the beaches which include parking, access and eateries etc. are for residents only in my opinion.

[LewLew]

Originally Posted by Kuota

The are three primary beach access points - besides the beachfront resorts and condos. They are

• Tigertail Beach.....Open to Public
• Residents' Beach
• South Marco Beach

South Marco Beach

Public parking is on Swallow Ave. Parking for residents is on the corner of Swallow Ave. and S. Collier Blvd. Residents displaying a permit are free. Visitors pay a small fee. Has public restrooms and a telephone booth

Tigertail Public Beach

From Collier Blvd. take Tigertail and left onto Hernando.
Has parking, restrooms, showers, BBQs, a child's play area, concessions, beach chairs, umbrella rentals and more. Parking is free for residents who display their permit. A small fee for visitors.

The best of the beaches which include parking, access and eateries etc. are for residents only in my opinion.

Depending on where you stay, you will have access to Resident's Beach. We own a condo on Marco, but rent it out most of the year. We keep the resident pass there for guests. If you go to Marco, you should ask. I think that Tiger Tail Beach is nicer than Naples. If they are going to "get away", Naples shopping and nightlife probably doesn't interest them. A quiet, getaway is MUCH better in Marco.

[BigMunch]

Stay at The Lover's Key resort. Best place by far for the view and the waterfront location.

[justNancy]

This is one of those questions that is difficult to answer, because each person has his or her personal preferences when it comes to location. For example, I'm a very light sleeper, so any hotel can be a problem for me, so I usually like to rent a cottage near the beach.

What do you like to do? It's still cold, so I'm not sure you'll want to spend time on the beach. If you were flying from Minnesota, it would be different, but it's no warmer here than the East Coast. When I lived in NH and vacationed on Captiva in March, I went swimming in the Gulf, but now I can't get in the water until June!

If it were up to me and I just wanted to "get away from it all," I would drive a little further and stay on Sanibel Island, although I haven't been there for a while. Just a suggestion. The Holiday Inn is the best of both worlds. It's right on the beach, but it also has all the amenities someone spending a weekend would need.

Sanibel Hotel Accommodations with Holiday Inn


If you don't want to cross the bridge, there is a resort in Fort Myers that overlooks San Carlos Bay. Then, if you want to spend a day on Sanibel or Captiva islands, you are only a hop away from the drawbridge.

Dining - Sanibel Harbour Princess Cruises | Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa

Again, it depends on the type of accommodations you prefer. The above hotel is very nice and has a beautiful pool.

I also agree with Big Munch about Lover's Key, but I don't like the beach as much as Barefoot Beach which is only down the road a mile.

I find the resorts in Naples to be overpriced, but I haven't stayed in one for a long time (since I live in Bonita Springs) When I vacationed here from MA or NH, I was mainly interested in the weather & the beaches. I learned quickly that Aruba was the only place where it doesn't get cold or rain.

Naples Beach & Golf (see link in post by RMD3819) is a very old resort, but it's on a decent beach in a convenient area, very close to downtown Naples. Marco is nice, but not as quaint as Sanibel or Captiva, which is really like taking a vacation away from the hustle & bustle. The Marriott is a nice hotel and is convenient to everything. Actually, Marco is so small that any place you stay will be close to restaurants and shopping.