Soak up the sunshine with Irish connections in southwest Florida

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Winter weather is blasting many parts of Ireland and the US, but sunshine and sandy beaches are not far way. Florida is less than a three hour plane trip from Newark or JFK or nine hours from Ireland.

Although Miami, West Palm Beach, Clearwater Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando draw lots of Irish and Irish-American visitors, the small and picturesque city of Naples (population 21,653) in the SW corner of the Sunshine State is fast becoming a favorite place to go because it is not over-run with tourists or traffic – and it also has a lot of Irish connections including an annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade (this year, slated for March 13). 

Nestled between the Gordon River and the Gulf of Mexico, the Naples waterfront is reminiscent of the coastal coves of Bantry Bay or the Ring of Kerry, with palm trees swaying in the breezes and endless unspoiled beaches, except Naples also boasts hundreds of meg-millions mansions, all built in recent years.

Fly into Ft. Myers Airport and drive ½ hour south to Naples. Compared to Irish cities and towns, Naples is relatively young, founded in the 1880’s and named after the Italian port of the same name because of its idyllic location and climate (average annual high temperature: 84, and average low temperature: 64 – even though the past week has brought temperatures 25 degrees below normal!).  It has also retained a beautiful historic area of old tile-roofed buildings flanked by huge banyan trees.

You’ll know you have arrived in Naples as you turn onto the main street (Fifth Avenue) and see the shamrocks amid the palm fronds at the Shamrock Bank of Florida (www.shamrockbankfl.com), a Naples-originated community bank.

Naples is known for The Pier (dating back to 1888), a rustic 1,000-foot wooden platform jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico and a favorite for visitors and locals alike who crave the sea air or seek the best vantage point for sunsets.  A stroll on the Naples pier is similar to walking out along the pier in Dun Laoghaire or along the promenade of Salthill.

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