Pretty as a picture:
Naples has plenty of places to watch the sunset (Part 2)

By CARRIE A. SCHWANTNER
caschwantner@naplesnews.com
June 25, 2004

Sunset in Naples: By water, restaurant or other options
Here is list of places to watch the sunset in Naples and across Southwest Florida.

Cruises or sails

The following are sunset cruises or sails available in Marco Island and Naples. Some departure times vary throughout the year, so call for the current time:

Cocohatchee Nature Center, 12345 U.S. 41 N., 592-1200. Schedule varies, tour lasts an hour and a half, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. A narrated sunset boat tour takes you through the backwaters of the Cocohatchee River, through mangroves, to Wiggins Pass. Reservations recommended. $20 for adults and $10 for children. Local residents can get a 30 percent discount during the summer.

Double Sunshine, 1200 Fifth Ave. S., located in Tin City, 263-4949, departs daily an hour before sunset and about 1½ hours. A narrated sunset cruise along Naples Bay and out to the Gulf. Reservations recommended. $25 for adults, $12.50 for children under 12.

Sweet Liberty Sailing Tour, 880 12th Ave. S., located at the City Dock, 793-3525. A narrated two-hour sunset tour sails daily down the Gordon Pass and through a canal in Port Royal and into the Gulf. Picnics welcome. Reservations recommended. $25 for adults, $15 for children under 12.

Nautilus Boat tours, 179 South Bay Drive (off Gulfshore Drive) located in the Vanderbilt Beach Marina, 597-4408. Offers sunset cruises from the Vanderbilt Beach Marina to Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park. The lightly narrated tour shows off real estate and wildlife. Soda, beer and wine available for purchase on the boat; patrons are allowed to bring snacks. The tour lasts about an hour and a half; call for the current schedule. Reservations recommended. $20 for adults, $8 for children under 12.

Kahuna Katamarans, 951 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island, located at the Marco River Marina, 642-7704, seven days. Choose either a three-hour sunset sail that also includes shelling and dolphin watching, or a two-hour sunset sail through the Marco River and into the Gulf. Complimentary soda, beer and wine aboard. Patrons are allowed to bring food. Reservations recommended. The three-hour sail is $45 and the two-hour sail is $35, children under 12 are half-price.

The Naples Princess, 550 Port O Call Way, 649-2275. This 93-foot luxury air-conditioned yacht offers evening sunset cruises through Naples Bay, Port Royal and out into the Gulf. Dinner and hors d’oeuvres sunset cruises available; all cruises have a cash bar. Standard Sunset cruise lasts two hours and is $23.95, plus $2 port charge. Sunset schedule and prices vary. Reservations recommended. Dress is casual. Check Web site at www.naplesprincesscruises.com

The Marco Princess, 951 Bald Eagle Drive, 642-5415. This 85-foot luxury air-conditioned yacht offers sunset cruises around Marco Island and into the Gulf. Dinner and hors d’oeuvres sunset cruises available, all cruises have a cash bar. Standard Sunset cruise lasts 2 hours and is $23.95 plus $2 port charge. Sunset schedule and prices vary. Reservations recommended. Dress is casual. Check Web site at www.naplesprincesscruises.com

Restaurants/bars

Turtle Club Restaurant, 9225 Gulfshore Drive N., 592-6557, open 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays. Dress is resort casual at this seafood restaurant. Meals prices range from $16.95 to $42. Reservations recommended. Be sure to request an outside table for the sunset views.

The Tide Beach Front Bar and Grill, 900 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island, located in the Apollo Condominiums, 389-0509, open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. This family sports bar gets crowded at sunset time, so arrive early to get the best seats. Drink prices range from $3.75 to $8 and food prices range from $3 to $18.

Chickee on the Beach, 11000 Gulfshore Drive, part of the Vanderbilt Inn, 597-3151, ext. 2185, open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. This tropical-style bar offers a menu with a Caribbean flare. There is live music Wednesday through Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. Drink prices are around $4 to $5, and the food price averages around $8.

Quinn’s on the Beach, 400 S. Collier Blvd., part of the Marco Island Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa, 642-2707, open 11:30 a.m. to midnight daily. This Key West-style bar and restaurant offers live music daily this month. Food prices range from $10.50 to $22.50, and the average drink costs around $8.

Gumbo Limbo, 280 Vanderbilt Beach Drive, part of The Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort, Naples, 593-2000, open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. This Caribbean-style bar and restaurant is casual and outside. An average drink price is a little over $8 and food prices range from $13 to $20.

Baleen, 9891 Gulfshore Drive, part of LaPlaya Resort, 598-5707, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. This seafood-centric bar and restaurant is a romantic place to have dinner as the sun sets. There is live music Thursday through Monday evenings. Dress is resort casual and reservations are required for dinner. The average meal price is around $30 to $35 and a drink costs around $4.50 to $12.

Sunset Beach Bar, 851 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., part of the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club, open 7 days, 261-2222, open 7 days from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays and until midnight on weekends. A solo guitarist plays six days a week, and on Sunday there is a live band. The average drink price is $6 and the average meal price is $22.

Other options

Naples Pier, 25 12th Ave. S. Open daily around the clock. Has restrooms, outdoor showers and metered parking. Snack bar and bait shop are open from 9 a.m. to sunset.

Europe-American Aviation, 200 Aviation Drive N., Suite 6, located next to the Naples Airport Authority, 430-9220, open daily. Reservations required. Offers one-hour sunset flights over Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel and Captiva, Everglades or the Ten Thousand Islands. Prices range from $131 per flight for up to three average-size adults. Visit their website at:
www.eaa-fly.com