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Getting To & Around Naples

No big airport in town and no subway under it, so it comes down to one good road, one rental car, and knowing where to leave it. Here's how we'd map the whole trip out on a napkin.

Updated June 2026

GETTINGAROUND · NPL

Naples sits at the quiet end of Southwest Florida, where I-75 finally runs out of coast and the Gulf takes over. There's no big airport in town and no subway under it, so getting here and getting around is mostly a matter of one good road, one rental car, and knowing where to leave it once you arrive. Here's how we'd map the trip out on the back of a napkin.

This page is for the planner in your group: the one booking the flights and wondering whether you really need a car (you do). We'll cover flying in, the drive down, parking realities in Old Naples and at the beaches, the seasonal trolley, and how to reach the day trips once you're settled. For when to come, see our best time to visit guide.

Getting here by air

Which airport to fly into

Naples has its own airfield, but it's private flights only. For everyone else, the nearest big airport is up the road in Fort Myers.

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CLOSEST MAJOR AIRPORT · FORT MYERS

Southwest Florida International (RSW)

This is the one to book. RSW sits about 35 miles and roughly 40 minutes north of Naples, an easy straight shot down I-75. It's a real airport with national carriers and plenty of rental-car counters, and it's by far the simplest way in. Grab your car here and you're at the beach before your sunscreen wears off.

Book flights here
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IN-TOWN AIRFIELD · NAPLES

Naples Airport (APF)

Naples does have its own airport right in town, but it's a general-aviation field, private jets, charters and flight schools, with no scheduled commercial airline service. Unless you're arriving by private plane, you'll be landing somewhere else and driving in.

Private only
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EAST-COAST BACKUP · ~2 HRS AWAY

Miami & Fort Lauderdale

If the fares or schedules work out better, Miami (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) are workable alternatives, each roughly two hours east across the state. The drive over Alligator Alley is straightforward, but it's a haul after a long flight, so we'd only choose them over RSW for a meaningful saving.

Alternative
Getting here by road

The drive down

Two roads do almost all the work: the fast interstate and the slow, scenic old highway. Both end at the Gulf.

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THE FAST WAY · I-75

Interstate 75 & Alligator Alley

I-75 is the spine of Southwest Florida, running down from Tampa and Fort Myers into Naples. East of town it becomes "Alligator Alley," the fenced, tolled, dead-straight stretch that crosses the Everglades to the Fort Lauderdale side in about an hour and a half. Limited exits and gas stations out there, so fuel up before you start.

Toll east of town
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THE SCENIC WAY · US-41

US-41, the Tamiami Trail

The original Miami-to-Tampa highway threads right through downtown Naples and east through Big Cypress and the Everglades to Miami. It's slower than the interstate but far prettier, with airboat stops, roadside gator-watching and national-park boardwalks along the way. A lovely route in if you're not in a hurry.

Scenic
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THE BOTTOM LINE · RENT A CAR

You'll want a car

Naples is spread out and built for driving. There's no train, the bus network is light, and the beaches, day trips and dinner spots are scattered along the coast. A rental car is essentially required to enjoy the area, and parking, while sometimes tight, is generally easy to find once you know the lots.

Recommended
Getting around town

Once you're here

Short hops, flat streets and a vintage trolley. Here's how locals and visitors move around day to day.

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SIGHTSEEING · DOWNTOWN

The Naples Trolley

The narrated hop-on, hop-off Naples Trolley is a fun, car-free way to see the sights, looping past Fifth Avenue South, the City Dock, Tin City, the Naples Pier area and more, with stops where you can get off and back on all day. (Heads up: the historic Naples Pier was badly damaged by Hurricanes Ian and Milton and is being rebuilt, so the pier itself is closed during construction, check the city's status before counting on a walk out over the water.) Trolleys run year-round, with the occasional holiday closure; check the current schedule and fares before you go.

Book it
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DOOR TO DOOR · APP-BASED

Rideshare & taxis

Uber and Lyft both operate in Naples and are handy for a night out on Fifth Avenue when you'd rather not park or drive. Waits can be a little longer than in a big city, especially late at night and out in the quieter neighborhoods, so build in a few extra minutes.

Available
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TWO WHEELS · OLD NAPLES

Biking the flat grid

Old Naples is dead flat and laid out on a tidy grid, which makes it ideal cruiser-bike country. Many hotels and inns lend or rent beach bikes, and pedaling between the beach, the shops and the bayfront beats hunting for a parking space. It's our favorite way to spend a morning downtown.

Easy & flat
Parking in season: The public beach lots, like Lowdermilk Park, are pay-by-space for non-residents (a few dollars an hour, typically payable by card, app or coin, check the posted rate at the pay station), and they fill early on winter weekends. Bring a card, arrive before mid-morning, and have a backup beach in mind. Drivers with a valid disability permit can generally park free in the city's metered and timed spaces under Florida law. Downtown, look for free and metered street parking on the side streets off Fifth and Third, and check posted signs for time limits.
Do it like a local

A smooth arrival

Wheels-down to toes-in-the-sand, the easy way.

  1. Fly into RSW in Fort Myers and pick up your rental car right at the airport.
  2. Drive about 40 minutes south on I-75, then cut over to US-41 into Naples.
  3. Drop your bags at a central base, our where to stay guide leans toward walkable spots near the beach.
  4. Leave the car for the day and explore Old Naples on foot, by bike or on the trolley.
  5. Save the car for a day trip, the Everglades, Marco Island or the outer islands.
Keep exploring

Where to go next

Now that you know how to get here and around, here's where to point the car.

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Home base

Where to Stay

Pick a central base near the beach and the shops so you can park once and walk.

Plan→
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Walk it

Old Naples

The flat, shady historic grid between the Gulf and the bay, made for walking and biking.

Neighborhood→
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Hit the road

Day Trips

Where the rental car earns its keep: the Everglades, Marco Island and the outer islands.

Explore→
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Time it right

Best Time to Visit

Season vs. off-season, weather and crowds, so you know how busy the roads and lots will be.

Plan→
Plan the stay

Find a central place to stay

Search hotels → Where to stay in Naples →
Keep exploring

More on getting around

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Plan

Getting from RSW to Naples

Nearly everyone who visits Naples lands at Fort Myers' RSW airport, about 31 miles up the road.

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Plan

Driving to Naples from Miami & Fort Lauderdale

Coming from Florida's east coast?

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Good to know

Common questions

What is the closest airport to Naples, Florida?

The closest major airport is Southwest Florida International (RSW) in Fort Myers, about 35 miles and roughly a 40-minute drive north on I-75. Naples has its own airport (APF) right in town, but it serves private and general aviation only, with no scheduled commercial airline flights. Miami and Fort Lauderdale are alternatives, each about two hours east.

Do I need a car in Naples?

For most visitors, yes. Naples is spread out and built around driving, with no train and only a light bus network, and the beaches, day trips and restaurants are scattered along the coast. A rental car (easiest to grab at RSW airport) makes the trip far simpler. Once you're parked downtown, though, Old Naples is very walkable and bikeable.

How do you get from Miami or Fort Lauderdale to Naples?

Both are roughly a two-hour drive west across the state. The fast route is I-75, known as 'Alligator Alley,' a tolled, fenced interstate straight across the Everglades. The scenic alternative is US-41, the Tamiami Trail, which is slower but passes airboat stops, gator-watching spots and Everglades boardwalks. Fuel up before crossing either way, as services are sparse in the middle.

Is there public transportation or a trolley in Naples?

There's a light public bus system, but the most popular car-free option for visitors is the narrated hop-on, hop-off Naples Trolley, which loops past Fifth Avenue South, Tin City, the City Dock and the Naples Pier area with stops to get off and back on. (Note that the historic Naples Pier itself was damaged by Hurricanes Ian and Milton and is being rebuilt, so it's closed during construction, check the city's status.) Uber and Lyft also operate in town. The trolley runs year-round, but check the current schedule and fares before you go.

How much is beach parking in Naples and where do I park?

Public beach lots like Lowdermilk Park are pay-by-space for non-residents, a few dollars an hour, typically payable by card, app or coin (check the posted rate at the pay station). They fill early on winter weekends, so arrive before mid-morning and bring a backup beach in mind. Downtown, look for free and metered street parking on the side streets off Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South, and watch posted time limits.

Can you walk or bike around Naples?

Old Naples is one of the most walkable and bikeable parts of town, a flat, shady grid between the Gulf and Naples Bay where you can leave the car for the day. Many hotels and inns lend or rent beach cruisers, which are perfect for pedaling between the sand, the shops and the bayfront. To reach other beaches and the day trips, though, you'll still want the car.