North Naples & Vanderbilt Beach
Wide sugar-white sand, a buzzy shopping-and-nightlife hub at Mercato, and a state park that keeps landing on best-beach lists. This is the easygoing, family-friendly end of the Paradise Coast.
Updated June 2026
Drive a few miles north of downtown and Naples changes its pace. The streets get a little wider, the beaches get a lot wider, and the whole stretch settles into an unhurried, family-friendly rhythm. This is North Naples, and its beating heart is Vanderbilt Beach — a long ribbon of white sand facing due west into the Gulf, with the Ritz-Carlton anchoring one end and public access points threading down to the water.
It's the easy choice for families, beach lovers and anyone who wants the sand, the shopping and the sunset all within a few minutes of each other. Spend the morning on the beach, the afternoon at Pelican Bay or browsing Mercato, and the evening with your toes in the sand at a beachfront table. For the sand itself, our Vanderbilt Beach and Delnor-Wiggins Pass guides go deeper.
What to see & do
Two of the area's best beaches, a top shopping-and-nightlife hub, and a beachfront dinner that has been a Naples ritual for decades.
A perfect North Naples day
Beach in the morning, shops in the afternoon, sunset on the sand. The easy formula up here.
- Get to Delnor-Wiggins Pass early for the morning's best shelling and a quiet swim before the lots fill.
- Move down to Vanderbilt Beach, park in the garage, and stake out a wide patch of sand for the afternoon.
- Cool off with lunch and a browse at Mercato — grab groceries at Whole Foods or catch a film at the Alamo Drafthouse.
- Freshen up, then head to The Turtle Club for an early dinner table out on the sand.
- Stay put for the main event — the sun dropping straight into the Gulf, the reason Naples faces west. See more in Beaches & Outdoors.
Where to go next
North Naples is the easy beach base, but the rest of the coast is a short drive away.
Vanderbilt Beach
Everything on the wide family beach: access points, the parking garage and the best stretches of sand.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass
The state park that keeps making best-beach lists, with shelling, fishing and dune-backed sand.
Pelican Bay
The lush master-planned community just south, with its private beach trams and the Waterside Shops.
Where to Eat
From beachfront dinners to Mercato's lineup, our pick of where to eat across Naples.
Stay in North Naples
Common questions
Where is Vanderbilt Beach in Naples?
Vanderbilt Beach is in North Naples, a few miles north of downtown, running along Gulf Shore Drive. The Ritz-Carlton anchors the southern end, and there are public access points with a county parking garage just off Vanderbilt Beach Road.
Is there public parking at Vanderbilt Beach?
Yes. Collier County runs a multi-level public parking garage right by the beach access points off Vanderbilt Beach Road. It's open year-round from 8 a.m. to sunset, with a daily fee unless you have a Collier County resident permit, and it fills up by mid-morning on busy season days.
What is there to do in North Naples?
Spend the day on the wide sand at Vanderbilt Beach or top-ranked Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, shop and dine at the open-air Mercato hub (with a Whole Foods and the Alamo Drafthouse dine-in cinema), and have a sunset dinner on the sand at the Turtle Club. It's an easy, family-friendly base for beaches, shopping and dining.
Is Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park open?
The park reopened in early 2025 after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, but recovery has been ongoing and some parking lots and facilities may still be limited. It's worth checking the park's current status before you go. There's a per-vehicle entry fee at the gate.
Is Vanderbilt Beach good for families?
Very. The sand is wide and soft, the Gulf water is generally calm and gradual, and the public access points sit close to the parking garage with restrooms and showers. Many families also base themselves in nearby Naples Park, within walking or biking distance of the beach.
Do I need a reservation for the Turtle Club?
Yes, reservations are strongly recommended and often essential, especially in the winter high season and around sunset, since the beachfront tables are limited and very popular. Book ahead and confirm current hours before you go.