God's Waiting Room Or a Man's Paradise?

When my wife first asked me if I wanted to visit Naples, Florida Gators , I had the same reaction as most: "I think I have a grandmother that lives down there." She laughed at me, I told her I was serious, but it wasn't until 3 years later, after I had visited twice and decided to move down there on a whim that I realized that Naples reputation is only partially warranted, at best.

Naples certainly is ripe with 55+ communities, old money, gated communities in which your Homeowner's Association Fees cost more than most people's mortgages, and community bingo centers. But all of these things are seamlessly embedded in sub-tropical paradise that, over the last 15 years, has exploded in a fury of commercialism. Downtown Naples is still very much a classy destination, commonly drawing an older crowd. But bars like Yabba's are challenging that with DJ's, laser lights, and an elegant under 40 crowd.

Moving beyond downtown, Naples is a cornucopia of activity for the bar-hopper, the foodie, the socialite, the beach bum, the camper, the fisher, the boater, the nature lover, the tree-hugger, the artist, the musician, the golfer, and the hedonist. And why not live a life of pleasure, especially when you are surrounded by palm trees, perfect weather for 6 months of the year, and some of the best white sand beaches on the planet.

Located at the South West tip of Florida Gators , as far South as you can go without being completely inundated by The Everglades, Naples and it's surrounding areas are home to a dazzling array of Wildlife and Nature. Coming from the North East, I'm constantly amazed by the size and grace of the birds and the fish seen on a daily basis. Having a great egret or an osprey swoop down for a meal in your back yard is something you can only read about in most parts of the country. I've seen it so many times, I could write a book on the feeding habits of great South West Florida birds. Or at least write an Ezine Article.

The landscape and the wildlife are what so amazed me in moving to this part of Florida, as well as the activities that are derived from these two attractions. After basking in it for a year, I realized that these two things have created a place unlike any other in the United States, especially if you happen to be a typical guy. If you enjoy the outdoors, forget anywhere else. It's time to come to Naples, FL. And here's why.

Fishing - Naples and it's surrounding area are home to some of the biggest and best fish anywhere. From snook to tarpon, to bass and redfish, catfish and even some large species of sharks. You can sit on a dock in the canal by your house and pick out bass(there's never one far away), or boat up to Florida Gators and land a 200lb tarpon. You can stand on the sun-kissed evening beach of Sanibel Island and pull in an 8 foot hammerhead while watching an earth-shattering sunset, or kayak through the 10,000 islands in gator country--hell, you can even hunt gator (seasonally, of course)!