Collier County: Keeping Naples Area History Alive

Historic photo of Naples Beach in 1940 Courtesy of the Collier County Museum

Step into Everglades City or its neighboring areas, and you've stepped back in time. While Everglades City and Immokalee perfectly preserve the county's natural wonders, Chokoloskee and Ochopee keep local history alive inside quaint landmarks. You can still enjoy lunch and conversation at Big House Coffee (erected as Chokoloskee's meeting place in 1890) or visit Ochopee's post office, the smallest in the U.S.

Stop by the Gulf Coast Visitor Center in Everglades City for passes, activities and information from the National Park Service on exploring the Everglades. Angle for tarpon, snook or redfish in the Ten Thousand Islands, canoe the 99-mile Wilderness Waterway, take a swamp walk through Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park or visit the Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Immokalee. Immokalee also helps to preserve the area's cultural history through a Seminole-themed restaurant at the Seminole Casino - Immokalee.

Whether you connect with nature or with the past through one of Collier County's many attractions, a whole world of adventure awaits – and it's within easy driving distance of Naples and Marco Island. Everglades City offers plenty of choices for accommodations including motels, a B&B, a historic lodge, cabins, campgrounds and more.