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Naturally Naples, Marco Island & the Everglades
By Chelle Koster Walton, Member of the Society of American Travel Writers
 Wood Stork
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As Florida's final wilderness frontier - where Everglades wetland meets Gulf of Mexico and mangrove forest meets beach - the Naples, Marco Island and Everglades area gives you weeks worth of outdoor interfacing in the wildest of settings. Here's a sampling in four days.
Day 1
Ease into the primeval nature scene with an introduction to beach ecology at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park in North Naples. Work on your tan as you comb the sands with the local shorebirds, scouting out the minute sea life that inhabits the shore. In summer, you might notice trails that look like tractor treads. They're actually sea turtle tracks and they end where the mother sea turtle has deposited eggs. Ranger patrols cage the nests to protect the eggs from marauding raccoons, and they lead turtle talks to teach more about the hefty prehistoric creatures. Other guided tours focus on snorkeling, kayaking, birds and local flora. Climb the observation tower for an overview and cast a line into the pass to meet some of the local underwater residents.
After a beach picnic, head to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary for your first taste of Everglades ecology. Get a preview in the Swamp Theater then follow the 2.25-mile boardwalk to look for alligators, roseate spoonbills, wood storks, and signs of black bears, deer and bobcats. Finish the day with a Cocohatchee Nature Center sunset eco-cruise into the protected Cocohatchee River - home to egrets, herons, and the occasional bald eagle and kestrel - and dinner at Cocohatchee Bay House, which is open in season.
Day 2
Collier-Seminole State Park provides easy modes for Everglades exploring. In the morning, set up camp (attempt camping only in the cool months, otherwise opt for a mosquito-free room at nearby Port of the Islands Resort), then paddle along the 13.6-mile Blackwater River canoe trail loop into mangrove forest, home to baby fishes and the big birds that swallow them. Boat tours also ply the bird-infested waters.
After a picnic lunch, head to the park's trails by bike or foot. The 3.5-mile hiking and 
Couple at boardwalk
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biking trail traverses bird and alligator habitat. Other hiking trails explore a salt marsh, cypress forest and royal palm hammock.
Day 3
Now you're ready for the extreme 'Glades experience. Start with an early morning drive into Big Cypress National Preserve along Loop Road, where alligators crawl along the unpaved road and hawks swoop in front of the car. On your way headed back west, stop at the preserve's Oasis Visitor Center and H.P. Williams Roadside Park to watch alligators from viewing platforms. For lunch, sample Everglades fare - fried alligator tail, Seminole Indian fry bread, stone or blue crab, and frog legs - at rustic Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe.
Learn about mangroves and more on an afternoon Everglades National Park Boat Tour out of Everglades City. End the day with a stroll along Big Cypress Bend boardwalk trail at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, known for its wild orchids. For an extremely Everglades-immersing experience, ask about the preserve's guided swamp walks in fall, winter and spring.
Day 4
Today, go eco-lite. Hit Tigertail Beach on Marco Island for morning birding and shelling. Ranger-led programs examine shells, sea turtles, dolphins, manatees, birds and more. Drive to Isles of Capri for lunch on estuary shores at Backwater Nick's Cafe. Learn more about the ecology you've been experiencing from nearby Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center's super-sized and interactive exhibits.
If you go:
Backwater Nick's Cafe, 239-642-5700
Big Cypress National Preserve, 239-695-1201, Website
Cocohatchee Bay House, 239-591-3837
Cocohatchee Nature Center, 239-592-1200, Website
Collier-Seminole State Park, 239-394-3397, Website
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, 239-348-9151, Website
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, 239-597-6196, Website
Everglades National Park Boat Tour, 239-695-2591, 866-628-7275, Website
Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center, 239-695-3311, Website
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, 239-695-4593, Website
Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe, 239-695-2682
Port of the Islands Resort and Marina, 239-394-3101, Website
Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, 239-417-6310, Website
Tigertail Beach, 239-353-0404, Website
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