Gulfshore Neighborhoods

Aqualane Shores

This neighborhood of 350 estate-size homes is just north of Port Royal, placing it just blocks from the beach and the exclusive shops and restaurants of Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South. Developed by Forrest Walker & Sons in the late 1950s, all but 30 of Aqualane Shores' home sites sit on water, either deep-water manmade canals or Naples Bay. Like its neighbor to the south, the 300-acre Aqualane Shores is prized for its mature, tropical landscaping and tree-shaded streets, however many of those early Walker & Sons homes (home sites originally cost just $2,500) are being torn down and replaced by mega homes. Homes, both old and new, are priced from about $1.5 million.

Lake Park

This neighborhood, set under a canopy of towering trees with traffic-controlling roundabouts, is the more affordable sibling to neighboring Coquina Sands and The Moorings. Hidden behind office buildings fronting Tamiami Trail and a shaded promenade with benches along Goodlette-Frank Road, Lake Park is close to Coastland Center and Fleischmann Park, a mile from the beach and within walking distance of Lake Park Elementary. Many of its houses are originals from the 1950s-smallish two- or three-bedrooms that have been lovingly remodeled or updated. Large lots with pools, mature landscaping and fruit trees are also a big attraction, and prices (primarily in the mid-$400,000s to $700,000s) are what Moorings and Coquina Sands were five years ago.

Naples Park

A 22-by-four-block neighborhood of about 3,000 homes and 10,000 residents, Naples Park is a neighborly sort of place, an amalgamation of new families, retirees and newcomers. Its location to the west of Tamiami Trail places it close to shops, restaurants and Naples' entertainment venues. Nearby amenities include beach accesses, a library and a public park with racquetball facilities, a jogging path and tennis. Boaters and nature lovers will love spending time at nearby Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area. Buyers will find older homes that are typical of those built in the mid-1900s-two bedrooms, one bath and carports-and newer homes, and prices from the $300,000s to more than $1 million.

Old Naples

There's a certain mystique associated with living in Naples' original neighborhood. Old Naples packs savvy and sophistication into its two square miles, a sweep that includes new Gulf-front estates and historic cottages, private condominiums and boutique hotels along quiet streets radiating from its two main centers-Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South, offering world-famous shopping at upscale boutiques, galleries, cosmopolitan bars, theaters and parks. In Old Naples, the beach is at best a few steps away and at worst a short bike ride. Residents can opt out of cooking for the evening and walk to dinner or stock up at Tony's off Third, an upscale market that offers supplies and staples, wines and cheese and gourmet dinners to go. Close to beach clubs and marinas, Old Naples gives even landlocked homeowners the chance to own a boat and offers tree-lined green space at Cambier and Rodgers parks. Old-growth trees create a canopy overhead and blooms and gardens add punches of color to this anything-but-urban scene.

Pine Ridge

Sandwiched between some of Naples' busiest roadways (Tamiami Trail and Goodlette-Frank Road), first-time visitors to the Pine Ridge neighborhood are often surprised by the size and number of its homes, seven large lakes and the presence of horse stables and riding arenas. The neighborhood offers large private lots, often boasting tennis courts, miniature soccer fields, guesthouses and either brand-new or 1970s-era homes. Located on the east side of Tamiami Trail, just south of Pine Ridge Road (hence the name), you'll know when you get to it: The sprawl of commercial development and shopping centers eventually gives way to gracious homes fronting Trail Boulevard. Condos, found in the Emerald Woods to the north of the neighborhood boundaries, start in the high $200,000s. Single-family homes, even those sold "as is," start just below $1 million and top out around $4.5 million.

Port Royal

Perhaps Naples' most recognizable address, Port Royal was developed more than 50 years ago by John Glen Sample, who built his personal fortune as an advertising executive in Chicago. So smitten was Sample with Naples, he purchased the city's southernmost two miles along the Gulf and began taming swamplands, hammocks and beachfront into roughly 560 mostly waterfront lots. His ambition was simple, he want to "make this the finest place to live in the United States." Today Sample's prophecy holds true. Large shade trees create a canopy above the neighborhood's streets; manmade peninsulas, coves and bays bring water into most back yards; and manicured hedges and enviable landscaping provide privacy. Many beachfront property owners have added to their land holdings, acquiring bayfront real estate to dock a boat. Sprawling mansions five times the size of the original 2,000-square-foot homes have replaced those first homes, and property values reach beyond the million-dollar mark. It's a secluded neighborhood whose fate was determined by the arrival of the Ritz-Carlton, says long-time Naples builder Gary Carlson. "The Ritz brought in a whole new clientele to Naples," he says. Today prices fluctuate from $2.25 million for a nonwaterfront likely teardown to nearly $25 million.

Royal Harbor, Oyster Bay, Golden Shores

Royal Harbor is Naples' only 100-percent waterfront community. All of the 419 single-family homes in this triangle of a neighborhood sit on Naples Bay or a series of deep-water canals that lead to the Gulf. Though located on the east side of the bay, Royal Harbor is close to Tin City, Bayfront, Fifth Avenue South and the beaches. Homes vary from new to 1960s originals; most have pools and docks in the back yard, and cost from about $1 million to $6.5 million. Adjoining Oyster Bay and Golden Shores also offer waterfront homes plus some condos and villas, priced from about $300,000 to $2.1 million.

Although the lee county coastline is believed to have been explored by Ponce de Léon in 1513 and 1521, it didn't make its first documented appearance on British maps for nearly two more centuries. Home to an assortment of interesting characters-pirates, pioneers and patriots, among them-Lee County has evolved from a rugged and isolated area of the New World to the winter workshop of inventor Thomas Edison to its modern-day destination for tourists and full-time residents. Today's Lee County has five official cities-Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island-and a full-time population of 544,400, more than half of them (292,400) living in the unincorporated areas. By comparison, the first county Census in 1890 recorded a population of 1,414 residents just three years after it was formed from Monroe County and named for Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Among the 100 fastest growing counties in the country, Lee County attracts an average 11,600 new workers each year and 48 percent of its population is between 25 to 64 years old. Lee County's character is a split personality of scenic barrier islands, a soon-to-be cosmopolitan River District in downtown Fort Myers, operating citrus groves, sprawling resort-like gated communities and quaint river towns. Water is a major player in the county's ongoing development. Bays, backwaters and manmade canals provide access to the Gulf and the county's miles-long stretch of the Caloosahatchee River.

Beaches

Of Lee County's nearly 600 miles of shoreline, 50 miles are beaches and 20 are named beaches stretching from border-straddling Gasparilla Island south to Bonita Beach. The majority of the county's beaches are located on barrier islands, many of which are uninhabited and destined to stay that way. Others are accessible only by boat, creating a way-it-used-to-be kind of feeling. Each of Lee County's beaches has a unique personality. Here, we present them from north to south.

Gasparilla Island

Home to Boca Grande and road-accessible only via Charlotte County, Gasparilla Island has evolved from its fishing and phosphate roots to a world-class destination for jet setters and residents. The venue of the World's Richest Tarpon Tournament (postponed this year), the island is protected by the Gasparilla Act, which limits allowable density and building heights. The island's size-seven miles long and only half a mile wide-puts the beach and the waters of the Gulf and Charlotte Harbor within walking distance of almost any home. The 142-acre Gasparilla Island State Park offers five beach access points. The often-photographed Boca Grande Lighthouse is found in the appropriately named Lighthouse Beach Park.

Golf carts are the preferred mode of travel, especially in and around the quaint downtown area, where the former railroad depot has been restored to shops, offices and restaurants. Clothing stores, art galleries, antique shops, restaurants and boutiques are also found here. The historic 1913 Gasparilla Inn, with its white-washed architecture, columns and porches, recalls another time.

Homes and condos are sprinkled throughout downtown and along the water. Boca Grande Isles, a gated neighborhood of 123 waterfront properties, appeals to the avid boater with its deep water and to nature lovers who enjoy watching the unfolding natural scenery along Hole in the Wall Bay. Homes on Gasparilla Island range from the mid-$300,000s to $10 million. Coral Creek Club, located in nearby Placida, offers a scenic Tom Fazio-designed golf course (limited to 225 members), a clubhouse, limited airport memberships and Old Florida cottages.

Lacosta Island is as far removed from civilization as one can get while so close to it. A remote barrier island between Gasparilla and North Captiva islands, the upper northern portion is Cayo Costa State Park, offering nine miles of beaches and 2,506 acres of pine forests, oak-palm hammocks and mangrove swamps. Uninhabited except for overnight campers, the island is reachable only by boat.

Sanibel Island

The scenic Sanibel Causeway, a series of islands and bridges (a new span is under construction), begins at the end of McGregor Boulevard in Punta Rassa on the mainland. Decades of careful preservation have helped to retain much of the naturalistic appeal of Sanibel. A majority of the island is under the management of the federal government at the 6,400-acre J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors and residents prefer biking to driving, especially during high season when a left-hand turn is next to impossible in this town without a stoplight. Periwinkle Way, the island's main drag, offers quaint shopping centers and boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and even live theater. Building laws limit condos and homes to just three stories, says Jane Reader Weaver, a realtor who's specialized in Sanibel and Captiva property for 20 years. Multimillion-dollar estates, cottages and condos share the shoreline with several beaches-Lighthouse Beach Park, featuring the island's 1884 landmark lighthouse; Gulfside City Park; and the most popular, Bowman's Beach. Mid-island Tarpon Bay Beach is a good spot for swimming and windsurfing. Blind Pass Beach, the official midway point between the two islands, is considered one of the best shelling spots in the world.

Captiva Island

Captiva is separated from Sanibel by a thin swipe of water at Blind Pass. Sanibel-Captiva Road becomes Captiva Drive, along which most of the island's multimillion-dollar homes are found. Homes are hidden behind thick foliage but passersby get an occasional glimpse of winding, crushed-shell driveways leading to simple cottages, Spanish-Mediterranean mansions and contemporary South Beach-style getaways. Most homes have names and offer either the Gulf or Pine Island Sound in their back yards. "Captiva is all waterfront," says Weaver. "It's a narrow slice of heaven."

Venture farther north and you'll eventually arrive at Captiva's village, a quaint collection of pastel-hued and beachy shops, galleries and boutiques and steps-from-the-water homes located along sandy lanes. Restaurants like the Bubble Room, decorated in 1950s movie and TV memorabilia, and the Mucky Duck are within walking distance; golf carts and electric cars are preferred by residents who live farther away. Captiva Beach, ranked among the most romantic in the nation, is never more than two blocks away, and, some say, is the perfect spot to catch the mystical green flash. The gated South Seas Resort occupies the northern two miles of Captiva.

Fort Myers Beach

If you're looking for a lively party, check out Fort Myers Beach, especially in March and April. Southwest Florida's slightly tamer version of spring break hotspots Fort Lauderdale and Daytona, Fort Myers Beach has one of the hippest vibes of the region. Restaurants and bars offer toes-in-the-sand dining, dancing and drinking and an eccentric energy that keeps traffic-automobile and pedestrian-flowing 24/7 around Times Square and Estero Boulevard. Gulf-front homes, older and newer, and more than two dozen beach accesses are sprinkled among the many rental cottages and condos. Side streets offer water in the back yard-canals opening to Matanzas Pass and Estero Bay farther south-and the beach within a block's walk. Most of the island's commerce-seafood restaurants, bars, boutiques, beach shops and tattoo parlors-is located on Estero Boulevard and many, like the Lani Kai, offer on-the-beach musical entertainment and rooftop terraces. Walk the beach or the sidewalk on your pub crawl, rent a bike or a scooter to get around.