Great Places to Visit on a West Coast Florida Road Trip Itinerary

Take a west coast Florida road trip. Find out about things to do on a Florida Gulf Coast road trip between Naples and Tampa.

What better way to spend a week than on a Florida Gulf Coast road trip? I love to combine business and pleasure, that's a key principle here at Sidewalk Safari that my regular readers know. 

We also use a similar philosophy when planning family trips; building in some time to explore new places. I'm lucky because I have family in Naples, Florida, arguably one of the best places to live on the west coast of Florida and chock full of some of the best things to do on the Florida Gulf Coast. 

We recently embarked on a Florida road trip from Naples to Tampa Bay. Not only did we spend time with my family, but we discovered some amazing things to do along the west coast of Florida. We encountered wildlife, creativity at its finest, and even had the chance to run off and join the circus. 

Read on for more about our one week Florida west coast road trip itinerary, one of several southeast USA road trip ideas you might consider.

Getting to the Florida Gulf Coast

You have a number of options for getting to the west coast of Florida if you don't live within driving distance. In my opinion, the most convenient airport to fly into is Fort Myers. However, flights to Fort Myers are relatively limited and can be expensive. 

You'll also likely need to connect at a major hub like Newark or Washington, D.C. You could also fly into Fort Lauderdale and drive across the Everglades to reach the Gulf Coast. It takes about 90 minutes to drive from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Naples. 

If you are visiting Florida from international destinations, flying into Miami is your best bet if you don't want to add a connecting flight to your itinerary. It takes about 2 hours to drive from Miami to Naples. If you do fly into Miami, I recommend spending a day in the Miami South Beach Art Deco Historic District. The architecture is fabulous!

Of course, you could consider doing this road trip itinerary in reverse and flying into Tampa International Airport or even Orlando if you'd like to add a day or two at Disney to the start of this Florida road trip. 

One Week Florida Gulf Coast Road Trip Itinerary Summarized

Wondering where is the best place to go on the west coast of Florida? Before we dive deeper, let me summarize our Florida road trip for you so you have a better idea of what we have in store. I'd argue that this itinerary features some of the coolest and most interesting places in the region. 

• Day 1: Arrive in Naples
• Day 2: Birdwatching at Pelican Bay in Naples
• Day 3 (day): Walk the Clam Pass Boardwalk in Pelican Bay
• Day 3 (evening): Cocktails at the Blue Martini in Naples
• Day 4: Drive from Naples to the Everglades to experience "Old Florida" and a manatee safari
• Day 5: Drive from Naples to Sanibel Island with stops at Lovers Key State Park and the Edison and Ford Winter Estates
• Day 6 (day): Drive from Sanibel Island to Sarasota with a stop at J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge
• Day 6 (afternoon/evening): Ringling Bros. Museum and Ca' d'Zan
• Day 7: Drive from Sarasota to St. Petersburg with stops at Weedon Island Preserve and Sawgrass Lake Park
• Day 8: Explore downtown St. Petersburg plus a drive to Tampa

Now let's explore our Florida road trip itinerary in more detail with plenty of pictures to inspire your visit to west and southwest Florida.

Florida Gulf Coast Travel Destinations: Naples

Let's start our trip in Naples, one of the most beautiful places on the southwest gulf coast of Florida.

Birdwatching in Pelican Bay

We started our road trip in Naples. Naples' Pelican Bay is a popular spot for birds because of the combination of seaside location and protected mangrove swamps nearby. 

We spent time with our family in Pelican Bay and took time to marvel at the resident birds. We spotted a rare wood stork...

...pelicans with impressive wingspans and hundreds of migrating seabirds including different species of terns.

We enjoyed watching sandpipers darting in and out of the surf looking for their next meal.

We also discovered that Pelican Bay is home to a significant number of pairs of nesting osprey. We were lucky to spot this fellow perched on a naked tree branch. Look at those talons!

Pelican Bay is a private beach and boardwalk so you'll need to know someone (or rent a condo from someone for your vacation) in order to get to the beach and wildlife trails. 

One of the best things about visiting Florida are the quiet Gulf Coast beaches. We felt lucky to have one of the best beaches in this region literally in our backyard.

Spiders on the Clam Pass Boardwalk

Clam Pass Park is adjacent to Pelican Bay in Naples but is open to the public and is one of my favorite free things to do on the west coast of Florida. We walked to the entrance to the boardwalk (to avoid the steep fee to park) and took a long stroll along the wooden structure. 

The mangroves formed a shady canopy over the path. As we looked closer, we discovered a number of intimidating spiders who had taken up residence in the trees along the path. This fellow closing in on his next meal made my spine tingle.

Funky Cocktails at the Blue Martini in Naples

Naples isn't just about beaches and wildlife, it also boasts wild nightlife. We visited the Blue Martini on a Tuesday for half-priced cocktails and a funky cover band. 

Naples is mostly a city of visitors and transplants so when the band asked "who's visiting from out of town?" and my father shouted "they're from Ireland!", I wasn't surprised at all when two gents rocked up to introduce themselves: Oliver from Sligo, and Billy Belfast. 

Both had relocated to Florida's Gulf Coast many years ago. 

Drive from Naples to the Everglades for a Day Trip

If you have the time to spare, I recommend spending a day in the Florida Everglades. 

Whenever we visit Naples, certain things are described as being very "Old Florida".  On a visit to the Everglades, you can take a drive and see "Old Florida" up close.  

We embarked on the hour long drive to Everglades City which is adjacent to Everglades National Park.  The Rod and Gun club apparently epitomizes "Old Florida" so let's have a look at what it's all about.

We walked inside (the club is open to the public).  The atmosphere was all dark wood panels and taxidermy.

...lots and lots of taxidermy.

Some rifles which were presumably used to kill said animals now on display hung from the wall. We wandered onto the back porch and back into the sun.  A cap'n in a raincoat sat by the door.  A junkyard dog sat in a rattan chair.

Several pelicans were hanging out near the fish gutting station right on the water.  Smart fellows...

We looked back at the white clapboard building that is home to the Rod and Gun Club and was such a contrast to the dark interior.

We completed our tour and headed back to the car, admiring the old bank building across the street, another great example of 'Old Florida' architecture.

We followed some signs to Smallwood's store, a historical landmark that we thought would still be an operating general store but was in fact just a museum. 

Smallwood's Store was built in 1906 on Chokoloskee Island. The building was a store, post office, and Indian trading post for almost 40 years, but was not accessible by road until 1955. Smallwood's Store is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

From Everglades City, make your way to Port of the Islands for a manatee safari boat tour! Don't miss the opportunity to see these gentle giants in the wild. 

Manatees are definitely one of the most unique residents of the Florida Gulf Coast and in turn, we found this boat cruise to be one of the most unique things to do on the west coast of Florida.

Florida Gulf Coast Road Trip Itinerary: From Naples to Sanibel Island

Now let's hit the road and discover places to see on the west coast of Florida between Naples and Sanibel Island.

Gopher Tortoises at Lovers Key State Park

After a most excellent 3 days in Naples with family, we hopped in the car for the vacation portion of our roap trip. We were headed from Naples to Tampa before our return flight to Dublin and aimed to see as many Gulf Coast travel destinations as possible during our trip. 

Our time in Florida was short but fortunately for us, Florida packs a lot into every square mile between Naples and Tampa. We pulled into Lovers Key State Park not far from Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach. 

The park was eerily quiet. We took a short, tentative walk in the midday heat along one of the marked trails. 

We were feeling somewhat 'meh' about the park when my husband touched my arm and pointed. A gopher tortoise was sitting at the edge of the trail munching on grass. What a spectacular and unexpected wildlife encounter!

Eureka Moments at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers

Our next stop allowed us to tap into Florida's spirit of invention and creativity. You could say that Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were snowbirds and escaped the cold of the north for the warmth and sun of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. 

Highlights of our road trip stop at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates included a number of early model Fords. 

There is a museum on site that highlights Edison's prolific inventions across a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines. We also got to see Edison's fully stocked lab with many original bottles of reagents and solvents perhaps labeled in Edison's own hand.

As an added bonus, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates sit right on the Gulf for lovely views.

Sanibel Sunsets over the Gulf Coast

We arrived on Sanibel Island just before sunset and were given the keys to our room at the Island Inn. We were just a short walk from the beach (one of the best west coach beaches in Florida!) so we walked along the sand as the sun sank lower in the sky. 

Florida Gulf Coast sunsets are always special but this particular sunset on Sanibel Island was especially memorable. Our short Florida Gulf Coast road trip was off to a great start.

Seashells by the Seashore on Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island is known for a prolific number of shells on the beach. We awoke early the next day to catch a guided shell walk that departs from the Island Inn each morning and is run by the curators at the Baily-Matthews National Shell Museum nearby. 

Our guide, a bonafide marine biologist showed us different types of shells and some unique variants. For example, if you see a perfectly round hole in a shell, that's a mark of predation. 

Squiggly indentations, on the other hand, are indicative of a symbiotic relationship. It was all very fascinating. The shell walk was free to guests at the Island Inn.

Dolphins on the Beach Along Florida's Gulf Coast

The shells on Sanibel Island were fascinating but I have to say that the frolicking dolphins were even more so. While we were on our shell walk, a pod of dolphins including some playful juveniles made an appearance close to shore and really stole the show. 

We spent about 30 minutes watching the dolphins splash about. Their playful behavior really put us in a good mood for the day.

Florida Gulf Coast Road Trip Itinerary: From Sanibel Island to Sarasota

The next leg of our road trip itinerary takes us from Sanibel Island to Sarasota, one of the best Florida west coast cities.

Sanibel Island's J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

A large chunk of Sanibel Island serves as a protected wildlife habitat. We drove to the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge during our visit to Sanibel. 

If you pay $5 USD, you can drive the one way loop road through the refuge pulling over when it takes your fancy to look for interesting birds and wildlife. We spotted a yellow-crowned night heron with a kill.

I also spotted this juvenile yellow-crowned night heron crossing the road in the distance.

Stunning butterflies flitted about.

The terrain ranged from open pools of water to tightly knitted mangrove swamps.

We had a great time exploring and birdwatching along the way.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for U.S. destinations with a healthy dose of nature that will make you say "wow"? Check out ten fun things to do in Arizona.

Sarasota: The Land of Art Deco and Whimsical Flamingos

Our next Gulf Coast travel destination was Sarasota which is known for fine white sand beaches and lots of Art Deco architecture. We enjoyed spotting the stepped towers, speed lines, and neon signs that are the hallmark of the Art Deco style as we strolled around town.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Do you love Art Deco architecture as much as I do? Here are my recommendations for some great places around the world where you can get your Art Deco fix.  Take an Art Deco San Francisco walking tour, one of my favorite things to do in San Francisco! Marvel at Art Deco skyscrapers that are the hallmark of Buffalo's architecture Spend 2 days in Helsinki Finland or 3 days in Melbourne Australia exploring the eye-catching buildings Visit Philadelphia in winter where you can warm up in Art Deco 30th Street Station

We also learned that Sarasota has a creative and whimsical side. We saw at least three bicycles decorated with different colored plastic flamingos. So much awesome!

Running Away to Join the Circus at Ringling Bros. Ca' d'Zan

Sarasota's best attractions are situated further away from downtown and are a perfect addition to a Florida Gulf Coast road trip. We drove out to the Ringling Bros. Museum and Ca' d'Zan, the Ringling Brothers winter estate. 

You may rightly assume that the Ringling Brothers Museum is one of the best things to do on the west coast of Florida with kids. That said, we don't have kids and we had an amazing time too.

In the decades of the traveling circus, the show would ride the rails bringing joy and wonder to children of all ages during the warmer months. 

What do you do with hundreds of rail cars worth of performers, gear, and show animals in the wintertime? Apparently, you take the whole thing to Sarasota, Florida to ride out the winter.

The Ringling Museum featured various train cars and gear to get a sense of the scale of the operation. It also showcased a number of jaw dropping and death defying feats that were a regular part of the circus. 

While not really death-defying, I did manage to squeeze myself into a miniature clown car.

Another highlight of the Ringling Museum was the intricate mini-circus diorama. This miniature masterpiece took up an entire floor of the museum and was historically accurate down to the tiniest detail.

We also strolled around the outside of Ca' d'Zan itself which sits right along the Gulf of Mexico. The Moorish-inspired building simply lights up during the golden hour when the sun starts to set. 

It's amazing to think of the wealth that the circus generated for the Ringling Brothers and their entourage.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other ideas for a short U.S. road trip? Why not take a Houston to Austin drive for awesome road side attractions and spectacular landscapes or a New England road trip from Boston to Portland Maine for sea views, fantastic craft beer, and a few measures of American history.

The grounds of Ca' d'Zan also feature dozens of classical sculptures that look lovely against a backdrop of enormous banyan trees.

Also on the grounds, the The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art features world-class artists and often hosts musical performances in the grand courtyard. 

Based on our experience, the Ringling Bros. Museum and Ca' d'Zan is arguably one of the coolest Florida west coast attractions.

St. Armands Circle

Also on the outskirts of Sarasota, St. Armands Circle restaurants are a great place to dine after a high end shopping spree. Planned and built by John Ringling, St. Armands is worth a stop before leaving Sarasota to continue the road trip. 

Even if you are short on time, make sure to try the chocolate covered bacon at the Fudge Factory of St. Armands.

Florida Gulf Coast Road Trip Itinerary: From Sarasota to St. Petersburg

Now let's drive between two very cool west coast cities in Florida as our road trip continues from Sarasota to St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg's Weedon Island Preserve

Moving on from Sarasota, we continued our Florida Gulf Coast road trip to St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg has a big city feel but also captures the spirit of wild Florida within its borders. We stopped at the Weedon Island Preserve and perused the boardwalk trails. 

The most startling thing we saw was the skeleton of a small mammal, picked entirely clean! I'm guessing the victim was a raccoon based on other telltale signs that we saw nearby. I'm morbidly curious about how it met its end. 

Weedon Island Preserve is similar to other areas of natural preservation and conservation in Florida. We didn't spot a ton of wildlife or birds but it was still a lovely spot for a simultaneously relaxing and spine-tingling walk. 

Sawgrass Lake Park

We also visited Sawgrass Lake Park in the heart of a residential neighborhood in St. Petersburg. We visited early which could very well be the reason we saw all sorts of cool wildlife on our visit: from an anhinga with wings spread wide to an alligator lurking just below the boardwalk.

We even spotted an enormous frog. The boardwalk trails through the mangroves were well-shaded and this was truly a great spot for a bit of exercise.

Cuban Food at La Teresita

No Florida road trip itinerary is complete without a stop for Cuban food! We got our fill at La Teresita in Pinellas Park just outside of St. Pete. The savory plantains (tostones) with mojo sauce were simply outstanding.

Out and About in Downtown St. Pete

We parked our car in a local garage and set out to explore downtown St. Petersburg for a day. All the action is along Central Avenue.

St. Petersburg Farmers Market

We started our exploration at the St. Petersburg Farmers' Market featuring juicy produce, colorful flowers, local musicians, and plenty to eat. The St. Petersburg Farmers' Market takes place every Saturday morning downtown.

Craft Beer in Downtown St. Pete

St. Petersburg is a city committed to craft beer and there are a number of breweries along Central Ave. We sampled a fine dry cider (Abricot) and Beemo Saison at Green Bench.

We followed that up with a pitstop at Cycle Brewing for a heavier Hazelnut Cream and Sugar, Please stout. Sipping this beer felt like drinking an iced hazelnut coffee. Very creative.

Folkfest St. Pete

We happened to be in St. Petersburg for Folkfest St. Pete and joined other locals sitting in the sun and enjoying local bands.

Fun Street Art

Downtown St. Petersburg also showcased some of the best street art that we saw anywhere on our Gulf Coast road trip between Naples and Tampa. I especially love this scene of a hostile alien invasion of St. Pete!

Brew D. Licious

The true test of a city is how well it does coffee. Brew D. Licious in St. Pete served a fine cuppa in huge statement mugs. The espresso drinks were served from high end beans. 

Brew D. Licious is definitely worth a stop to rest and recharge on a visit to St, Petersburg before hopping back in the car to drive to Tampa.

Florida Gulf Coast Travel Destinations: Tampa

We've reached the end of the line on our road trip dedicated to exploring Florida's west coast. Make sure to spend some time exploring Tampa Bay to round out the trip.

Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa

Driving across the bay to Tampa from St. Petersburg, our next stop was the Henry B. Plant Museum. It's no secret that we love to travel and the Henry B. Plant Museum is a homage to early Florida tourism. 

Now part of the University of Tampa, the museum and university administration is located inside what was once the first tourist hotel in Florida. Situated at the end of the rail line, Plant was responsible for bringing the first snowbirds to Florida. It's fascinating history.

Tampa's Ybor City

We spent the last evening of our Florida Gulf Coast road trip exploring Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood. Formerly known for producing fine cigars, this is still the neighborhood to go to for a smoke if that's your thing. 

For us, we were more interested in the boxy architecture, shops, bars, and restaurants.

We sampled Spanish/Cuban fusion cuisine at Columbia, Florida's oldest restaurant.

Our favorite stop of the night was, hands down, Cigar City Cider and Mead. We toasted the end of our Florida Gulf Coast road trip with a Wise Prick and Ginger Kid's craft cider.

We were pleased to discover that there are plenty of Gulf Coast Florida travel destinations between Naples and Tampa to keep visitors busy for at least a week. 

Check out the map below for a recap of the ground we covered and some of the highlights of our one week Florida road trip itinerary.

Best Places to Visit on the West Coast of Florida Road Trip Map

Click on the image of the map below to open up an interactive Florida Gulf Coast road trip route including points of interest in Google Maps.

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