Since the beginning, Naples has attracted a great number of hunters and fishermen to our region. Not only was hunting and fishing great sport, our early settlers depended on game and the abundant fish for food. Swamp Buggy Days came in the late 1940s to mark the beginning of the hunting season. For those of you who still like to hunt for wildlife you need only drive down to the Everglades. Theses swamps hold many mysterious tales of the past and are home to deer, quail, wild

Film buffs will be excited to see what November has for them to enjoy. Naples put themselves on the international film scene years ago with the Naples International Film Festival. Each year this event grows and grows and brings to our front doors some of the finest films for your personal screening. The NIFF opens with a screening of “Last Man on the Moon” at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 5, at Artis─Naples. Screenings will continue through Sunday, November 8, at Silverspot Cinem

Everyone that lives in Naples that is a boater or lives in the area of the city docks know that they have need replacing for years. The Naples City Council has voted to pay for a search for an engineering firm that will design and permit a rebuild of the city dock, which means that the aging facility could be replaced within a few years. The dock, the third-most used of all the city’s facilities, hasn’t been rebuilt since 1983 and requires more than $60,000 in annual repairs

Naples is by far one of the best places to visit and live in Florida for the true “foodie”. Our town continues to be a destination for people from all over the world seeking the best of the best. TripAdvisor has named Brooks Gourmet Burgers and Dogs in Naples as one of the Top 10 burger restaurants in the U.S. — for the second year in a row. This was the only restaurant in Florida to receive the award two times in two years. TripAdvisor compiled the latest list after weighing

Who doesn’t need this in our busy day-to-night schedules these days? Naples Illustrated first introduced me to these Finding Zen meditation apps. These smartphone apps make it very easy to accomplish your goals even if you only have five minutes a day to spare. Research continues to show the importance of making some personal time for yourself to live a healthier, more peaceful and productive long life. Mindfulness: This app comes outfitted with numerous silent and guided med

Naples has a lot of different sources for fishing from marinas where you can rent your own boat to private one-on-one fishing experiences and more tourist type opportunities for fishing with a large group. They all offer fishing in different types of waters from more shallow inland waterways out into the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. I’ve included detailed information about Pure Naples but be rest assured that whatever type of fishing experience you are looking for you w

Two of the Top 10 Beaches in America, as rated by Dr. Beach for 2015, are located here in Naples and nearby Bonita Springs. Two other beaches within Florida also made it onto this list. If you need help planning the perfect beach vacation, these spots are worth considering. Stephen Leathermen, aka Dr. Beach, has rounded up his favorite U.S. beaches for 2015 —with some tried and true sandy locales and a few soon-to-be favorite family finds. Leatherman, professor and director o

If you are an avid golfer or just like to watch the champions play, Naples, Florida, is the place to be. From October through Easter, in particular, there are tournaments all over both Collier and Lee County. Some of the most renowned names in the golf world have designed courses here and many will host signature events. Two of the most popular events are listed below, tickets go pretty fast so you may want to purchase them as soon as you can. LPGA CME Group Tour Championship

It always seem each year to me that the holidays are months and months away and then in late Sept. I walk into the local Costcos store and see that Christmas decorations are out. Kmart also started running Christmas ads this fall to try and get early shoppers. As many people come to Naples, Florida, for vacation or have second homes here I thought this article may be of interest to you. Everyone is of course hoping for lower prices this year and the good news for all fliers i

•Determine the value of your valuables. Consider hiring an appraiser to help determine the worth of your more treasured pieces. Expect to pay $125–$150 per hour for a "walk-through" during which the appraiser examines every relevant item in your house, says Harry L. Rinker, author of Sell, Keep, or Toss? How to Downsize a Home, Settle an Estate, and Appraise Personal Property. Appraisers often can recommend specialists to evaluate rare or especially costly pieces. •Make the a