The choice is yours, participate or just relax and enjoy it as a spectator. There are plenty of options either way – and it’s why Naples really is a bit of paradise.

Sunshine, sand, and surf just aren’t enough. Naples also offers a vibrant sports scene to invigorate you. Naples experiences what is known as a “tropical savanna climate,” meaning that the summers are hot but tempered by sufficient afternoon rains, while the winters are warm and dry. Best yet, this Florida city boasts an average of 205 sunny days a year. It’s easy to see why sporting is at the heart of Naples.

Golf reigns supreme

You can’t talk about Naples as a sports mecca unless you lead with the city’s impressive collection of more than 90 public and private golf clubs. What makes golf a participatory sport here is that many of the opulent private courses reposition themselves as semi-private from May through December. Yes, they’re open to the public. You can find out more about public and private golf courses here, courtesy of the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau website.

If you prefer to watch the pros, you’ll be pleased to know that Naples hosts a growing number of top PGA and LPGA events annually. Things kick off in February with the ACE Group Classic at TwinEagle. Later in the year, the focus shifts to the LPGA with the CME Group Titleholders tournament at Tiburon in November. Then each December the PGA co-sanctions the Greg Norman-hosted Franklin Templeton Shootout – again at Tiburon Golf club.

No fish tale

Is fishing a sport or a hobby? Some argue that an activity isn’t a sport unless it requires skill and physical exertion. In that case, hauling in a 50-pound grouper in a tournament makes you fully qualified. There are fishing tournaments held throughout Naples year-round, with some of them enjoying the longevity of decades.

For example, every April, Naples anglers gather to participate in the Bobby Holloway Jr. Memorial Fishing Tournament. The top prize is $2,500. This year, the tournament celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Tennis, anyone?

Golf balls aren’t the only things people take a swing at in Naples. Tennis is big – really big – here. This interactive map lists more than 340 places you can play tennis in Naples. Your options range from world-class tennis resorts like the Naples Grande to highly popular courts in Naples public parks.

You have an overwhelming amount of options if you want to take up Tennis and need lessons. Reviewers on Trip Advisor give the Arthur L. Allen Tennis Center high marks for the private lessons and clinics offered. Because of your location, Tennis in Naples offers the choice of hard surface courts, as well as actual grass courts.

Sports activities of all kinds

• Are you into powerboats? The Powerboat Nationals World Championship takes place in October in Naples.

• In November of this year, the burgeoning sport of watercross will hold its inaugural SUPercross World Championships in Naples. If you’re not familiar with watercross, just think of a motocross competition, but done with jet skis.

• It won’t be long after moving to Naples that you’ll start hearing a lot about pickleball. It’s a sport that can be played indoors or outdoors which combines the best qualities of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. Pickleball can be played as doubles or singles. The US Open Pickleball Championships are coming to Naples in late April of 2019. It’ll be covered by CBS Sports Network. Just in case you’re wondering, the name of this fast-growing sport comes from one of the inventors. Back in 1965, three men living on Bainbridge Island in Washington invented the game as a mashup for their children who had grown bored of the usual summertime activities. According to Barney McCallum – one of the three inventors – the game was named after one of the co-inventor’s dog, Pickles. The dog would chase after the ball and run off with it. The game as it’s played today doesn’t require canine participation.

• Naples is your kind of city if you’re a runner. There are events schedule year-round ranging from 5K and 10K events, up to the Gulf to Gulf 80 Mile Relay. This annual event takes place each October, starting and ending in Cambier Park. The relay race accommodates 30 six-person teams.

Come for the sun, sand, and water but be prepared for ample servings of just about every kind of sport, as well. It’s one of the reasons why people decide to call Naples home.

Dante DiSabato is ready to help you navigate the waters of the local housing market. Call him at 239.537.5351 or visit our contact page and discover the advantages of working with a concierge Realtor.