Where are the Christmas Lights? Which neighborhoods have the best light shows in Naples Florida?
With Thanksgiving approaching, it seems that stores have already stocked their shelves with Christmas decorations. Naples and Southwest Florida are blessed to have the most incredible weather during Fall and Winter, but there is no short supply of holiday spirit in our beautiful community. Southwest Florida offers one of the best climates to enjoy viewing Christmas lights and great Winter activities throughout the next two months.
There are many amazing neighborhoods and areas to drive through to see the Christmas Light displays, some of them only accessible if you live within the guarded gates, so check before you go.
In my opinion, there is no better neighborhood to enjoy the spirit of Christmas than Victoria Park. Located off Airport Pulling Road between Vanderbilt Beach Road and Immokalee Road, this quaint enclave of nearly 300-single family homes is in one of the best Collier County School Zones for Elementary, Middle and High School. Meandering through the streets, it seems each street has a separate theme on their mailboxes – candy canes, Christmas trees, snowflakes. The neighbors all join together to put on a spectacular show. Make sure to allow for at least an hour; traffic moves very slowly as people gaze at each home which is more incredible than the next.
Willoughby Acres, Palm River, Pelican Bay and Port Royal all have homes that go over the top with their decorations. Usually, a week or two before Christmas, we drive through one neighborhood each night of the weekend. The weather is usually amazing, and we have the windows down, driving at a snail’s pace, through the neighborhoods admiring everyone’s hard work and creative efforts.
Some other fun activities that should not be missed are at various locations throughout Naples. Although dates have been provided, I suggest calling to confirm the activities are still taking place,
November 23- December 31 – Christmas on Third Street South
November 26 – January 2 – Night Lights in the Garden at the Naples Botanical Garden
December 1 – 31 – Christmas at Historic Palm Cottage in Old Naples
December 3 & 4 – Annual Christmas Walk and Tree Lighting Ceremony on Fifth Avenue S.
December 4 & 5 – Meet Santa at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt
December 4 – Naples SnowFest – 100 tons of snow at Golden Gate Community Center
December 4 – Naples Christmas Glow Run 5k
December 7 – Fifth Avenue S. Christmas Parade
December 11 – Christmas Boat Parade on Naples Bay
December 18 – Marco Island Christmas Island Style Boat Parade
December 21 – Movies on the Lawn at Mercato – Elf
The Ritz-Carlton on Naples Beach usually has a giant Gingerbread House on display as well as a Teddy Bear Tea. As of this writing, no dates have been set.
The Naples Zoo has hosted a Winterfest in the past, as of this writing, no dates have been set.
For families with children, the neighborhood and school zones are some of the most important determinations when deciding where to buy a home. I can help you with that decision, having three children who have grown up in Naples, I know, all too well, what the options are.