Naples Florida Fun Facts

	Naples Florida Fun Facts
	The average temperature in Naples is 75 degrees Collier County, which includes the cities of Naples, Marco Island and Everglades City, is the largest county in the state with a total area of 2,305 square miles, and a land area of 2,025 square miles. At least 80% of that is set aside as preserve lands, including Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, two national wildlife refuges, one national research reserve, three state parks, one state forest and many county, city and private parks and nature preserves. In 2005, Naples was designated by the Travel Channel as having the Best All-Around Beach in America, and in 2006, Conde Nast Magazine named Naples on its Top 20 list of Best Beaches in America. In his book The 100 Best Art Towns in America, author John Villani named Naples the No. 1 Small Arts Town in America. There are at least 134 art galleries in the Greater Naples Area. Naples has the most golf holes per capita in the country. The western side of the Florida Everglades is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles are known to cohabitate. The Florida Legislature designated Collier County as the Purple Martin Capital of Florida. Stretching 99 miles from Everglades City to Flamingo, the Everglades Waterway is considered to be a paddling experience of a lifetime. With enough planning and equipment, canoe and kayak enthusiasts can paddle the length of the waterway in seven to nine days. Backcountry camping permits are required and can be obtained at the Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center. Everglades City has the reputation of being the Stone Crab Capital of the World. The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is regarded as one of the top bird watching spots in the United States. Naples is home to the famous Swamp Buggy Races, held three times a year in January, March and October. Collier County is home to the endangered Florida panther. The East-West portion of U.S. 41 was largely made possible by the investments of New York tycoon Barron G. Collier, who offered to bankroll the completion of the project after the State of Florida ran out of funding in 1922. In exchange, the State carved Collier County out of a large portion of southern Lee County. The Tamiami Trail, as it came to be known, took 13 years, $8 million, and 2.6 million sticks of dynamite to build. The "ugly ripe tomato", a new sweet hybrid tomato variety, was developed by BHN Seed Company in Immokalee.