My husband, Clinton, proposed to me on a Wednesday night while I was ironing. It wasn't exactly a Harlequin moment, but his confession that he couldn't wait any longer made up for the lack of flowers, dinner or even a ring.

He'd probably die if he knew I just told the world that story – especially the part about not having a ring (his Mom insisted he buy one that weekend). He really is a romantic guy, especially when we're on vacation. He'd probably never admit to his friends that he went shelling on a remote island beach in Naples – and liked it.

Maybe it's just the setting (Coastal Living magazine recognized the Naples area as No. 1 on their list of Top Romantic Escapes in 2007). You can't help but feel a blush of romance with those swaying palms and shell-strewn white-sand beaches always in the background. There's a reason it's called the Paradise Coast, and the setting is perfect for love – think sunset champagne toasts, a massage for two and secluded island beaches.
There’s a reason it’s called the Paradise Coast, and the setting is perfect for love – think sunset champagne toasts, a massage for two and secluded island beaches.


Love on the Beach

Forget Paris. For me, beaches are the most romantic places on Earth. And not all are created equal, nor do they attract the same crowd. The beaches along the Paradise Coast unfurl like white ribbons against water that's often a deep shade of turquoise. You don't have to deal with throngs of spring-breakers or towel-to-towel neighbors. There's always space to spread out and feel secluded – just you, your sweetheart, the Gulf of Mexico and the horizon.

Clinton isn't as much of a beach enthusiast as I am. He burns easily and gets bored because the sound of the surf and the warmth of the sun almost always lull me to sleep. But there are dolphins in these waters, and I'll be darned if I'm going to miss one by dozing off. Sure enough, not long after we set out a blanket on Marco Island's Crescent Beach, a dorsal fin breaks the surface. We embrace, having shared a very special moment. Later, we applaud when the sun sinks below the horizon.

Many resorts enhance the love-on-the-beach theme by offering private beachfront cabanas and chickee huts, some with spa treatments. Vanderbilt Beach in Naples has an added bonus – the Turtle Club, one of the few restaurants where you can literally stick your toes in the sand while savoring the best lobster bisque anywhere. It's about as romantic as it gets.

Love on the Water

Of course, with all this water, there's even more opportunity to get away from civilization for some serious us-time. Naples Bay Resort rents easy-to-operate boats, equipped with a Garmin GPS and a GPS tracking system that will take you right to Keewaydin Island, which, like Marco, is one of the Ten Thousand Islands that sweep south to the Everglades. The island boasts a handful of structures, many of them used as weekend fishing cottages. You're bound to have the entire beach to yourselves. The resort's Olio, a fabulous new restaurant, will pack a picnic lunch, champagne included.

Because I think champagne and vacations go hand-in-hand, it's usually best to let someone else pilot the boat. It's even better when dinner's included. The Naples Princess, a 149-passenger yacht, has an air-conditioned dining room and an open-air upper deck that's perfect for soaking in the passing scenery – the Gulf, the mansions of Naples' Port Royal neighborhood, the mangrove-fringed islands and a starry night.

Only in Naples

Restaurants here combine the best of both worlds – romance and gourmet cuisine. Many offer private banquettes or waterfront settings and excel in the languages of love. French, Italian and other nationalities are spoken very well by talented chefs who transform dinner plates into artistic canvases. Dinner and a show is never a cliché here, especially when it involves the symphony or a Broadway show at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts (dinner is by reservation only, so call ahead for availability).

The Golden Door Spa, the first in Florida or anywhere on the eastern seaboard, offers the ultimate couples therapy – a private villa and a day filled with swoon-worthy treatments alongside your significant other. There's no need to leave the cocoon unless you're tempted to take a dip in the nearby pool or forgo room service and dine at Naples Grande Beach Resort's onsite restaurants.

Daring Love

I admire those couples who marry underwater or leap from an airplane together. Kayaking is about as adventurous as Clinton and I have gotten. Although we've paddled several miles of the Paradise Coast Paddling Trail, I don't think he could ever sweet-talk me into combining that with camping in the Everglades, although I probably deserve it after convincing him to try a pedicure. I've heard it's very romantic – just the two of you and the great outdoors, about as untamed as it gets. The trail offers six daylong trails between Everglades City and Goodland, with the option of primitive camping on your own private and uninhabited (at least by people) island.

Because champagne is included, I'm bound to try the aerial tour of Naples aboard a 1930s open cockpit biplane. I can just imagine cruising above the coast close enough to see dolphins and manatees below and flying off into the sunset with Clinton. Then we can truly say, "We'll always have Naples."

This article is brought to you by the Naples Marco Island Everglades CVB. To plan your own romantic getaway to the Naples area, call 800-688-3600 or visit www.paradisecoast.com.