Clam Pass: The Boardwalk Beach

Clam Pass Park is different from every other beach in Naples because you cannot park next to the sand. From the lot off Seagate Drive, a boardwalk runs about three-quarters of a mile through mangrove forest and over tidal flats before it delivers you to the beach. There is a free tram for those who want it, and the walk itself is one of the better short nature walks in the city.

Getting in

• Metered parking lot off Seagate Drive, shared with the Naples Grande resort access
• Free tram runs the boardwalk during park hours; walking takes 15–20 minutes
• Restrooms, a concession and rentals at the beach end
• Kayak and paddleboard rental on the inner waterway

The lot is small and fills earlier than you would expect for a beach that is never crowded. Before 10am in season, or plan on a weekday.

The boardwalk

This is the reason to come. The boardwalk crosses black, red and white mangrove stands and open tidal flat, and at low tide the flats fill with wading birds — white ibis, snowy egrets, tricoloured herons, roseate spoonbills if you are lucky. Fiddler crabs move in sheets across the mud. It is a genuine estuary walk with interpretive signage, and it takes ten minutes.

The beach

Quieter than Vanderbilt or Lowdermilk simply because of the walk. The sand is good, the water is calm, and the pass itself creates a shallow tidal channel that children love to sit in — though the same caution applies as at any pass: the current runs on the tide, so keep an eye on where the water is going.

Best for

• Anyone who wants a quiet beach without leaving the city
• Birdwatchers — the flats are excellent at low tide
• People travelling light; the boardwalk punishes heavy coolers