A few drinks, a little music and maybe a stretch across the dance floor. Hey, you’re on vacation. You deserve to let your hair down. For evenings out, our region has several areas that offer great clubs, bars and restaurants that are open late and are a magnet for fun.
In Naples, Mercato has a strong selection of nightlife offerings with its top locales conveniently close together, in case you want to move from place to place. BURN by Rocky Patel denotes an evolution in cigar lounges, and it’s a visual tour de force, while Cavo Lounge is an upscale gastrolounge featuring handcrafted cocktails in a conversational atmosphere, where DJs work the space Thursday through Saturday. Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar features Naples’ most extensive selection of agave-based spirits, with more than 425 varieties of tequila and trendy mezcal.
Downtown, The London Club, inside Bellasera Resort, serves up dinner and a show on the weekends, starting with live piano early in the evening, followed by bands serenading the crowd with jazz, blues and classics.
Nearby, on Naples’ famed Fifth Avenue South, you’ll find more nightlife action with venues that tend to spill outdoors to take advantage of the great weather. Bar Tulia (which also has a new location at Mercato) is a favorite Italian gastropub specializing in craft cocktails with a hip, tavern-style atmosphere. Vergina, meanwhile, is one of Fifth Avenue South’s largest, most dynamic bars thanks to live music taking over the restaurant in the evening. One of the newer additions to the strip is Sidebar, so named for its location on the side of the 505 Fifth Avenue South building. The 1960s-style bar feels like something out of Mad Men (dimly lit, structured leather couches, gorgeous herringbone wooden floors) and offers a locally inspired cocktail list t hat’s just as memorable as the decor.
If you’re in or near Bonita Springs, end (or start) your day at Downtown Coffee and Wine Company with a drink on the al fresco terrace. Time your visit for when it’s Champagne and oyster night; you can also indulge in a French-style cheese board and wine tasting. Down the street, Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge is brand new and has a Prohibition-era vibe. For a dose of city action, the historic Fort Myers River District has a plethora of options to keep you dancing while never straying too far from stunning river vistas and swaying palms along the brick-paved main street. Choose from one of 40 different types of small-batch and single-barrel whiskies while listening to live blues at The Barrel Room, or take a seat above the Caloosahatchee River at Beacon Social Drinkery, the 12th-floor rooftop bar at the Luminary Hotel & Co. The waterfront view is one reason to start the night here, but so are the craft cocktails, like the namesake lemonade-and-vodka libation.
In Cape Coral, coastal gastrobar Gather (from the same group behind Fathoms) makes the most of its waterfront location. On the marina-facing patio, sip creative twists on classic cocktails, like a rum fashioned with brandied cherries. And, nothing helps slip you into vacation mode like a tiki bar. Jungle Bird Authentic Tiki—the first of its kind in the city—offers a taste of Polynesia with its tropical setting and mix of daiquiris and iconic tiki cocktails.