All the residents of the 65 neighborhoods in Pelican Bay enjoy the amenities of a world-class resort. The community parallels three miles of award-winning beach along the Gulf of Mexico sandwiched between the Naples Grande hotel on the south and the five-star Ritz-Carlton on the north. In the center is the private 27-hole Pelican Bay golf course. There are two beachside pavilions with restaurants, 18 Har-Tru tennis courts and the Community Center, which includes a state-of-the-art exercise facility; meeting, social and art rooms; a business center, and tennis courts and pro shop. The Philharmonic Center for the Arts includes music, art and other cultural programs. Internationally known retail stores and popular restaurants are at the Waterside Shops, with a bookstore that has become a one of the community’s most popular meeting places.
CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR MORE SCENES
ROYAL HARBOR
This neighborhood on the east side of Naples Bay was developed by Raymond Radabaugh starting in 1956 using a dredge-and-fill system to transform a mangrove island into a waterfront community. Hurricane Donna in 1960 delayed the sales of the sites, but by 1969 they were sold out. The developer advertised that all the lots had seawalls and all the buyers could have docks or slips for free. Even at the beginning, there was a wide range of values. In 1964 they went for $5,400 up to $19,900. While the earliest homes were of mid-century modern design, many built by Rutenberg, there are now a variety of architectural styles including Cracker, Mediterranean, Baronial, Spanish and quirky. While the original houses were one-story, many of the new ones are two. The lot sizes vary, with the "estate-sized" lots generally facing Haldeman Creek or Naples Bay. The width of the canals also varies and a few basins, or areas where the canals intersect, are popular with the owners of bigger boats. Looking around the neighborhood is like going to an in-water boat show. There are small fishing craft, fast boats, cabin cruisers, sail boats and many that you will swear you just saw in a yachting magazine. All of the streets are named after fish. Fuel is available across the bay at the City Dock or around the corner at the Hamilton Harbor marina. The US Coast Guard auxiliary across the bay offers classes on boatmanship and many Royal Harbor owners belong to touring and sailing clubs. Off-season storage is available in several close-by locations. The neighborhood is part of the City of Naples, so all the residents can use the Cambier Park tennis facilities and other City-sponsored activities. There is a voluntary homeowners association and a neighborhood newsletter called The Pilot.
