The Naples Zoo occupies 43 acres of historic botanical garden land in the northeast of the city, with the original gardens — planted in the 1920s by Julius Fleischmann of the yeast and gin dynasty — still providing a lush backdrop for the animal enclosures. The zoo has a genuine conservation mission, with a focus on species from Florida and the Caribbean: alligators, Florida panthers, manatees (when in residence), and various big cats. The primate boat tour, which takes visitors by boat past islands where groups of primates roam freely, is the signature experience and a genuinely distinctive way to see the animals.
Not a large zoo by international standards, but well-maintained and interesting for families. Allow two to three hours. Open daily 9am to 5pm; last admission at 4pm.