Naples' New Bayshore Boardwalk: A 20-Year Vision, Finally Open

By Florida Home Vibes

An elevated wetland boardwalk in Florida — the same style of native-landscape walkway now connecting East Naples to Sugden Regional Park. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr (CC BY 3.0 US), via Wikimedia Commons.

After more than two decades of stalled grants, failed developer deals, and one resident's persistent vision, East Naples finally has its boardwalk. On February 26, 2026, Collier County cut the ribbon on the Bayshore Pedestrian Boardwalk, a new elevated walkway linking Bayshore Drive directly to Sugden Regional Park — and it's already become one of the area's most talked-about free things to do.

What's Actually There

The project starts with a 15-foot-wide, 400-foot-long hardscaped and lighted pathway lined with benches, which then feeds into the main attraction: a 1,350-foot elevated wooden boardwalk that winds through native wetlands and uplands on a 17-acre tract. Naples Botanical Garden contributed the landscaping design and donated plants, so the surrounding vegetation is meant to look and function like the natural Florida habitat it replaced, not a manicured park lawn.

A Two-Decade Backstory

The idea traces back more than 20 years to the late Bill Neal, a longtime area resident who first pitched the concept. It survived two rejected state grant applications for smaller versions of the project and two developer proposals that ultimately fell through before Collier County's Bayshore Gateway Triangle Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) finally took it across the finish line — approving a construction contract with Infinite Construction, LLC in December 2024. Land for the project, purchased back in 2006 and 2008, cost the CRA nearly $5.4 million; construction itself came in under budget at roughly $3 million.

Funded Locally, Not by the State

Unlike a lot of park projects that lean on state or federal grants, this one was funded entirely through the CRA, which captures property tax revenue generated within its own redevelopment district, with ongoing maintenance covered by the Bayshore Beautification Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) — a small, dedicated property tax assessment on properties in the area. Maurice Gutierrez, longtime chairman of the CRA Advisory Board, framed the project's philosophy simply: "Redevelopment does not mean overdevelopment, and this really gives back to the community."

What's Nearby

The boardwalk drops walkers right into Sugden Regional Park, a county-owned park built around a lake with a public beach and a sailing center — making the combination a genuinely full afternoon out: wetland walk, lake beach, and water activities all connected on foot. The Bayshore Drive corridor on the other end has also been filling in with newer cafes and shops in recent years, giving the boardwalk a walkable bookend on both sides.

What's Next

County officials have flagged two vacant CRA-owned parcels near the boardwalk for future, more limited development, and there's early discussion of a second-phase offshoot boardwalk section aimed at better wildlife viewing. There's also informal talk of eventually naming the boardwalk after Bill Neal, the resident whose original vision started the whole project.

If You're Planning a Visit

The boardwalk sits at 4825 Bayshore Drive in Naples and is free and open to the public daily. It's an easy add-on if you're already headed to Sugden Regional Park for the beach or sailing center, or a standalone walk if you just want a shaded, elevated look at genuine Southwest Florida wetlands without needing a car to reach a state park.

Sources & Further Reading

• Marco News — Bayshore Boardwalk in East Naples opens, a 20-year vision realized
• Collier County Government — Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Bayshore Boardwalk
• Gulf Coast Realty Naples — Naples Celebrates a Milestone: The Bayshore Boardwalk Is Open