J. Kyle Foster | Naples Daily News
Way down south and east in Collier County, Florida, in The Everglades, is a town called Chokoloskee that until 1955 could only be accessed by boat. It’s worth the drive to explore this old Florida area with its rich history.
But first, how do you pronounce the name and what does it mean? Pronounced chuk-uh-lus-kee, the name comes from the Seminole-Creek chuku meaning house and liski meaning old, according to the book “Florida Place Names.” Other interpretations are just “home.”
Home for centuries to Calusa Indians, Chokoloskee was “settled” in the 1870s by European travelers. The Calusa were known for their shell mounds, which were places to toss out shells of oyster and conch the Calusa used for food and sometimes built into tools. These mounds built up the islands of Chokoloskee and parts of Marco Island, providing higher ground as protection from hurricanes that hit the area often.
In 1955, a causeway was built to connect Chokoloskee with the mainland. That was replaced with the Chokoloskee Bridge in August 2018 to meet modern standards with increased width and height, according to Fort Myers-based Kelly Brothers, which built the bridge.
Read more – History, tradition, and mystery entrenched in Chokoloskee on naplesnews.com.
“Through the Lens of Nature: A Celebration of Flora, Fauna and Culture” will be in the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center in East Naples, Florida, from Aug. 4-Oct 31.
View the picture gallery on naplesnews.com.
Find a home in the Naples, Florida area! Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
The high-flying Hoffmanns are at it again.
The family is in the early stages of planning a new golf development near Estero, said Rachel Berkowitz, a vice president for marketing and communications at the Hoffmann Family of Cos.
The Naples-based company already owns the land.
The Hoffmanns have chosen renowned golf course architect Kyle Phillips to design a heathland-style course for a new, high-end, golf-only private club that will replace the Old Corkscrew Golf Club in Lee County, according to Berkowitz.
Property records show the family acquired the semi-private, stand-alone club — at 17320 Corkscrew Rd. — for $14.5 million, including its 18-hole golf course, in April 2022.
At the same time, the Hoffmanns also bought the Cottages at Old Corkscrew Golf Club for $4.5 million, in a separate transaction, bringing the total price to $19 million, according to county records.
The deal was announced in the fall of 2021.
Get the rest of the story on news-press.com.
Are you looking for a home in the Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Amy Bennett Williams | news-press.com
Southwest Florida is home to an array of large white birds: egrets, ibis, herons, pelicans, and more. Can you tell one from the other?
Watch the video on news-press.com.
Are you looking for a home in the Naples, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Kendall Little | Naples Daily News
Naples is grabbing national attention yet again ― this time for wine.
The USA Today 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards highlight the best in lifestyle, food and drink, and travel. The most recent set of awards were completely revolving around wine.
USA Today readers and judges recognized the Naples Winter Wine Festival as the best wine festival in the country, beating out events in California and New York.
“We are just really thrilled and honored and excited to be recognized as the best wine festival in the United States for 2025,” said Naples Children & Education Foundation CEO Maria Jimenez-Lara.
USA Today ranked the Naples Winter Wine Festival as the No. 1 wine festival in the country.
- Naples Winter Wine Festival (Naples)
- The Festival of Forgotten Grapes (Los Angeles)
- Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Read the full list, and view photos and video on naplesnews.com.
Million-Dollar Momentum
Kalea Bay’s Tower 500—a 22‑story luxury residential tower in North Naples—just crossed a major sales milestone. As of mid-July 2025, the development topped $330 million in total sales, with 66 of the 120 units already sold, putting it on pace to sell out before construction wraps in September 2025.
Specs & Specs to Know
The final building in the Kalea Bay complex, Tower 500 offers Gulf views, floor-to-ceiling windows, lanais, and ultra‑lux finishes. Prices start around $3.5 million per unit, reflecting high demand among buyers seeking premium SWFL coastal residences.
A Reflection of Market Strength
Even as broader housing markets show signs of cooling, Naples’ ultra-luxury real estate is bucking the trend. Kalea Bay’s sales success follows record-breaking momentum at other high-end projects in the region:
- Ritz‑Carlton Residences Estero Bay recently surpassed $700 million in sales.
- Trio of Port Royal waterfront homes brought in $225 million in April.
Read more on naplesnewsnow.com.
Are you seeking a luxury home in the Naples – Bonita Springs, Florida area? Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
