Living in Port Royal, Naples, Florida

Living in Port Royal

Port Royal is the southern tip of the City of Naples: a neighborhood of large single-family homes reached by Gordon Drive, with the Gulf of Mexico on the west, Naples Bay on the east and Gordon Pass at the south end. Nearly every lot touches water, either the Gulf beach or a canal or bay frontage with a dock.

Gordon Drive is the main road in, running south from Old Naples past Aqualane Shores. Listings and the Port Royal Club generally treat 21st Avenue South as the northern edge, with Aqualane Shores on the other side.

Port Royal is inside city limits. The City of Naples issues permits, enforces flood rules and provides water, sewer, reclaimed water and trash service, while Collier County assesses property and runs the schools. On top of the city's code, recorded deed restrictions govern what can be built, and the Port Royal Property Owners Association reviews plans under them.

How Port Royal was built

Port Royal is man-made land. In 1938 John Glen Sample, a former advertising executive, bought about two square miles of marsh at the south end of Naples and spent two decades dredging canals and filling land into building lots. He named it after Port Royal, Jamaica, the 17th-century port known for pirates, and the street names follow the theme: Gin Lane, Rum Row, Galleon Drive.

Architect Howard Major drew the master plan, with curving streets and water access for every lot, and designed Sample's own house at Cutlass Cove and Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church. Lot sales began in 1950, the Port Royal Club opened in 1960, and there were about 250 homes by 1973. Paving of the streets was finished in the late 1970s.

The dredge-and-fill method that made Port Royal was later ruled illegal for new development in Florida, so the canal layout here cannot be repeated elsewhere. Sample also helped found the Naples Yacht Club in 1947.

Streets and settings in Port Royal

A Port Royal address falls into one of three settings: Gulf-front on Gordon Drive, bay-front on Naples Bay, or canal-front on one of the inner waterways.

Gordon Drive, Gulf side

Beachfront lots facing the Gulf, the most exposed to surge, sand and erosion.

Gordon Drive, bay and canal side

Homes on the east side of Gordon Drive back onto canals that lead to Naples Bay.

Gin Lane, Rum Row and Galleon Drive

Streets on the peninsulas Sample dredged, with canal-front homes and docks.

Lantern Lane and the inner peninsulas

Canal streets with homes facing the inner waterways.

Naples Bay frontage

Homes on the bay's west shore with longer water views toward Royal Harbor and East Naples.

Near Gordon Pass

The south end of the neighborhood, closest to the inlet and the run to the Gulf.

Aqualane Shores (neighbor)

The canal neighborhood just north of 21st Avenue South, developed from 1949. Often compared with Port Royal, but it is separate.

Old Naples (neighbor)

The walkable original town north of Aqualane Shores, around Third Street South and the Naples Pier.

Kinds of homes in Port Royal

Port Royal is almost entirely single-family homes on large waterfront lots.

Sample pictured houses of about 2,500 to 3,000 square feet; many homes built since are several times that size. The streets now mix a few remaining 1950s and 1960s houses with newer estate homes in West Indies, Caribbean contemporary and modern styles, often on raised first floors.

The lot is as important as the house. Check the seawall's age and condition, the dock and lift, the water depth along the dock at low tide, and the route from the dock to Gordon Pass. A newer house on an older seawall can carry a large repair bill.

Deed restrictions shape what you can build. The City of Naples' permit checklist notes that Port Royal's deed restrictions do not allow metal roofs and sends contractors to the Port Royal Property Owners Association for approval before permitting. Read the full recorded restrictions before you plan a teardown or addition.

Schools for Port Royal addresses

Port Royal is in Collier County Public Schools. Addresses we checked on Galleon Drive, Rum Row and Gordon Drive were zoned to the three schools below when this guide was written. Zones change, so look up the exact address at zones.collierschools.com before you rely on it.

You can apply through the district's Parental Choice process for a school outside the zone, subject to space, and the district lists charter options. Private schools in Naples handle their own admissions.

Lake Park Elementary School

1295 14th Avenue North, Naples 34102.

Gulfview Middle School

255 6th Street South, Naples 34102, in Old Naples.

Naples High School

1100 Golden Eagle Circle, Naples 34102.

Beaches near Port Royal

Port Royal's Gulf beach runs along the west side of Gordon Drive. Most of it is behind private homes and the Port Royal Club, so residents who are not on the Gulf usually go to the club or to the City of Naples beach ends farther north.

The Port Royal Club, at 2900 Gordon Drive, is the neighborhood's private beach club, open only to Port Royal property owners who join. Its clubhouse was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022, and the city approved a larger replacement in 2024. Ask the club about the status of the new building, membership and costs, since membership is a separate decision from buying a house.

The nearest public beach ends are in Aqualane Shores and Old Naples, with City of Naples resident permit parking. The Naples Pier at 12th Avenue South, closed since Ian, is being rebuilt; check the city for its reopening. Keewaydin Island, across Gordon Pass, is reached only by boat.

Port Royal Club

Private beach club at 2900 Gordon Drive for Port Royal owners, first opened in 1960.

City of Naples beach ends

Public accesses at the west end of the avenues north of Port Royal, with pay or resident-permit parking.

Naples Pier

At 12th Avenue South, about 2 miles north; being rebuilt after Ian.

Keewaydin Island

A barrier island just south of Gordon Pass with a beach and anchorage, reached by boat.

Boating from Port Royal

Boating is the reason many buyers look at Port Royal: from most docks, Gordon Pass and the Gulf are a short run through the canals and Naples Bay.

Gordon Pass is the main inlet between Naples Bay and the Gulf. It is marked and maintained, but it has strong tidal currents and shoaling that changes, so check current charts and local advice before you run a deep-draft boat at low tide. Naples Bay is a no-wake zone with active enforcement and manatees.

Inside Port Royal, the canals were dredged in the 1950s and need maintenance. The City of Naples has run dredging projects for the Port Royal canals, and depth varies by canal and by the tide. Before you buy, measure the depth at the dock and along the route at low tide, and ask the seller about the largest boat kept there.

Bridges are seldom the limit in Naples; most fixed bridges have high clearance. Depth, turning room in the canal and the length of the dock are the usual constraints. Ask whether the dock and lift are permitted and what the seawall's last inspection showed.

There is no golf in Port Royal itself. The closest courses are private clubs elsewhere in Naples.

Gordon Pass

The inlet from Naples Bay to the Gulf at the south end of Port Royal.

Naples Bay

The no-wake bay along Port Royal's east side, leading north to the Gordon River and the City Dock.

Naples City Dock

880 12th Avenue South in Crayton Cove, with fuel, pump-out and transient slips.

Naples Yacht Club

Private club at 700 14th Avenue South on Naples Bay, founded in 1947 with John Glen Sample among its founders.

Keewaydin Island anchorage

The common anchorage just south of Gordon Pass.

Things to do near Port Royal

Life in Port Royal is centered on the water and the club, with Old Naples a few minutes north for everything else.

Third Street South, about a mile and a half north on Gordon Drive, has shops, galleries, restaurants and the Saturday farmers market. Fifth Avenue South, the downtown main street, is just beyond. The Naples Historical Society's Palm Cottage on 12th Avenue South tells the story of the town Port Royal grew out of.

Dining and culture near Port Royal

Port Royal has no shops or restaurants inside it, so dining and culture mean Old Naples and downtown.

Restaurants line Third Street South, Fifth Avenue South and Crayton Cove on Naples Bay. The Sugden Community Theatre on Fifth Avenue South is home to The Naples Players, and Gulfshore Playhouse performs at its Baker Theatre and Education Center on Goodlette-Frank Road South. Artis Naples, with The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, is about 7 miles north on Pelican Bay Boulevard.

Downtown's annual events include the Fifth Avenue South Christmas Walk, the Christmas parade and the Fourth of July parade and fireworks.

Getting around from Port Royal

Every trip out of Port Royal starts on Gordon Drive, which runs north through Aqualane Shores into Old Naples and meets the downtown grid.

From downtown, US-41 (Ninth Street South) and Goodlette-Frank Road lead north to Pine Ridge Road and I-75. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is a little over 30 miles north, and Naples Airport (APF) on the city's east side handles private flights.

Winter traffic on Gordon Drive and downtown is heavier, so expect slower trips from January through April.

Hospitals near Port Royal

The nearest hospital is NCH Baker Hospital, 350 Seventh Street North, north of downtown. NCH North Naples Hospital and the Physicians Regional campuses on Pine Ridge Road and Collier Boulevard are farther away.

Climate in Port Royal

Port Royal has warm, dry winters and hot, wet summers. The dry season runs roughly November through April, the busiest boating and club season.

The rainy season runs roughly June through September, with afternoon thunderstorms and lightning most summer days. Boaters plan around the storms and the summer heat.

The official hurricane season is June 1 through November 30. With water on three sides and Gordon Pass at its tip, Port Royal's main storm risk is surge.

Daily life in Port Royal

City of Naples Utilities provides water, sewer and reclaimed irrigation water in Port Royal, and the city collects trash, recycling and yard waste. Electric service along the coast is Florida Power & Light (FPL); confirm by address.

Groceries mean a drive north: Publix Naples Plaza is at 1981 Tamiami Trail North, and specialty markets are around downtown. The Naples Regional Library is at 650 Central Avenue.

City and association rules both apply to construction work, roofing and docks, so contractors need to know both.

Owning a waterfront home in Port Royal

Owning in Port Royal means managing water from three directions: the Gulf, Naples Bay and the canals.

City rules. The City of Naples Building Department issues permits, and its floodplain coordinator decides when work counts as a substantial improvement or substantial damage: if the cost reaches half of the building's market value, the house must meet current flood elevation rules. On an older Port Royal house, that rule often decides between a remodel and a rebuild. Docks, lifts and seawalls also need permits.

Deed restrictions. Port Royal's recorded restrictions sit on top of city zoning, and the Port Royal Property Owners Association reviews plans. Get a copy of the restrictions and any recent amendments before you buy.

Hurricane Ian. Ian's surge on September 28, 2022, reached at least 6.18 feet above normal high tide at the Naples Pier gauge. In Port Royal it left sand piled on Gordon Drive, damaged landscaping and Gulf-front houses, and destroyed the Port Royal Club's clubhouse. A police officer touring the area after the storm noted that many newer, raised homes fared better. Ask each seller what water reached the house, the dock and the seawall, and what was repaired with permits.

Flood insurance and elevation. If a house is in a FEMA A or V zone and you use a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is required, and Gulf-front lots can carry V-zone rules for construction. Get the elevation certificate, the flood zone and an insurance quote that includes flood and wind during your inspection period.

Seawalls and docks. Have a marine contractor inspect the seawall, cap, dock and lift, and ask for permits and dates of past work.

Property taxes in Port Royal

A Port Royal home pays City of Naples taxes plus Collier County, school district and other countywide taxes, because it is inside city limits.

The Collier County Property Appraiser assesses the home as of January 1, and the Collier County Tax Collector mails the bill in the fall, with a 4 percent discount for paying in November that steps down by 1 percent a month through February.

A primary residence can qualify for homestead if you file by March 1; homestead brings the Save Our Homes cap of 3 percent or inflation, whichever is less, and portability can transfer savings from a prior Florida homestead. A second home is capped at 10 percent a year for non-school taxes. On a sale, the assessment resets to market value, which is why a long-held Port Royal home's tax bill can be far lower than a buyer's will be.

There is no CDD in Port Royal. Check the bill's non-ad valorem lines for any special assessments, and ask the association about dues.

Buying in Port Royal from out of state

Buying a Port Royal home from away is common, and it works best when the water and the paperwork are checked early.

1. Decide on the setting first: Gulf-front, bay-front or canal-front, and the size of boat you plan to keep.

2. Ask for the elevation certificate, flood zone, Ian history, roof and wind mitigation reports, seawall and dock records and the permit history.

3. Get the deed restrictions and the association's approval process if you plan to build or remodel.

4. Arrange financing and an insurance quote, including flood, before your inspection deadline, and hire a marine contractor as well as a home inspector.

5. Tour by live video, have the dock and depth checked at low tide, and close remotely through your title company if needed.

Jorgie Arndt of Premiere Plus Realty Co. works with many buyers who live out of state or abroad. Homes go to the buyer before any trip, tours happen on video, she negotiates while the buyer is still at home, and she stays involved after closing. As she puts it: "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."