The Fab 52

1. Paddle like a native. Once home to the Calusa Indians, the Great Calusa Blueway is an enchanting stretch of bays, rivers, backwaters and shorelines meandering from Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass south through Estero Bay. Get the most out of kayaking the area with a trained naturalist from GAEA Guides. (866) 256-6388.

2. Promenade down the Pier. Naples' premier landmark is the Pier, first built in 1888. Stretching hundreds of feet into the Gulf, it's a prime sunset-viewing spot but also hops in the a.m., when anglers reel in sheepshead or snook-or just swap fish tales. At the west end of 12th Avenue South, parking available.

3. Bid high and often. Can-you-top-this auction lots, including scarce wines and fantasy jaunts, abound at the Naples Winter Wine Festival, which has raised $30 million for children's charities. The $7,000-per-couple tickets get you into the celebrity-studded live auction plus an intimate dinner with a star chef and vintner. (239) 514-2239, www.napleswinefestival.com.

4. Catch a glass act. Before you brush up on your Matisse or Arbus at one of the Naples Museum of Arts' seasonal exhibits, take a moment to admire the lobby's breathtaking red Dale Chihuly fired-glass piece. (Don't miss the great gift shop, either.) 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., (239) 597-1900.

5. See the boys of spring. The Boston Red Sox's second World Series title hopes were dashed early last season, but fans will still be cheering them on at Fort Myers' City of Palms Park this spring. And just a short drive south, the Minnesota Twins play at Hammond Stadium. (877) REDSOX9, (800) 33-TWINS.

6. Behold one big banyan. The Edison & Ford Winter Estates has lots more to see than the massive banyan tree in its parking lot, the largest in the continental U.S. But the 80-year-old, 400-foot-wide beauty is awesome-and a great place to stage a snapshot. 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers; (239) 334-7419.

7. Find your flock. Encompassing a generous swath of Sanibel Island, J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge provides feeding, nesting and roosting areas for more than 220 species of birds (and the occasional alligator). The best birding is December through March at low tide. (239) 472-1100.

8. Try some mud in your eye. Souped-up engines, fat tires, beer, massive plumes of dirty water, and a mud bath fit for a queen are all featured ingredients in a great old Gulfshore tradition: swamp buggy racing. Budweiser Classic, Jan. 28 and 29, March 4 and 5, Oct. 28 and 29 at Florida Sports Park, Naples; (800) 897-2701.

9. Set sail. The 93-foot Naples Princess takes sightseers for sunset dinner cruises into Naples Bay, where the sprawling megamansions of Naples' tony Port Royal neighborhood are even more impressive when viewed from the water. (239) 649-2275.

10. Lead the luxury lifestyle. Grab a Sunday paper for a list of open houses and check out some of Southwest Florida's showiest real estate. Access to models at exclusive communities can be tricky, but Gulfshore Life's Luxury Home Tour in February gets you into nearly a dozen multimillion-dollar estates. www.napleshometour.com.

11. Do the Sanibel stoop. At the north end of Sanibel Island on Bowman's Beach, the trade winds wash up more than 200 kinds of seashells. Shellers from all over the world make pilgrimages here. Learn what you're looking for at Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. Bowman's Beach is off Sanibel-Captiva Road; Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, (239) 395-2233.

12. Step out. Known as Naples' Main Street, Fifth Avenue South offers weekly evenings of live music, shopping and people-watching. A few blocks away, Third Street South hosts Thursdays on Third and is lining up big-name rock acts for a spring music festival. www.fifthavenue

south.com, www.thirdstreetsouth.com.

13. Float on air. Fast, exciting and downright noisy, airboat rides are a uniquely Floridian adventure-and a rite of passage for visitors and residents alike. Glide over the river of grass with Everglades Private Airboat Tours' knowledgeable guides. (239) 695-4637.

14. Take tea. Stick your pinkie out and put your best hat on for afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples, served in the expansive lobby lounge. It's never too early to develop a taste for a cuppa (or for fine china): Kids love the animal-shaped sand­wiches on Peter Rabbit-themed Wedgwood. 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road, (239) 598-3300.

15. Join the beautiful people. Fancy martinis and designer labels mingle beneath a large ficus tree adorned with glittering lights in Campiello Ristorante's courtyard, the place to see and be seen in downtown Naples. The Tuscan cuisine isn't bad, either. 1177 Third St. S., Naples; (239) 435-1166.

16. Get crabby. Florida's famous stone crab claws are harvested from mid-October to mid-May, and you can learn to crack one like a pro at Everglade City's Everglades Seafood Festival each February, where the menu also includes shrimp, fish and, yes, gator and frog. www.evergladesseafoodfestival.com.

17. Take theater history 101. Built in 1908, the Arcade Theatre in downtown Fort Myers began as a vaudeville house and was where Thomas Edison viewed his first films. You can see the restored landmark-and a play by its resident company, award-winning Florida Repertory Theatre. 2267 First St., (239) 332-4488.

18. Put the squeeze on. Fort Myers' Sun Harvest Citrus ships the state's favorite fruit all over the world. Watch the juicing operation in action before swigging your complimentary glass or shopping the Floridiana souvenir section. Alligator egg bubblegum, anyone? 14810 Metro Parkway, (800) 743-1480.

19. Join the sunset set. When that brilliant orange orb sinks into the Gulf, locals and visitors flock to the beach near the Mucky Duck on Captiva Island, mini-coolers and beach chairs in tow. When the show's over, it's up to the Duck for drinks and dinner. 11546 Andy Rosse Lane, (239) 472-3434.

20. Meet some manatees. When the Gulf cools in winter, one of Florida's largest manatee populations congregates in Fort Myers' Orange River to feed and stay warm. See them from the shore or get up close and personal by kayak. Manatee Park, 10901 State Road 80; (239) 694-3537.

21. Make (small) waves. Kayaking not your speed? Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort offers WaveRunner eco-tours of the Ten Thousand Islands. Groups enjoy some time on the open water before navigating a vast mangrove maze teeming with birds, crabs and other wildlife.

(239) 394-5000.

22. Browse on the bay. It's Naples, Florida, not Italy, but who could blame you for being confused by the warm colors and European-inspired architecture of the Village on Venetian Bay? Explore 60 upscale shops and restaurants or just watch the boats sail and the tarpon swim by. 4200 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., west of Park Shore Drive.

23. Ride down the river. On a boat ride on the Gordon River, Conservancy of Southwest Florida volunteers will point out natural treasures in the heart of Naples. The free rides embark from the Conservancy's Nature Center and headquarters, also home to a wildlife rehabilitation center. 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples; (239) 262-0304.

24. Picture perfection. As captured in the striking black and white of Clyde Butcher's large-format photographs, Florida's native landscape enthralls and inspires. See for yourself at Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery, located deep in the Everglades. Ochopee, (239) 695-2428.

25. Get winded. Many of windsurfing instructor Roy Massey's students are over 60. That-and the super-wide beginner boards-should be enough to convince even the most reluctant first-timer. Trust us, Massey will have you sailing across Sanibel Harbor in no time. Ace Performer, 16842 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers; (239) 489-3513.

26. Go wild. Along the 2.25-mile boardwalk through four Florida habitats at Naples' Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, North America's last virgin bald cypress forest, visitors spot endangered wood storks, owls, otters, orchids and a wealth of other natural wonders. Immokalee Road, east of exit 111 off I-75; (239) 348-9151.

27. Be thrifty. Support good causes and save at more than a dozen charity thrift stores around Naples' Tenth Street South. Look for designer labels at Options, stock your library at Hospice's shop or find fine furnishings at Twice as Nice. Tenth Street South, east of U.S. 41; shops from First Avenue South to Fifth Avenue North.

28. Catch a silver king. Head to Boca Grande Pass to battle a 100-plus pound tarpon. Known as the Tarpon Capital of the World, the pass is the destination for professional and amateur fishermen seeking the ultimate catch. For a list of guides, visit www.bocagrandefishing.com.

29. Peek at primates. What's it like to have your own island? Ask the colony of lemurs living it up on their own piece of real estate surrounded by water and the lush vegetation of Caribbean Gardens. Boat tours bring you close. Naples Zoo, 1590 Goodlette-Frank Road N.; (239) 262-5409.

30. Applaud an indie film. Cineastes don't have to wait for the DVD release to see independent films here, thanks to the Southwest Florida Film Society's mid-week series of new foreign and art releases at Naples' Pavilion Theater. Pavilion, (239) 596-0008; film society, www.swflorida

filmsociety.org.

31. Yield to mullet madness. For this year's Mullet Festival, Stan's Idle Hour promises "country music and warm beer, overpriced drinks and food." And capping off the annual soiree: the crowning of a new Mullet Queen. Two thousand revelers can't be wrong. Jan. 21-23; 221 Goodland Drive W., Goodland; (239) 394-3041.