Central Bark Dog Park - Naples

Naples, Florida, on the southern Gulf Coast of Florida, is a very well-heeled town. It's among the wealthiest cities in the United States. It has the sixth highest per capita income and second highest per capita of millionaires in the United States. When you go to Naples, it's easy to see why the rich flock there. The white, sugar sand beach stretches over ten miles. 

There are over 80 championship golf courses in the area, which led the city of Naples to describe itself as being within twenty miles of downtown Naples, where you can easily reach the Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Preserve. In town, there are two Shakespearean Festivals, an opera, an orchestra, and any number of high end stores.

It should come as no surprise, given the makeup of the town, that Naples has one of the nicest dog parks on the Florida Gulf Coast. The Naples Dog Park, which is nicknamed Central Bark, has a one-acre fenced area for large dogs and half an acre for smaller dogs. The enclosures are divided by a shaded area with facilities for humans such as a restroom, benches, and a water fountain. 

The enclosures themselves have lots of benches as well as doggie fountains. The large enclosure has a couple of wading pools that are made available in the summer months and even a few hammocks. There are poop bags throughout the area so that you can keep after your pet.

Both dog enclosures at Central Bark have surfaces of cedar wood chips, but the large enclosure also has a huge grass run for the dogs and even has a few hammocks for the people. Probably the most thoughtful design aspect of the park is a washing station, where dogs may be tied and cleaned up before heading back home. The washing area is near the enclosures but set far enough back that no one has to get wet if they don't want to.