Naples Winter Tennis 2025–26: Make Gomez Your Har-Tru Base

Why Naples is the easiest U.S. winter training hub

If your calendar says winter and your tennis says go, Naples and Southwest Florida make planning simple. December through March is the dry season, which means fewer rain delays, lower humidity by Florida standards, and comfortable morning temperatures for high-intensity sessions. Add abundant Har-Tru courts across North Naples, a short transfer from Southwest Florida International Airport, and a compact cluster of stay, play, and beach options. The result is a training week that feels dialed in rather than cobbled together.

Har-Tru is the American green clay you see across Florida clubs. It is kinder on joints than hard courts, encourages better point construction, and teaches balance and sliding. Naples has it everywhere, and Gomez Tennis Academy sits right in the middle of that ecosystem.

Your Har-Tru base: Gomez Tennis Academy

Set in North Naples near Imperial Golf Estates, Gomez Tennis Academy is built for committed winter blocks. The campus pairs hard courts with a bank of Har-Tru, on-site fitness, and recovery space. That matters in winter because you can sequence surfaces and intensities without leaving the property. Gomez also keeps groups small so players get more live-ball repetitions and more feedback per hour.

For planning, two details matter most: surface mix and location. Gomez hosts five Har-Tru and three hard courts, and it is minutes from Vanderbilt Beach Road and the Mercato corridor in North Naples. Those two facts let you build a reliable morning-to-afternoon cadence and still get your family to the beach by sunset. For academy background and programs, see the Gomez Tennis Academy profile.

A practical 7-10 day plan for December to March

The outline below blends three to five high-intensity mornings at Gomez with afternoon match play, recovery, and family time. Choose the 7-day version if you are limited by school schedules. Stretch to 10 days if you want more matches without cramming. If you are comparing warm-weather hubs, cross-check the Phoenix and Scottsdale winter playbook and the Orlando Spring 2026 tennis guide.

Day 1 - Arrival and loosen up

Fly into Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. The airport code is RSW, and it is about 30 to 40 minutes by car or ride-hail to North Naples.
Check in near Vanderbilt Beach Road or Immokalee Road. Walk and stretch at sunset on the sand to reset sleep and hydration.

Day 2 - First hit, then light activity

Morning: Gomez high-intensity session in a small four-to-one group emphasizing first-step speed, depth control on Har-Tru, and serve plus first strike. Finish with 20 minutes of mobility.
Afternoon: Easy 60-minute hit at a nearby public Har-Tru facility to groove sliding. If you want a social option, look for an open doubles mixer. Keep intensity at 6 out of 10.
Evening: Family dinner at Mercato and early night.

Day 3 - Tactical reps and a match

Morning: Gomez progression from neutral to offense on clay, using crosscourt patterns and short balls to approach. Add 15 minutes of serve target work.
Afternoon: Universal Tennis Rating match. Universal Tennis Rating, often shortened to UTR, is a digital rating system that makes it simple to find a level-based opponent. Book a two-of-three sets match, with a 10-point tiebreak if needed, and track your performance with a few simple goals: first serve percentage, depth over the service line, and forehand unforced errors under eight per set.

Day 4 - Recovery and beach

Morning: Recovery day. Swim, walk the shoreline, or take an easy bike ride. Schedule a sports massage or compression boots session. If you prefer light tennis, a low-impact doubles clinic works.
Afternoon: Family time at the beach or a visit to The Baker Museum at Artis-Naples. Keep devices off for a block of real recovery.

Day 5 - Tempo day and league play

Morning: Gomez tempo drills that push aerobic capacity without blowing up mechanics. Example set: 4-ball crosscourt to down-the-line with a quick transition and finish at net. On-court fitness finishers focus on split-step timing and deceleration.
Afternoon: United States Tennis Association league or round robin. USTA leagues are structured competition with clear formats. Ask the desk at a nearby public center for visiting-player options and drop-in times.

Day 6 - Serve, return, and doubles patterns

Morning: Gomez serve and return focus. Build a three-serve plan for both surfaces, then practice first-ball plays off the return. Finish with 30 minutes of doubles patterns on Har-Tru.
Afternoon: Light hit or scouting. Watch a local match and take notes on patterns you want to adopt.

Day 7 - Test day and celebration

Morning: Gomez test sets. Play two short sets on Har-Tru, one on hard court, and log data. Keep score, but judge the morning on process goals.
Afternoon: Family beach and sunset photos. Early dinner and pack if you are flying out on Day 8.

Days 8 to 10 - Optional add-on block

If you stay longer, alternate one Gomez morning with one match day and insert a full rest day in between. That gives you four to five academy mornings total across ten days, which is ideal for adaptation without burnout.

Where to play afternoons: the match map

North Naples is dense with playable clay. These public centers consistently host visiting players and can help you slot into courts, clinics, round robins, or ladder play.

Arthur L. Allen Tennis Center at Cambier Park in Old Naples. Twelve Hydro-Grid Har-Tru courts, full programming, and a pro shop. It is a straight shot south if you want a different vibe and evening lights.
Pelican Bay Community Park in North Naples. Lighted clay courts with easy booking and a calendar that includes clinics and social play.
Veterans Community Park and Vineyards Community Park. Useful backups for practice courts and junior hits.

For competition, use two layers:

Universal Tennis Rating events and Flex Leagues for level-based singles or doubles. The app makes it simple to locate an opponent within a short drive and log verified scores.
United States Tennis Association adult leagues and weekend tournaments. Staff at the public centers above can tell you what is running during your week and how visiting players can join.

Tip: book afternoon matches for 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. starts. Mornings are for training while you are fresh; late afternoons give courts time to dry after any passing showers and leave evenings open for family.

Recovery that keeps you on court

Hydration and electrolytes: start before the morning session. In winter you may not feel as thirsty, but sweat loss still adds up.
Mobility and feet: Har-Tru rewards good ankles and hips. Do 10 minutes of ankle circles, calf raises, and lateral lunges after every session. Add short slide drills without the ball to teach your feet to brake safely.
Strings and tension: if you normally string at 55 pounds on hard, try 52 to 53 on Har-Tru for more pocketing and shape on the ball.
Shoes and socks: clay-specific outsoles prevent clogging. Bring two pairs of socks and change at the one-hour mark if you are playing a second session.
Film and feedback: use a smartphone and a small tripod behind the baseline to capture 10 minutes of live ball. Review in the evening and pick one cue to carry into the next morning at Gomez.

Family-friendly downtime within 15 minutes

Beaches: Vanderbilt Beach is the closest, with restrooms, showers, and a garage. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park sits just to the north with calm water and easy parking when capacity allows. From October 2025 through mid January 2026, Collier County scheduled beach renourishment on sections of Vanderbilt and Pelican Bay beaches. If your trip overlaps those dates, expect some daytime truck activity and use Delnor-Wiggins or nearby accesses as alternates.
Nature and culture: Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, and The Baker Museum are all short rides from North Naples.
Low-stress food: Whole Foods and Publix near Mercato make refueling simple. Pick up fruit, yogurt, and electrolyte tablets for early starts.

Where to stay: three convenient zones near North Naples

Pick lodging that keeps you within 10 to 15 minutes of Gomez. That lets one adult break off for afternoon matches while the rest of the family walks to shops or the beach.

Vanderbilt Beach corridor: beach resorts and condos within walking distance of sand and short rides to the academy. Examples include LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort and Vanderbilt Beach Resort.
Mercato and North Naples shops: boutique hotel options such as Inn at Pelican Bay, plus restaurants and a cinema within walking distance. Fast access to Vanderbilt Beach Road and Tamiami Trail for rides to training.
Immokalee Road and Livingston Road area: practical suites with kitchens near North Collier Regional Park. Quiet at night, simple parking, and quick rides to early sessions.

Ask about tennis-friendly features when you book: on-site laundry for clay kits, balconies for airing shoes, and early breakfast hours for pre-session fuel.

Car-light logistics that actually work

You can run this plan without renting a car if you choose the right base and use ride-hailing strategically.

Airport transfer: ride-hail from Southwest Florida International Airport to North Naples is straightforward. If you prefer to time travel around available flights, review the current nonstop destinations at RSW and pick arrivals that avoid late-night check-ins.
Short hops: stay within a five-mile radius of Gomez and you are a 10 to 15 minute ride from courts, groceries, and the beach. E-bike rentals work well for beach runs and dinner, but ride-hail is better for racquets and gear.
Court-to-court: keep a small towel and a spare T-shirt in your bag so you can go from a Gomez morning to an afternoon match at a public center with only a quick change.

Booking windows to beat peak pricing

Winter demand in Naples peaks from late January through March. To protect budget and court access, use these windows for the 2025-26 season.

Academy time: reserve Gomez mornings 30 to 60 days in advance. If your dates include Presidents Day week, which includes Monday, February 16, 2026, hold spots 60 to 75 days ahead and confirm group sizes and surfaces.
Flights: for peak Florida winter, shop eight to twelve weeks out to secure nonstop arrival times that match your training block. If you are traveling in early December or the last week of January, you can sometimes book closer without penalty.
Lodging: lock in flexible rates by the first week of October for January through March stays. If you are aiming for Christmas to New Year, book by late August and confirm whether your property has on-site laundry for clay days.

Rainy-day contingencies that keep momentum

Winter showers are usually brief. Har-Tru drains quickly and Hydro-Grid courts can be ready within an hour after a passing shower. Still, you need a Plan B that preserves the arc of the week.

Switch surfaces: if a Har-Tru court is grooming, move to a hard court for serve targets and short points. Hard courts often dry faster in sun and wind.
Use Gomez indoors: shift to the academy’s indoor fitness area for mobility, trunk strength, and footwork ladders. Review morning video and set one technical cue for the next session.
Tactical classroom: build three return plays and three second-serve patterns on paper. When courts reopen, you will already know the sequencing.
Later start: double-check afternoon court availability at public centers and slide matches to late afternoon, when wind and sun are friendlier.

What to pack for Har-Tru success

Two pairs of clay-capable tennis shoes and multiple pairs of socks
Hat, sunglasses, and a light long-sleeve for the first morning breeze
Overgrips and a backup set of strings; consider one frame strung two to three pounds looser for clay
A compact tripod for simple filming and a small towel for between-set resets
Reusable bottle and electrolyte packets

Bringing it all together

Naples in winter rewards players who plan the rhythm, not just the reservations. Make Gomez Tennis Academy your morning base for four efficient, small-group sessions across the week. Layer in Universal Tennis Rating and United States Tennis Association matches in the afternoon to pressure test patterns while the family enjoys the beach and museums. Choose a North Naples stay zone so you can go car-light, and book academy slots, lodging, and flights on the timeline that avoids peak prices. Do those few things and your December to March block becomes the kind of training trip that moves the needle without straining the calendar.