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Name of Place: Barefoot Beach Preserve
Location: Barefoot Beach Road off Bonita Beach Road
Coordinates: 26°18’03.6”N 81°50’03.1”W
Website: www.barefootbeachpreserve.com
Phone Number: (239) 591-8596
Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset
Restrooms: Yes
Cost: Parking is free with the Collier County beach sticker. Without a sticker, there’s an $8 parking fee for the day. Bikers or those traveling on foot do not have to pay a fee.
Great for: Portraits and nature photography; shorebirds, raptors, gopher tortoises, butterflies, shells

Barefoot Beach Preserve is right on the north edge of Collier County. It’s a great place for portrait photography since there are no high rise buildings. The white sand is pretty, but there are a lot of shells. It’s not the soft, fluffy white sand you’ll find on the beaches south of here. There are also pretty boardwalks for posing your subjects.

It is a preserve, so there is plenty of nature to be seen as well. Shorebirds, gopher tortoises, butterflies and raptors are all plentiful. More than likely, you will see wading birds such as egrets and herons as well. It does get very crowded on the weekends during the winter season. If you are a nature photographer, you’ll probably want to stick to weekdays. Sunrise would be great, but the park is not open until 8 a.m.