If you are searching for the top master planned community in Naples, Esplanade by the Islands deserves a serious look. This is one of those neighborhoods that feels polished, active, and thoughtfully designed from the moment we come in. It combines resort style amenities, a wide range of home options, and a layout that gives the whole community an upscale, finished feel even while parts of it are still being completed.

What stands out most is that this is not just a place with pretty homes. It is built around lifestyle. We have sports courts, a large amenity campus, dining, wellness, walking paths, and a strong social atmosphere all in one neighborhood in Southeast Naples.

Table of Contents

• What Makes Esplanade By The Islands Stand Out
• Home Types, Floor Plans, And Size Range
• Esplanade By The Islands Amenity Center: The Big Story
• Sports, Fitness, And Wellness
• Pricing, Fees, And What To Expect
• Location And Daily Lifestyle
• Is It The Top Masterplanned Community In Naples For You?
• FAQ: Top Masterplanned Community in Naples, Florida

What Makes Esplanade By The Islands Stand Out

Esplanade by the Islands is a Taylor Morrison community in Southeast Naples with about 1,250 homes planned at full buildout. At the time of this tour, it was roughly 70 percent sold. That alone says a lot. Buyers have clearly responded to what is being built here.

Part of the appeal is the overall presentation. The streets are wide, the landscaping is already mature enough to feel established, and the community has that signature Tuscan inspired Taylor Morrison look. It feels cohesive. Nothing looks random or patched together.

If we are trying to identify the top master planned community in Naples, this matters. A true master planned neighborhood should feel intentional from entrance to amenities to homesite layout. Esplanade checks that box.

Home Types, Floor Plans, And Size Range

One of the best things about Esplanade by the Islands is that it is not one note. There is a mix of coach homes, single family homes, and twin villas, although the twin villas were already sold out at the time of this update.

There are more than 15 floor plans, which gives buyers a decent amount of flexibility depending on budget and lifestyle. The smallest homes start around 1,676 square feet, while the largest plans go beyond 3,500 square feet.

Garage configurations vary too. Most homes have a two car garage, but there are also one car and three car options depending on the model.

Among the most popular single family floor plans are the Lazio, Palazzo, and Beacon. Those are the plans many buyers gravitate toward when they want open layouts and a more substantial single family home within a resort style setting.

That range is a big reason many people place this neighborhood high on their list when comparing communities. A place can only be the top master planned community in Naples for us if it works for more than one type of buyer, and Esplanade does a nice job of offering options.

Esplanade By The Islands Amenity Center: The Big Story

If there is one thing that defines this community, it is the amenity center. This is the feature that gives Esplanade by the Islands its identity.

The amenity campus is beautifully done and clearly designed to be used, not just admired. There is a large resort style pool, outdoor dining, indoor gathering spaces, a fitness center, spa facilities, salon services, sports programming, and more planned additions still coming.

The future culinary center is especially interesting. It is planned to include a restaurant plus a demonstration kitchen for cooking classes. Taylor Morrison has done this in other communities, and it tends to become a social hub. That kind of amenity goes beyond the basic clubhouse model and creates a more experience driven lifestyle.

When we look at what buyers usually want from the top master planned community in Naples, it almost always comes down to this question: does the neighborhood feel like a resort without needing to leave home? Esplanade makes a strong case.

Sports, Fitness, And Wellness

The sports setup here is not an afterthought. It is active, organized, and clearly part of daily life in the neighborhood.

Esplanade by the Islands includes five tennis courts and several pickleball courts, with league play and regular activities. The courts were busy enough to make the point that this is a real social and athletic part of the community, not just a brochure feature.

The fitness center is another strong point. It is large, modern, and equipped with Technogym equipment. There is a mix of cardio and strength training space, and there is also a dedicated aerobics room for classes.

There is even a juice bar and coffee area, which adds to the resort feel. It sounds like a small detail, but these little conveniences help make the amenity center somewhere people actually spend time.

Then we get into wellness. The full service spa offers treatments such as massages, facials, and skincare services. There is also a hair salon and nail salon on site.

This is exactly the kind of lineup that puts a community into the conversation for the top master planned community in Naples. It is not just one great amenity. It is a complete lifestyle package.

The pool and dining area

The resort style pool is one of the prettiest parts of the community. Even at a quieter hour, it is easy to see how this area becomes the center of activity. There are lounge chairs, cabanas, water views, and plenty of room to spread out.

Next to the pool is the outdoor restaurant, where the atmosphere looked relaxed and social. That adds another layer to the community because it gives residents a place to meet casually without planning a whole night out.

Pricing, Fees, And What To Expect

With new construction, the base price is only part of the story, and that is definitely true here.

At Esplanade by the Islands, we generally need to think about three buckets of cost:

• Base price of the home
• Lot premium
• Upgrades and design selections

Lakefront lots tend to cost more than preserve lots, and there were still quite a few lakefront homesites available during this update. That can be a major value point if water views matter to us.

Upgrade spending is also important here. A useful rule of thumb given was that upgrades can run around 25 percent of the base price with Taylor Morrison, which is somewhat higher than with some other builders. Part of that is because some features considered standard elsewhere may be treated as upgrades here.

There are also HOA fees, which vary depending on whether we are looking at a villa, coach home, or single family home. On top of that, this is a CDD community, so there is an additional tax component that shows up on the property tax bill.

None of that means the neighborhood is overpriced. It just means we need to evaluate the full cost picture, especially if we are comparing it to other communities and trying to decide whether this is the top master planned community in Naples for our own budget.

Location And Daily Lifestyle

Esplanade by the Islands is located about three miles east of the intersection of Collier Boulevard, often called 951, and US 41. That puts it in Southeast Naples.

From here, beach access is usually around 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the season and traffic. Fort Myers airport is about 50 minutes away.

This is not a golf community, which for many buyers is actually a plus. There are no golf course fees built into the lifestyle here, but there are golf options nearby for those who want them.

Another detail that makes this neighborhood stand out is that it is a gas community. In Naples, that is relatively uncommon. Only a small percentage of communities offer natural gas, so for buyers who cook with gas or want a gas range or outdoor kitchen setup, this can be a meaningful benefit.

It is also not age restricted. This is not a 55 plus community, so the buyer pool is broader and the neighborhood tends to appeal to full time residents, second home owners, and a variety of age groups.

And if we care about walkability inside the neighborhood, this is one of the stronger features. There are sidewalks and long stretches of paths throughout the community, making it easy to walk or bike for miles.

Is It The Top Masterplanned Community In Naples For You?

Esplanade by the Islands is not going to be the right fit for every buyer, but it is absolutely one of the strongest contenders for the top master planned community in Naples if we want resort style living, social energy, and a polished new construction environment.

It is especially appealing if these priorities matter to us:

• We want a large amenity rich community
• We value tennis, pickleball, fitness, and spa services
• We like newer homes with multiple floor plan choices
• We want sidewalks, lakes, and a beautifully landscaped setting
• We prefer no bundled golf fees
• We want a non age restricted neighborhood
• We like the idea of natural gas

The main caution is simply to understand the whole pricing structure before buying. Lot premiums, upgrades, HOA fees, and CDD costs all matter here. But as an overall lifestyle community, Esplanade by the Islands is impressive. The amenity package alone puts it near the top of the list for many Naples buyers.

FAQ: Top Masterplanned Community in Naples, Florida