Domino's Pizza and the town of Ave Maria, Florida

A day trip to Everglades City brought us to the planned community of Ave Maria, FL which is located about 25 miles east of Naples. The impressive church presents a beacon to the town. Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza was instrumental in the effort to create Ave Maria, (which means Hail Mary, in Latin) in 2005, and Monaghan purportedly invested $250 million into the town and Ave Maria University. While the Catholic University is the main facility of the town, the church is probably the biggest attraction for visitors.

The Ave Maria Catholic Parish Church was established in 2008, and features a 30 ft sculpture of the the Archangel Gabriel greeting the Virgin Mary in the facade of the church. This complete self sustaining town, with its town center and daily conveniences as well as 100 miles of trails made a lovely stop on our way towards Everglades City and Immokalee.

Ironically enough, I didn't find a Domino's Pizza in Ave Maria.

If you are interested in other locations to see nearby, check out my other SWFL posts:

Nature, Gator Bites and Shakes in Everglades City FL: https://www.turquoisemaya.com/post/everglades-city-fl