Why choose a beach vacation in Florida? One good reason is because wherever you go in Florida, you’ll never be more than 60 miles from the beach!
Florida is also easy to get to, pleasant weather all year round, good value for money and that’s just for starters. So whether you’re looking for a family vacation, a romantic vacation, a relaxing vacation, or to enjoy golf, there’s a Florida beach vacation area for you.
The Best Beach Areas in Florida for Families
siesta public beach
Siesta Public Beach in Sarasota is a great family beach due to its gradual slopes, shallow waters, lifeguards on duty, powdery white sand, and calm waters. It has won awards for best beach based on sand, water quality and facilities. Beach facilities include picnic areas, restrooms, concession stands, playground, trails, and tennis and volleyball courts. If you like to collect shells, try Turtle Beach, on the southern tip of the island.
Tampa Bay Area – St. Petes/Clearwater
Located on the west coast of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, the Tampa Bay area is a waterfront paradise! Miles and miles of white sand beaches along the Gulf Coast offer limitless options for a fun and relaxing vacation. When you need a break from the surf and sand, there are plenty of nearby activities to keep the kids entertained, including the Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Lowry Park Zoo.
Daytona
With twenty-three miles of sparkling white-sand beaches and beautiful blue-green waters, there’s no shortage of beach fun for the whole family. The beach is up to 500 feet wide at low tide and is perfect for building castles, biking, jogging, fishing, or just relaxing in the sun. The Atlantic Ocean is ideal for swimming, especially during the spring and summer when the water temperature ranges from 74 to 80 degrees. And it’s only an hour’s drive from Orlando if you so choose.
Best Florida Beach Areas for Romance
Miami beach
A romantic Miami vacation has everything from relaxing on the beach during the day to dancing at night. There are many art deco and interesting hotels in South Beach. A short drive west will take you to the Everglades, where you can take a scenic boat tour and see lots of wildlife, including alligators. You can shop in the luxury shops of Bal Harbor and at night choose from many dance clubs or smooth jazz bars and restaurants.
frame island
Marco Island is located on the southern tip of Florida’s southwestern Gulf Coast, at the western entrance to Everglades National Park. The island is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico on one side and wild nature on the other. There are miles of white sand beaches, luxury properties, shops, restaurants, nightlife, attractions, and plenty of outdoor activities. Your recreation options include swimming, sunbathing, fishing, golf, tennis and more. Enjoy the subtropical environment that exists on the Gulf Coast of Southwest Florida.
cocoa beach
Cocoa Beach has beautiful sandy beaches and a large pier that is available for fishing, dining, and dancing. There is a large boardwalk that leads to the beach with a viewing platform overlooking the ocean, perfect for romantic walks. While you’re on the Space Coast, you can visit the Kennedy Space Center, go deep sea fishing, surfing, windsurfing, rent a jet ski, play golf, or take a river tour. At night there is plenty of nightlife and great restaurants for you to enjoy.
Best Beach Areas in Florida to Relax
Nova Izmir Beach
New Smyrna Beach is a laid-back beach town with no crowds, noise, or pollution, giving visitors a relaxing beach experience. Although the north beach is accessible to cars, most of it is traffic-free, allowing for leisurely sunbathing and beachcombing. New Smyrna has a small town feel in its architecture and atmosphere. There are no tall buildings along the beach, just low rise buildings and these accommodations range from bed and breakfast inns, family size condominiums or beachfront motels.
Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is one of the only barrier islands in the world, with an east-west orientation when most islands are north-south. This gives the island large sandy beaches with lots of shells. Check out Bowman’s Beach for peace and quiet, you won’t find any hotels here. You can park and walk over a bridge to the secluded white beach. There are BBQ grills in the area, making it a great place to have a picnic and enjoy the beach.
Fat tip
Punta Gorda is located about 30 miles north of Fort Myers. There is a lot of waterfront in this city and a very nice riverfront beach area. Here you can enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking and forest walks, it’s a great place to get away from the crowds. The town of Punta Gorda has street art, water views, and interesting murals that enrich the historic downtown district that also has cobblestone streets and gaslights, and many fine shops and restaurants.
The best beach areas in Florida to play golf
Sarasota
Sarasota is a sophisticated resort town near the Gulf of Mexico. For beach lovers, Sarasota has 35 miles of pristine, sparkling white sand beach to enjoy. When it comes to golf, there are 32 golf courses in the Sarasota area and almost 20 more if you include the surrounding cities of Bradenton and Venice. You’ll find one for every skill level available for your golfing pleasure.
jacksonville
Jacksonville has twenty miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches and many nearby state parks to explore. You’ll find plenty to do and plenty of beaches to explore in Jacksonville. For golfers there are more than 25 golf courses in the area. Several championship golf courses are nearby; many of which are ranked among the best in the country and offer challenges for players of all levels, from the best seaside resorts to popular public courses.
Naples
Located in a stretch of southwestern Florida that isn’t bordered by barrier islands, Naples has seven miles of silky white sand beach that overlooks the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the area once the sun goes down in front of the beach. There are also dozens of excellent golf courses in the area. From May to October the golf courses are not as crowded and you can choose your tee time and be sure of a smooth round. Also, many private courses are open to the public during these months.
This is just a sample of some of the great beaches located along the Florida coast. There are many more that can cater to your Florida beach vacation needs year-round.
