We have been staying in Florida since 2013 and have visited several beaches. Recently I have seen several queries about the ‘Best Beaches’ to visit in Florida. Thus I have compiled a list of 20 Must See Beaches in Florida.
Florida is the southernmost state in the United States and is nicknamed as the “Sunshine State“. The word Florida means “Land of Flowers” as named by a Spanish explorer. It has the longest coastline in United States when compared to other contiguous states. The coastline comprises of the Gulf of Mexico to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Straits of Florida to the south. The climate is hot and humid because of closeness to the ocean. There are usually two seasons in Florida – the warm and wet season from late May through October and the cool-dry one from November through April. Above all, Florida is well known for its beaches and amusement parks.
Beaches are popular destinations throughout the year and attract large number of tourists thus contributing to the tourism economy. There are several beaches accessible to public along the coast of Florida. Amusement parks are the next popular destinations that includes Walt Disney Theme Parks, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, etc.
You can read our post about Kelly Park and Rock Springs for a great summer outing. For road trips outside Florida, check our vacations section here. Also don’t forget to check out the travel tips here for a hassle free getaway.
Here is the list of 20 Must See Beaches in FL, USA :
1. Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is located in Clearwater City of Pinellas County and on the west coast of Florida. This beach features white sand and is located on an island. It offers various activities like jet skiing, parasailing and also has several restaurants and shops near the beach. The beach has been ranked #1 of the beaches in the United States several times. It is also awarded as one of the best beaches in United States and World by news media and travel companies.
Pier 60 is one of the central attractions in Clearwater beach and has playground, restaurant and a fishing pier. There are some or the other entertainers who perform on the pier each day. Further you can walk to a point on the pier with no fee and can see some stalls selling accessories and other gift items. There is a small fee to go beyond a certain point. The parking area is usually crowded during weekends and spring breaks.
The beach is approximately 20-25 miles from Tampa International Airport or Downtown and can be reached by own or rental vehicles, taxis, Uber, Lyft, etc. It is also near from St Pete-Clearwater International Airport. If you plan to travel to this beach from Tampa, take state road 60 via the Courtney Campbell Causeway and the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. It is scenic drive because of water on both sides and you can also pull over to spend some quality time.
2. Honeymoon Island State Park and Beach
Honeymoon Island State Park is located on Honeymoon Island in Pinellas County of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico. It is near to the Dunedin city. This is Barrier Island with several acres of land and around 4 miles of beach.
There are lot of activities to do in this park namely bird watching, hiking, picnic, nature trails, etc. Osprey trail and Pelican Cover trail are the two trails one can take to go around the island. There is an Eagle nest on the Osprey trail in the park and the same is marked for visitors. It can only be seen from a far distance. There is a variety of wildlife in the park in addition to the Eagles.
Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island were part of a larger island but were split during a hurricane decades back. This island has a ferry service to Caladesi Island especially for those who like to reach the neighbor after visiting Honeymoon Island. There is entrance fees for this park and also fees for the ferry to the Caladesi Island.
3. Caladesi Island State Park and Beach
Caladesi Island State Park is located on Caladesi Island in Pinellas County of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico. It is near to the Dunedin and Clearwater cities. This is not a separate island but shares its land with Clearwater Beach and hence is easily accessible by walk from the latter.
Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island were part of a larger island but were split during a hurricane. One can also access the Caladesi Island from Honeymoon island’s ferry services which is specially meant for convenience of visitors in the latter. In addition to the beach, the park has a nature trail, picnic pavilions, playground, etc. Activities include fishing, boating, hiking, kayaking, etc.
4. Fred Howard State Park & Beach
Fred Howard State Park and Beach is located in Tarpon Springs city of Pinellas County, Florida. It is also located on the Gulf of Mexico. The beach has white sand, play grounds, picnic shelters, etc. The drive on the one mile long Howard Causeway is definitely worth going. Activities like swimming, fishing, surfing, kayaking and canoeing are allowed. You can rent boats for an hour or more and go kayaking around the beach. You can also enjoy amazing sunset views from this beach.
5. Madeira Beach & Treasure Island
Madeira Beach is located on a barrier island in Pinellas County of Florida and on the coast of Gulf of Mexico. The Tom Stuart Causeway connects the beach to the mainland area. To the north of Madeira Beach is the Redington Beach and to the south is the Treasure Island. The area is primarily residential.
Treasure Island is also located on a barrier island in Pinellas County of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico.
The beach has white sand with pristine waters. Beach access and parking are marked for the ease of visitors. Treasure Island trail can be used for walking, bicycling, etc. There are several attractions, restaurants and hotels around.
6. Apollo Beach
Apollo Beach is located in Hillsborough County of Florida. It has close proximity from Riverview and Ruskin.
It has a waterfront community and offers a year round of boating, fishing, and other water activities.
7. Bahia Beach
Bahia Beach is located in Ruskin town of Hillsborough County, Florida. It is a small beautiful white sand beach on Little Harbor in Tampa Bay. It is close to the EG Simmons Park and also to the Apollo Beach. The beach spans a few miles. There is a long pier on the beach where one can take walk on. Restaurants available around the place to grab something to eat. One can get to see beautiful sunset from the beach and also from the pier available there.
8. Anna Maria Island & Beach
Anna Maria Island is located in Manatee County, Florida. It is an island that is surrounded by Gulf of Mexico on west and Florida mainland on east. The island is around 7 miles long and is connected to the mainland of Florida by a bridge. The north portion of the island is occupied by the Anna Maria city. Holmes beach and Bradenton beach are the 2 other cities that are part of this island.
There are 2 bridges that connect to this island, one connecting near Bradenton beach and other near Holmes beach. One can drive along the Gulf drive to explore this island. Tourism is one of the key targeted department for economy. This is one of the beautiful beaches in Florida and is visited by both locals and tourists. One can see sea turtles, pelicans, seagulls, and other kinds of birds on the island.
9. Siesta Key Beach
Siesta Key Beach is another barrier island on the west coast of Florida and is located in the Sarasota County. The beach features fine white sand that seem like powdered sugar and also looks reflective. This is one of the beautiful beaches in Florida.
The beach is so long and wide that walking mats are placed on the beach to help visitors to get to the shore. It has been also awarded as one of the best beaches several times.
The southern part of the Siesta Key Beach is called Crescent Beach and features corals and active marine life. Turtle beach is another public beach located on South Siesta Key beach and is known for sea turtles. There are several accommodations options in Sarasota and also near to the beach.
10. Captiva and Sanibel Island
Captiva Island is a barrier island located in the Lee County of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico. It is located north of Sanibel Island, west of Pine Island and is also near from Fort Myers. The island is only accessible via Sanibel Causeway and Sanibel-Captiva road passing by the Sanibel Island and Blind Pass.
Sanibel Island is also an island in the Lee County of Florida. The island is located south of Pine Island and uses the same accessible route as that of Captiva Island. There is a lighthouse at one east end of the Sanibel Island and beautiful beach spanning several miles. There is also a fishing pier near the lighthouse and nature trail. Sanibel is well known for its shell beaches and wildlife. It attracts visitors due to different variety of seashells on the shores.
These 2 islands are popular tourist destinations. There are also several restaurants and accommodation options available around.
11. Miami Beaches
Miami Beach is located in Miami-Dade County of South Florida. Just like Clearwater Beach, Miami Beach is also located on a barrier island. It is one of the famous tourist beaches in Florida. The beach has been featured in several films and television shows making it a popular destination. There are several public access paths to the beach and also showers/restrooms are available around these access paths.
South Beach forms the southernmost part of the Miami Beach spanning from 1st street to around 23rd street. Lincoln road located between 16th and 17th street is famous for shopping, dining, galleries, etc.
Ocean Drive is one of the famous road in the city that spans from South Pointe Park near 1st street to around 15th street in South Beach. There are several restaurants, bars, hotels on this road and is one of the lively streets near Miami Beach including the nightlife.
As it’s located on the Atlantic Ocean, it is one of the places vulnerable to hurricanes and storms. Most of the times there is a threat of direct strikes. While planning to visit this beach, try to avoid Hurricane season which is usually Aug-Sept.
12. Higgs Beach, Key West
Higgs Beach is located in Key West city of Monroe County, Florida and on the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the beautiful public beach parks in Florida. It is a small beach with a pier, palm trees and picnic tables around.
There is also another pier namely The White Street Pier which gives visitors an opportunity to take some beautiful photos of the beach. The beach offers a lot of activities and amenities for the visitors including kayak rentals, paddle boards, beach chairs, jet skiing, fishing, etc.
13. Florida Keys
Florida Keys are located on the southernmost coast of Florida and along the Florida Straits. It starts from a few miles away from Miami and ends into the Key West and Dry Tortugas Island. The route is known as Overseas Highway and is located on the US Highway. Most of the beaches around this place are small and do not stretch long. But they provide crystal clear blue ocean water views on both sides of the road. You are up for some great photography and also breathtaking sunset views at dusk.
Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys connects Knight’s Key in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. There are 2 bridges, one for vehicular traffic and other old one for pedestrians. This is one of the most spectacular drives in the Florida with beautiful blue water ocean views.
14. Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is located in the Bay County of Florida and on the coast of Gulf of Mexico. It has several miles of white sand and clear waters. It is one of the most popular vacation destinations especially well known as spring break destination in Southern United States. During spring, this is a popular destination for students.
There is boardwalk on the beach. Some of the things to do include jet skiing, boat rentals, diving, cruise. In addition to water activities there are state parks, several beach access points, waterfront restaurants, nightlife, events, etc.
There is an international airport located in this city and also other means of transportation are available. One can also take Bay Town Trolley to go around the place in addition to the rental vehicles, taxis, scooters, etc. Several accommodation options are available including condos, hotels, etc.
15. Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach is part of the Volusia County in Florida. It is located on the east coast of Florida between the 2 major cities, Orlando and Jacksonville. The Beach spans over 23 miles with white sand and also has a boardwalk open all time.
It’s open for public with no time restrictions. Additionally vehicles are allowed on some part of the beach during day time due to its hard-packed sand. It is one of the popular spring break destinations.
The beach is also known for Motorsports. Several events are held annually by Daytona International Speedway. There are also golf courses around the beach. Tourism is one of the major industry contributing to the economy in this area.
Hurricane risk for this beach is low as compared to Miami Beach or Key West, as the storm mostly passes offshore after reaching northern portion of Atlantic Ocean.
16. New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach is located in the Volusia County of Florida and on the coast of Atlantic Ocean to the east. It is also near to Daytona Beach and is located south of it.
The Coronado Beach Bridge connects the downtown with the beach. It offers several activities like fishing, hiking, motor-boating, etc. It was recognized as best surf towns. There is a lighthouse named Ponce De Leon Inlet which can be seen from coastal Smyrna Dunes Park.
17. Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach is located in the Flagler and Volusia counties of Florida. The beach spans around for several miles. It is one of the small town located on A1A route between Daytona and St. Augustine cities. The beach has a fishing pier and oceanfront restaurants. There is also Flagler Beach Historical Museum located within 0.4 miles and is open 7 days a week.
If one is lucky they may also see sea turtles nesting on the shores between May to Oct period. There are crossovers or steps to the beach built at the end of every street to access the beach.
18. St. Augustine Beach
St. Augustine Beach is located in St. Johns County of Florida. It has hard-packed sand that attracts bicycle riders. There are several public beach access paths giving one access to the beach. There are lot of accommodations options near the beach as well in the city. Several other beaches like Ponte Vedra, Vilano, Anastasia State Park, Butler, Crescent, etc. are located near St. Augustine Beach.
The St. Augustine city has lot to offer for the tourists. Old Town Trolley provides best city views along with hop-off and hop-on option. Some stops include old jail, colonial quarters, churches, Castillo De San Marcos, fountain of youth, etc.
19. Vero Beach
Vero Beach is located in the Indian County of Florida and along the coast of Atlantic Ocean.
Beach offers activities like golf, fishing, and water sports etc. Vero Beach has free public access trails and walkways with beach access. There are many parks, museums and art galleries around. Several restaurants and accommodation options are available here.
20. Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach is located in the Brevard County of Florida and on the coast of Atlantic Ocean. To the north is Port Canaveral and to the south is Crescent Beach. The beach is accessible by state road A1A which is a scenic byway.
Cocoa Beach Pier is one of the attractions here. The beach has 4 ocean-front parks with beach access. They also offer bathrooms, showers, picnic areas, playground, etc. There are also beach access crossovers at several other points. Several restaurants and accommodation options are available here. Surfing and tourism contribute to majority of city’s economy.
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Hope you enjoy your next beach vacation 🙂
