A Virtual tour of the Florida Beaches
The days are getting longer and with a cluster of bank holidays on the horizon, the weeks are getting shorter!
For travellers looking for some Spring sunshine, now is the perfect time to travel to the USA as hotel and flight prices enjoy a timely respite between the peaks of Easter and the summer holidays.
Without the crowds, the beaches and coastal towns of Florida take on a very different feel, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the hot days and balmy nights, without having to scramble for a space on the sands or reserve a restaurant table weeks in advance.
We know that finding the right resort/area can prove mind boggling when faced with so many options in Florida, so with this in mind we are going to be taking you on a tour of the Florida coast, so that when it comes to picking your dream Florida beach holiday, you can make an informed decision about which is the best beach for you.
St Petersburg/Clearwater
Our virtual journey is going to start at St Petersburg/Clearwater, on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Around 30 a minute drive from Tampa or 2.5 hours from Orlando, these two cities are a magnet for sun seekers, looking for a post Disney break in the Florida sunshine.
Famed for their beaches, St Pete’s and Clearwater are connected by a series of barrier islands, that sit just off the mainland. Spanning over 20 miles, this stretch of coastline is a holiday makers paradise, as endless sandy shores and relaxed seaside villages blur into a heady mix of sea, sand and sunsets to create holiday memories that will last a lifetime.
The most popular of these is Clearwater beach, a lively resort which attracts millions of visitors each year. With accommodation ranging from cheap and cheerful motels, through to luxurious 5* hotels, there’s enough choice here to cater to nearly all budgets. Many of the larger hotels offer direct access to the powdery white sands and are within walking distance of the compact downtown, meaning that you can truly switch off on your Florida holiday.
Clearwater’s Pier 60 is a local landmark, which draws a crowd each evening for its nightly sunset celebration. As well as a variety of street performers there’s a market featuring locally crafted wares, so you can pick up some souvenirs or affordable holiday presents. Night or day, this is a favourite spot of local fisherman, but you can also try your hand at a spot of sea angling, with rods, tackle, and bait available to rent/buy from the kiosks on the pier.
If you prefer your seafood cooked and plated up, there are a bountiful number of cafes and restaurants along the beach front and all over downtown. These serve up fresh fish in every which way imaginable – deep fried conch fritters, sushi, fish tacos, chowder to name a few!
As you travel South down the Coast the resorts become smaller and the beaches that much quieter. Dreamily named towns such as Indian Shores, Treasure Island and Sunset beach are just some of the smaller resorts you’ll find between St Petersburg and Clearwater. These destinations have a smattering of hotel and motel options but can also be reached from Clearwater using the handy Suncoast Beach trolley; a coastal bus route that connects up all the dots, meaning you can leave the car at your hotel should you decide to explore.
At the end of the line is St Pete Beach, this is the closest resort to the city of St Petersburg (until just a few years go the resort was known known as St Petersburg Beach but was officially renamed St Pete to avoid confusion with the nearby city of the same name). It’s a great choice for families and beach goers, looking for their sea and sand, served with a side of arts and culture.
The city is just a short drive or taxi ride from the beaches and offers visitors a feast of museums to choose from. One of the most popular of these is The Dali Museum; featuring over 2400 pieces of art, it has the largest collection of the artists’ works outside of his native Spain. Also worth a look is The museum of fine Arts, it has an impressive collection of classic paintings, that include some works by European big hitters Renoir & Monet, as well as a huge collection of photography, and a relaxing sculpture garden. With many more galleries, museums, and theatres to explore, St Petersburg offers you the opportunity to take a ‘city break’ within your beach holiday.
Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach & Cocoa Beach
With the exception of Miami, which is a blog post in its own right, the East Coast of Florida doesn’t grab the attention of the UK market in the same way that the Gulf Coast does, but that’s not say its without its charms. Just an hour away from Orlando by car, the beaches here are that much closer to the theme parks, making a day trip more than doable from the ‘Beautiful City’ of Orlando.
One of the most famous beaches in all of the USA, if not the world, Daytona is a favourite amongst Petrol heads and party goers. It’s miles of white sand were once used for motor races, marking the beginning of the cities love of all things speed.
Races were held on the beach here until 1959, before moving to the Daytona International Speedway, one of motor racing’s most iconic venues. The Daytona 500 is held each February, but NASCAR fans are able to pay a visit to the speedway all year round, where they can even enjoy test driving one of the powerful racing cars.
Although racing on the beach is a thing of the past, cars are still permitted to drive in selected beach zones, with direct access enjoyed from Florida’s Atlantic Highway. Check with your car hire provider before taking your rental car on to the sands though as this can be a costly mistake.
Besides its famous races, Daytona enjoys a lively night life scene, with beach bars, pubs, clubs and live music aplenty. The cities historic Sea Breeze district is one of the best places to go in the city to let your hair down until the sunrises over the Atlantic Ocean.
The cities boardwalk and pier offer a more family friendly experience, that resonate with traditional seaside experiences -think arcades, funfairs, and gift shops. During the summer months between May-September there are fireworks, live music and street performers thrown into the mix, as well as a popular waterpark which offers more thrills and spills than a Daytona dive bar!
With 19 golf courses nearby, Daytona Beach is starting to acquire a name for itself as a premier golfing destination. There are courses to suit all abilities, including the home course of the Ladies PGA tour.
A little down the coast is the resort city of New Smyrna. Flying largely under the tourist radar, New Smyrna doesn’t draw a crowd in the same as its famous neighbour, making this a good choice for younger families or beach goers looking for a quiet experience.
As well as a wealth of white sandy beaches and the magical sunrises that are a hallmark of this part of the USA, visitors to New Smyrna will be able to appreciate historic neighbourhoods such as Canal Street, Flagler Street and Third Avenue. These laid-back neighbourhoods offer a mix of boutique shops, galleries and even a craft beer brewery.
The weekly farmers market here is a hit with foodies, as is Canal Street Nights - a monthly festival which sees street food and live music spill out onto the pavements for a family friendly evening. One of the best ways to experience these neighbourhoods is to join a walking tour, these take place regularly and include wine tasting and history themes.
For those wanting to connect with nature, the Canaveral National Seashore, National Park is just on the doorstep. One of the longest stretches of undeveloped coastline in the USA, the 57,000 acre national park is home to a huge assortment of wildlife, including manatees, sea turtles, birds and dolphins. Visitors to the park can opt to follow either ‘dry’ or ‘wet’ trails, with miles of accessible boardwalks, hiking trails and kayak routes. Visitors can hire kayaks and SUP paddle boards, or there’s the opportunity for wildlife viewing from a variety of boat trips on Mosquito lagoon.
Our final stop on the East Coast of Florida is Cocoa Beach. Striking a happy medium between lively Daytona Beach, and relaxed New Smyrna, Cocoa beach offers a nice mix of family friendly seaside fun and relaxed downtime, making it a good spot for families with teenagers.
Cocoa’s golden sands are consistently lapped by waist high waves, making this the perfect place to try your hand at surfing. Whether you are looking to hire a board, book a lesson or shop for the latest surf gear, then a trip to ‘Ron Johns’ will sort you out. The world’s largest Surf store is open 24 hours and caters to all your needs.
Lori Wilson State Park is a popular beach, connected to the car park by a boardwalk that snakes through pillow soft sand dunes. The beach has lifeguards on duty year-round, shady pavilions, picnic areas and beach showers, making a day out at the beach safe for all ages.
Just a few miles from Cocoa Beach is Cape Canaveral, home of the Kennedy Space Centre. Featuring interactive exhibitions based on America’s space missions, past and present, including simulators, playgrounds and 3D cinema, this is a must visit for kids big and small! If you’re staying in Cocoa beach its worth considering the two-day admission ticket, so that you do not have to cram everything into one visit. If you are lucky you may even be able to see a rocket launch!
Fort Lauderdale & (West) Palm Beach
For most travellers, the coastal cities of Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, will only be glimpsed from a car window as they travel between Miami and Orlando, following the famous Route 1 (which runs from New England all the way to The Florida Keys), but should you park up and stay for a few days, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Located just a thirty-minute drive North of Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale throbs to a softer beat than its Latin neighbour. Its beaches are quieter, its streets are cleaner, and its nightlife is tamer. These factors may be a turn off for some, but if you’re travelling as a family or looking to just dip a tow into the water of Miami’s scene, then Fort Lauderdale is a great option.
Its golden sands span for miles in either direction, meaning there is plenty of space for everyone – including the colony of turtles that nest along these shores. The warm blue waters here are lovely for a swim, but also very popular with scuba divers. Fort Lauderdale is the only place in the USA where you can snorkel or dive a living coral reef from the beach. The waters here are home to host of historic wrecks, an underwater arts parks and many artificial reefs, making this one of the best spots in the USA for scuba diving and snorkelling.
There’s much more to this city than its beaches and diving though. Los Olas Boulevard is a upmarket district, crammed with shops, restaurants, galleries and bars that are sure to feature on most visitors itineraries. Nearby you’ll find The Riverwalk Arts and Entertainment District. Here you’ll be able to follow a red bricked through a series tropical landscaped parks that straddle the riverbanks here. It’s a lovely place to wander or dine by the waterside.
Wherever you are in Fort Lauderdale, you will never be far from the water. Known as ‘The Venice of America’, its nickname derives from the 300 miles of Canals that flow through and around this beautiful city. You can take a gondola ride, join a boat tour, or take a water taxi along these scenic waterways, as you look goggle eyed at the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It’s here that supersized yachts bob around in the marinas and mansions are sat amongst tropical gardens, offering a glimpse into another world!
Around an hours North of Fort Lauderdale and two and a half hours South of Orlando is West Palm Beach. Strictly speaking the Palms are two different cities- West Palm Beach is on the mainland and then Palm Beach is located just across the water on a barrier island.
If you’re looking for a beach holiday with minimum effort, you’ll need to base yourself at Palm Beach. This gorgeous sandy stretch of sand takes its name from the palms which sprung up here after a ship carrying coconuts wrecked nearby. Home to numerous billionaires, the island has a reputation of being luxurious and exclusive – which is reflected in the prices of its hotels and restaurants!
If being steps from the sand isn’t the ‘be all and end all’, then you’ll find that prices plummet if you stay on the mainland in and around the city of West Palm Beach. Here you will find over 150 golf courses, heaps of family attractions and some brilliant shopping areas such as The Square and Antiques Row.
Although the cities nightlife is not on a par with that of Miami or Fort Lauderdale, there’s still a nice buzz come evening time, particularly in The Clematis district where you’ll be able to wander between bars and restaurants or enjoy a stroll along the waterfront.
The Gulf Islands (Sarasota)
Continuing our virtual tour of Florida’s beach resorts, we cross back over to The West Coast, heading for The Gulf Islands of Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Lido Key and Siesta Key.
Sat upon a seven-mile-long slither of white sands, Anna Maria quietly lives the Florida dream, where locals and visitors share nightly sunsets, bustling seafood restaurants and a love of fishing. The island has only been accessible by road for just over a hundred years, and not much has changed in that time. Strict regulations have kept buildings low rise and developments small, meaning that most visitors to the island will stay in a short-term holiday rentals, motels or beachfront B&B’s.
The islands beaches are connected by a free trolley service that runs from the small hours into the night, meaning that you can avoid the weekend traffic jams whilst experiencing the family friendly Bradenton and Holmes beaches or exploring the galleries and shopping at Pine Avenue.
Long Boat key shares the same white sands, turquoise seas, and magnificent sunsets as Anna Maria Island, but that’s where the similarities end. With no direct access from the mainland and a sizable population of retirees, the island has a much sleepier feel than its already peaceful neighbour.
The island has a small selection of high-end restaurants and shops, two exclusive golf courses and a tennis club, making it well suited to visitors looking for a quiet but luxurious holiday. Public beach access is limited here, and there is also an absence of kiosks, facilities. Combined with limited public parking, there’s a good chance of having the white sands here to yourself, if you are staying locally.
At the end of this chain of three islands is Lido Key, a tiny island which is a stone’s throw across the bay to the city of Sarasota. Given its size, Lido Key has a good selection of big hotels, as well as a cluster of family friendly restaurants and cafes, centred round St Armand’s Circle. Come nightfall this becomes a popular spot for revellers. At the far end of the island is South Lido County Park, a wilder part of the island where you can kayak into the mangroves, picnic on wild beaches, or spot an assortment of birds.
The last stop on our tour of the gulf islands is Siesta key, South of Sarasota. It’s around 2.5 hours drive from Tampa, although there are regional connections available from across the USA. Siesta Key is made up of three distinct beaches, each offering a different experience. All three beaches on Siesta Key are served by a combination of resort hotels and condominium rentals, many of which are located within an easy walk of the sand.
Voted the nations favourite beach on two separate occasions, Siesta Beach pulls in the crowds, but the huge expanse of sand means there is always space to relax here. It’s biggest selling point is its sugary white sands which stay cool even on the hottest of days. Combined with warm, shallow waters, this makes it an excellent choice for families, who are well also well served by picnic areas, playgrounds and plentiful opportunities for water sports.
If you are looking for a little more space and quiet, then Crescent Beach is sure to appeal. Offering a stripped back version of Siesta, beach goers here will need to bring a good book for entertainment. Keep walking to the end of the sands and you will come to ‘Point of Rocks’, a rare rocky section of Floridian coastline, that entices snorkellers and divers to explore its marine rich waters.
At the far South of the Island is Turtle beach. Named after the endangered visitors which make their nests here, the beach offers a quieter experience and a place to appreciate the natural beauty of Siesta Key. Visitors here can join a kayak tour to explore the network of inland waterways and lagoon that neighbour the beach, or they can enjoy a sunset stroll, hunting for shells.
When the sun has gone down, the action on Siesta Key centres around Siesta Key Village. By and large its a family friendly beach town with a mix of easy-going restaurants and boutique shops, but there’s also a handful of clubs and bars which keep the beach party vibes going into the night.
Fort Myers and it’s Islands.
In 2022 the world looked on helpless, as Hurricane Ian relentlessly battered Fort Myers and its Gulf islands, altering some of Florida’s favourite beach destinations beyond recognition.
Less than one year later and green shoots are beginning to appear, as a community has come to its feet, rebuilding itself literally and metaphorically. The beaches are being cleared of debris, and many hotels & restaurants have begun to reopen their doors to visitors once more as life starts to return to normal on this stretch of the Florida Gulf Coast.
If planning to visit Fort Myers, we would strongly recommend checking the Visit Fort Myers website before travelling to this region or consult one of our expert travel consultants.
Naples & Marco Island
Located on Florida’s ‘Paradise Coast’, Naples & Marco Island are the last of the Gulf Coast beach resorts, before the sandy white coastline gives way to the swamps and mangroves of The Everglades National Park. A 2-hour drive from Miami airport, or 4 hours from Orlando, getting to Naples can feel like a road trip, but upon arrival a piece of paradise awaits.
With 7 miles of white sand, Naples holds its own with Florida’s best beaches, but also boasts world class shopping, golf and culture, centred around a historic downtown.
For serious shopping you’ll want to pay a visit to the cities 5th Avenue, its palm lined streets, oozes sophistication, offering a range of high-end boutique stores, restaurants, and galleries. Historic third Street South has the feel of a European resort, as colourful flowers tumble down the walls of pretty cottages and courtyards reverberate to the sound of open-air restaurants and bistros.
If you are looking for a more authentic taste of Florida, then a visit to Tin City should be on your agenda. Once the centre of Naples thriving fishing industry, a handful of the original buildings were converted into a riverfront marketplace. These days Tin City offers some of the freshest seafood in Naples, as well as dozens of unique shopping opportunities.
All of these shopping areas are within walking distance (or a short trolley ride) of the cities beach and iconic pier, meaning that you can experience the best of the city and the beach without using the car. A fun way to get your bearings is to take an electric trike tour of the city.
Naples isn’t all about shopping though, it enjoys a rich selection of arts and culture too. The Baker Museum features a range of contemporary and modern art, with both permanent and temporary collections. For a more intimate experience or the chance to pick up a special souvenir there are over 80 artists working out of open studios in the Naples Art District. Here you can meet the painters, sculptors, and photographers behind the work, as well as taking the opportunity to attend a workshop or class. With two theatres and a resident Philharmonic orchestra, there is nearly always the opportunity to take in a show or a performance whilst in town.
Thirty minutes South of Naples is beautiful Marco Island, the largest of the ‘Ten Thousand Islands’ and the last major settlement before you hit the Everglades.
Despite a plethora of luxurious resorts, Marco manages to maintain a wilder feel than the manicured city streets of Naples. Here you will be able to hunt for exotic sea shells on the wide sandy beaches, kayak amongst the mangroves or try and spot some of the birds and animals that call this home. Tiger Tail beach is a popular place to relax, but also a great place to spot wildlife. Dolphins and manatees are regularly spotted offshore, whereas Ospreys can be seen flying overhead.
The Everglades National Park is just a 45 minute drive from Marco Island, making this an easy day trip. Here you will be able to spot alligators and American crocodiles, or take a swamp walk with a guide in America’s largest wetland wildernesses.
The Florida Pan Handle (Pensacola, Destin, Miramar Beach & Panama City Beach)
Our final stop on this virtual tour of the Florida beaches, takes us to the Northwest coast. Just three hours from New Orleans, the Panhandle is the perfect spot for some beach side R&R at the end of a Southern road trip, or for visitors looking to visit a part of Florida less travelled.
Nicknamed ‘The Emerald Coast’, the waters that lap this stretch of the coastline shimmer a bright shade of green when the sun shines. It’s other (unofficial) nickname ‘The Redneck Riviera’ pokes fun at this part of Florida’s proximity to the Southern states, but for lovers of food and history, this is a major plus point which makes this region stand out from the other beach regions we have explored so far.
A stone’s throw from the border with Alabama, historic Pensacola is one of the most popular destinations on the Emerald Coast, offering holiday makers the combination of immaculate sandy beaches, a historic downtown, and a thriving food scene that has been influenced by its Southern and Gulf Coast neighbours.
First settled by the Spanish nearly 500 years ago, Pensacola downtown is one of the oldest in the USA. Here you can explore The Settlement Trail, a 3-mile-long self-guided walking tour that features 26 stops enroute and over 70 points of interest. Modern day downtown Pensacola offers a broad range of dining, shopping, and cultural opportunities – including the cities very own ballet.
The main beach is Pensacola Beach, where you will find a handful of seafood shacks and tiki bars clustered around the fishing pier, and an assortment of restaurants on the boardwalk . If you travel westwards, the condominiums and hotels give way to the protected Gulf Islands National Sea shore. It’s here you will find swathes of empty beach, quiet beachside campgrounds, and the relics of historic Fort Pickens.
Travelling approximately 50 miles East of Pensacola, you will come to the bustling city of Destin – the ‘luckiest fishing village in the world’. Having grown up around its harbour (one of the largest commercial fishing ports in the USA), Destin attracts crowds of fisherman and sun seekers, who come to experience the world class fishing opportunities here. Just a short cruise from the Continental Shelf, the incredibly deep waters here mean that fishing charters have a good chance of landing red snapper, swordfish, marlin or tuna. Whether you are having your own catch cooked for you, or enjoying the fruit of someone else’s labours, there are countless seafood restaurants located around the harbour.
It’s not just the fishing that pulls in the crowds to Destin though. The harbour is a hive of activity, with shopping, restaurants, family friendly activities, live music and weekly fireworks display. Visitors can hire paddleboards voyage out to artificial snorkelling reefs or take a boat tour to join the party at Crab Island, a huge sandbar that is perfect for watery picnics and lazy afternoons paddling in the shallow waters.
Just a few miles down the coast is Miramar Beach, a quieter resort that emerged in the 1980’s. Here you will find sleepy sandy beaches, beachfront holiday homes and a clusters of tower block resorts (condo’s) offering up dreamy views of the Emerald waters. Miramar may feel quiet compared to the buzz of Destin, but you’ll still be able to find family friendly resorts and restaurants that make this a viable alternative for those looking for a quieter stay. Slightly inland you will find Silver Sands, a designer outlet mall, and shoppers paradise with over 100 stores.
As we reach the end of the Emerald Coast we come to Panama City Beach, the final destination on our virtual tour of Florida’s beaches.
Sometimes referred to as ‘The Spring Break Capital of the World’, PCB enjoys/endures its reputation as a party town, partly because of its great value accommodation and array of vibrant nightlife options. Granted, it’s not somewhere you would want to holiday during the (typically) two week period in February/March when American and Canadian college (university) students head to the sunshine to party – but you could say the same about Daytona, Miami or nearly any of the resort towns across the length and breadth of North America!
Flanked by two State Parks, there is plenty of space to get away from it all, whilst connecting with nature. Camp St Helen with its huge coastal dune lake, offers the chance for fishing, kayaking, and hiking. There are also self-guided hiking trails and the option to take themed nature and history walks with a ranger. To the East is St Andrews State Park, where 1 .5 mile of sandy beach, pine forests and sandy dunes, converge to make the perfect place to spend a day surrounded by nature. You’ll be able to spot butterflies and migratory birds here or enjoy swimming and snorkelling in the waters.
PCB is also one of the best places on the Pan Handle to spot bottle nosed dolphins. These friendly animals are regular visitors to the waters here, meaning you have a very good chance of spotting them whilst on a boat tour. Some tours even offer you the chance to get in the water with these curious creatures.
Back on dry land, families are well catered for with the thrilling Shipwreck Island waterpark and the mind-boggling Ripley’s Believe it or not museum, Gulf World Marine Park and a raft of crazy golf courses and go kart tracks. When combined with the sandy beaches and affordable accommodation options, Panama City Beach makes for a good all round family beach holiday in Northern Florida.
That concludes the end of a virtual tour of the Florida beaches – we hope that this has made your decision on where to take a beach holiday in Florida, but if not you are always welcome to get in touch with one of our team of travel experts who will be able to further advise you.