People always ask – where is the closest beach to Orlando? As a former local, I know the better question is what is the best beach to go to from Orlando. Of course, the answer depends on what you're looking for. Each of these beaches offers something a little different. I'll give you the local info on the best beaches near Orlando, and you can choose your favorite.
No matter if you're looking for romantic things to do, day trips, or adventures around Orlando, nothing beats a trip to the beach.
Clearwater/St. Pete – Best Beaches Near Orlando
If you want to go “to the beach” without providing any additional information, I recommend Gulf Coast Beaches Pure water And St. Petersburg Because it is close, warm and beautiful. In my opinion, they are the best beaches near Orlando. It is located 25 miles or so from the barrier islands off Tampa and its namesake bay. Clearwater Beach is on the north end, and St. Pete is on the south end with about 20 miles of residential communities in the middle.
What makes this area exceptional, besides the warm, gentle Gulf waters and dazzling sunsets, is all the beach amenities. From rentals to dolphin cruises to soak up the sun, you'll have a fully subsidized shore excursion and your choice of beachside dining or deck dining when you get hungry.
If I had to choose between Clearwater or St. Pete for a day trip, I would choose Clearwater and perhaps sail through St. Pete to check out the historic Don Cesar Hotel for a walking tour. Clearwater has Pier 60 and a beautiful beach promenade as well as easy access to the tourist marina and dining. You can park your car once and have all these options available to you. St. Pete has more beach resorts with semi-private beachfronts that encourage you to stay on property. It's great to open onto the beach, but it's not a day trip format. Perhaps more of an Orlando beach getaway.
Tampa
Although it's not really a beach area, as there are more nearby bay and beaches, the greater Tampa area is worth a visit on its own. They have a wonderful riverwalk downtown and a vibrant art scene with the Dali and Chihuly Museums. Pair it with the aquariums, Big Cat Rescue, Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks, and everything else Tampa has to offer, and you have a beach and city combination that's hard to beat with a less than two-hour one-way flight from Orlando.
Siesta Key – America's best beach
While Clearwater is known as the “Best Beach Town,” Siesta Key is known as the “Best Beach.” The operative word is “city”. Siesta Key has some of the most beautiful silica sand beaches in the southern Panhandle. The sand is white as snow and so pure that it creaks under your feet. The wide white beaches of Siesta Key greet the Gulf's warm blue waters in a dazzling display of tranquility. It is an idyllic, peaceful city, full of postcards and daydreams. It's also only about a half-hour away from Clearwater, making it a viable option for an Orlando day trip.
Siesta Key still has things to do off the beach. Siesta Key Village offers restaurants such as Made in Rome Gelato (Very delicious), The hut (Home of the Billionaire Burger), Daiquiri deck (Happy Hour 3-7), and a shock ton of fresh oysters. Most nights, you can find a live band playing as well. While you're there, be sure to rent a jet ski or SUP for the short trip to Midnight Pass.
Cocoa Beach – The closest beach to Orlando
Cocoa Beach is the closest beach to Orlando that you can reach in less than an hour. It's close enough that many people commute from Orlando to Cocoa Beach every day, but don't worry. You'll be heading against traffic on your Cocoa Beach day. If this beach were anywhere other than Florida, it would be amazing. I will give it a very good rating soon. It's also one of the closest beaches near Disney World as you don't have to drive through downtown Orlando to get from Disney to Cocoa Beach.
Because it's located on the Atlantic Ocean, the water is a little cooler than the Gulf, and you won't have a scorching sunset. What you have are waves. Cocoa is home to Ron John and Kelly Slater, but let's be honest, their surfing is more of a failure than a success. It tends to be very flat even for longboards in the summer and a little short/choppy in the winter. There are also seasonal and tidal changes at the beach breaks, so you never know when the waves will die down and return to normal on their way. Also, every afternoon, the trade winds tend to blow the break. If you follow the surf report, take a surf lesson from a local shop, and start early in the morning, you have a chance. Even if you don't surf, the wave action is fun to jump on and surf.
Playa Linda – Orlando Florida's most natural beach
Playa Linda offers miles (miles and miles) of undeveloped beach. If that's your thing, this is your place. You'll have parking, toilets, showers, and not much else. Make sure, at the very least, to bring a cooler and pack a picnic. This beach is the most natural among the beaches of Orlando, Florida.
Playa Linda is located on federal land north of the Cape on Merritt Island, an important fact for several reasons. First, it's the best place outside of Kennedy to watch a space launch. Second, they don't remove alligators from here so you can see some big alligators, especially on the back roads through the swamps. Third, state and local laws prohibiting public nudity are not implicitly enforced as far north as Playa Linda at sunset in a crowd.
Daytona Beach – The most famous beach in the world
Daytona Beach – also known as the “Most Famous Beach in the World” – is the perfect combination of Cocoa Beach and Clearwater. There are some waves and a fair amount of beach amenities as well. It's almost as close as Cocoa Beach from Orlando to Daytona, but you have to take I-4 through downtown Orlando. During the right times of day, you can do this in just over an hour. Leave during the morning commute or drive home and you'll be in heavy traffic for an hour and still not be able to get through town.
Once you arrive at Daytona Beach, you'll find a wooden pier and a beachfront amusement park that will remind you a little of Santa Monica. The surf break might be a little better here because you don't have to deal with Merritt Island blocking the northern swells. Nearby New Smyrna Beach has a popular break in Ponce Inlet. It's also the “Shark Bite Capital of the World,” but you're safer from shark bites than from boat traffic in the inlet. Overall, Daytona Beach makes for a great beach trip, especially on summer weekends, when their outdoor concert series takes place.
St. Augustine – Florida's most historic beach
St. Augustine is the oldest European city in America, so it makes sense that it has the most historic beaches in Florida. We love the romantic things to do in St. Augustine, but it's also a legitimate beach destination with more than 14 miles of beautiful beaches. Anastasia Island State Park It's the most popular beach here for good reason, but we love it Vilano Beachespecially in Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM for short).
Guana Beach has four access points to eight miles of beach within a nature preserve. You'll have a remote, unspoiled beach experience, but you'll be just a half-hour away from dining in St. Augustine's famous historic district. There are also miles and miles of trails within the GTM Reserve for biking and hiking, and extensive estuaries for kayaking and bird watching. If you want an upscale evening, book a room at the five-star/five-diamond Point Vedra Inn and Club and enjoy private access to Ponte Vedra Beach.
West Palm Beach – Home to the best diving beach in the world
Logistically, West Palm is about as far as you can get on a day trip since it takes three hours to get there from Orlando. It's definitely out of this group, and there are many beaches within 2 1/2 – 3 hours that I didn't include such as Amelia Island, Melbourne, And Venice Beach For example but not limited to. The reason West Palm Beach is included is that it is the first beach you can access to scuba dive (or snorkel) because it is the last place the Gulf Stream lies close to shore before it veers out to sea at Mid-Atlantic Bay.
West Palm offers warm, clear water with visibility routinely at 50′-80′. Many marine creatures visit these waters, from sea turtles in the summer months to schools of goliath groupers in the fall and even a veritable underwater zoo at “the best shore diving in the world” – Blue Heron Bridge.
A typical boat dive in West Palm Beach is your choice of two tank dives in the morning or afternoon. Dive sites range from drift diving at Florida Reef to one of hundreds of shipwrecks set as artificial reefs just offshore.
wrapping Best beaches near orlando florida
Going to the best beaches near Orlando, Florida is a great way to add some sand and surf to the parks and attractions of Central Florida and perhaps turn your trip to the House Mouse into a romantic getaway. The Gulf Coast offers beautiful sand, warm, calm waters and stunning sunsets, while the Atlantic Coast is closer to the waves with better beaches and decent beaches in its own right.
On both beaches, you can balance your trip between comfort and seclusion. You may also have some special interests such as space, art, or diving that contribute to your decision on the beach. There are plenty of options for enjoying a little sun, surf and sand on your Orlando vacation.
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Hello! We are Jane and Ed Coleman also known as Coleman Concierge. In short, we are a 10th generation couple from Huntsville sharing our stories of amazing adventures through transformative and experiential activity-based travel.
