Are you looking for a great beach getaway that's beautiful, close and inexpensive? Florida Gulf Coast beaches are absolutely gorgeous with cool white sugar sand and warm blue waves. Plus, you can get direct flights from most parts of the East Coast at bargain prices.
There's no need to travel halfway across the world to find paradise when these gorgeous Florida beaches are in your backyard. Come for a short Florida vacation or make it a full vacation.
No matter what you choose to do, you'll find it here, even if you decide to do nothing at all!
Tampa Bay and Clearwater Beach
Tampa Bay is home to the largest metro area on the Gulf Coast. It's the natural gateway to Florida's Gulf Beaches, whether you're arriving by car, plane, or just coming off a romantic getaway in Orlando. Clearwater Beach It is often called the best beach town in America. There are two parts to this title “the beach” and “the city,” and you can get the best of both worlds in Greater Tampa.
Resorts and public beach access provide visitors with the sand and surf they came for as well as some unique “big market” attractions. Pier 60 It offers a sunset celebration that rivals Mallory Square in the Keys. Many tourist boats depart from it Clearwater Beach Marina And St John's Pass offers everything from ice cream tours with dolphins to jet skiing on the bay.
A little further inland, you'll find legitimate urban adventures such as Dali Museum, Tampa RiverwalkAnd nightlife in Ybor City.
West Tampa
A short drive from the coast takes you to a Scottish town Dunedin And the Greek village Tarpon Springs – The sponge diving capital of the world. If you don't want to drive at all, the trolley system can take you all the way from Tarpon Springs to the Tampa Riverwalk.
St. Pete Beach It is located on the south side of the beach strip. It's full of beach resorts with miles and miles of sand, including historic ones Don Cesar Hotel – It is also known as the Pink Palace.
Lido Key and Northern Beaches
Lido Key Beach It is a public beach with many beach resorts nearby. It's the closest beach to Sarasota, with its own share of sugar sand.
It seems like Longboat Key should have beautiful beaches, but it is filled with private homes, condominiums, and rental properties that limit public access to the beach. If you're lucky enough to rent one of these places, you'll almost have the beach to yourself. There are public access points, but parking is difficult to find.
A little further north and you will reach Coquina Beach and Bradenton Beach. It is located directly across the drawbridge to Anna Maria and offers a 1.5 mile public beach with all the amenities you would expect (including parking).
Siesta key
Siesta key It is a large barrier island that can be accessed by a toll bridge. It's spacious enough to support Siesta Key Village with its many shops and restaurants. Our favorite is the Made in Rome Gelato, which is the best we've had in Florida.
The beaches are snow-white sugary sand so pure that it creaks under your feet. What's more, they have a free local ferry that runs the length of Siesta Key, so, once you park your car for the weekend, you'll never need to drive again until you leave. That means you'll enjoy that extra daiquiri at happy hour. It's no wonder Siesta Key continues to be ranked as the best beach in America.
Venice Beach
Venice Beach Nice enough beach. It doesn't have the sugar sand or seclusion of other area beaches. It has a dock and a restaurant, but those alone wouldn't have earned a spot on this list.
Venice Beach, the shark tooth capital of the world! You can go shark tooth fishing here during low tide and expect to return with about 50 to 100 shark teeth each trip. I'd like to say it's a ton of fun for kids, but that would greatly understate how much I enjoyed it. Really, you have to try it!
Fort Myers area
Fort Myers is a coastal city located a few miles inland on the Caloosahatchee River. However, the beaches on nearby barrier islands are some of the best in the state. Heading north, the first bay you'll reach is Estero Bay.
It is home to the Estero Bay Aquatic Reserve and its beginning The Great Calusa Blueway is a 190-mile long paddling trail. The small southern barrier islands include scenic Bonita Beach, Little Hickory Beach, and Lovers Key Beach. At the northern end of the bay, you'll find the more populated Estero Island and Fort Myers Beach.
Pine Island Voice
Another chain of islands makes up Pine Island Sound. You can drive over a toll bridge over Blind Pass to reach Sanibel and Captiva Island. More than half of the island is wildlife reserves. During low tide, look for precious juni shells at Bowman Beach. When the tide rises, explore the JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
The furthest beach near Sanibel is Cayo Costa State Park. It is only accessible by boat, but public ferries depart from Sanibel, Pine Key and Punta Gorda. Along seven miles of Cayo Costa beaches, you'll find the best shelling in Florida.
Naples
Naples Beach and the historic Naples Pier dating back to 1888 are great for families looking for a beach with all the amenities. Showers, restrooms, nearby restaurants, and abundant beach resorts make this a one-stop Florida beach vacation.
If you're looking for something more natural, consider these three beaches in northern Naples: Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Clam Pass Beach Parkor Barefoot Beach Preserve Provincial Park. You'll find oat grass growing on windswept sand dunes, a lot more nature, and a lot more peace. Canoeing enthusiasts will enjoy the Clam Bay Canoe Trail through mangroves and estuaries.
Marco Island
Marco Island is located about twenty miles south of Naples, easily accessible by the Jolly West Bridge. This four-mile beachfront is the end of Florida's Gulf Coast beaches. Access begins at South Beach, where you'll find palm-lined walkways against an urban backdrop.
Next comes the resort area, which includes the Marco Beach Ocean Resort and the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. Finally, you'll reach the sand dunes and tranquil lagoons of Tigertail Beach Park.
Bonus Beach Content – Crystal River / Homosassa
If you're driving to Florida, as 78% of visitors do, be sure to take the detour up US-98 to Crystal River, especially if you're visiting during the winter months. In fact, you should probably fly out on a winter weekend and rent a car to do so. You should try swimming with manatees at least once in your life.
From December to March, hundreds of manatees gather in the Crystal River to warm up in the springs. Your tour will teach you about manatee palaces and how to interact with these gentle, ethical giants.
Then your boat captain will take you to manatee hotspots around the bay. Gently enter the water and stay as still as possible. When you float like a manatee and act like a manatee, maybe they'll come over to say hello. It's the most amazing experience you can imagine.
Wrap up your Florida beach vacation
There is no shortage of sand or water on Florida's Gulf Coast. It's hard to choose a favorite, and you don't have to. Even if you can't go everywhere in one trip, you can always come back. You can also explore some of these options on an Orlando beach trip.
From natural encounters to urban adventures, each beach town offers something unique. One thing is for sure, if you're looking for beautiful beaches, it's hard to do better than the west coast of Florida.
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.
