Going on vacation to Florida? Discover the most beautiful beaches in the Sunshine State!
At first glance, Florida’s attractions hold no secrets. Divine beaches, incredible theme parks and a vibrant nightlife make it an obvious destination whether for families, couples, seniors or solo travelers. With a coastline stretching some 1930 km, it’s naturally the beaches that we’re going to talk about today, with a selection of six of Florida’s best beaches. Beaches are the main ingredient of your trip to Florida, so don’t hesitate to take the time to explore a few.
South Beach, Miami
Flickr – Hubo
South Beach is the ideal place to enjoy the never-ending nightlife, which begins at dusk when neon lights illuminate the art-deco masterpieces. The long, beautiful beach stretches out from here. Here, it’s all about eye candy, where you can find models in the middle of photo shoots, and where you can go for a morning jog. Although the water is that of the Pacific, it’s as clean and clear as that of the Caribbean, and you can jet-ski and go boating or enjoy all kinds of water activities.
The beach is so large that there’s a « field » for playing polo with horses on the sand. An interesting sport to watch. If you’re spending a holiday in Miami, don’t forget to read our Top 12 must-do things to do in Miami.
Siesta Beach, Siesta Key
Flickr – rickpilot_2000
This quiet beach claims to have the most beautiful white sand beach in the USA, and maybe it’s true. Indeed, the sand is so clean and soft, it’s almost sacrilegious to walk on it with your shoes on. Its indented shape, quartz crystal (snow-white) sand and emerald green water make Siesta Beach a true paradise for summer visitors. The sea is very calm here, with no waves, making it safe for children to swim.
Another plus: the composition of the sand means that it stays cool even when the sun is at its highest in the sky. Last but not least, it’s no coincidence that this beach has such an evocative name: people come here to take a long nap. At the end of the day, people come here with a glass of wine in hand to admire the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. It’s an almost daily custom for the locals!
Cape Florida, Key Biscayne
Flickr – Ken Bosma
This beach is perfect for a family holiday. The island is large, and the lighthouse at its southern tip only confirms its beauty. It’s very exposed to the wind, so it’s much less prone to the hot weather that plagues other Florida beaches. However, don’t bring a surfboard – there are hardly any waves to ride. The calm water makes it safe for children to swim. There’s a beachside restaurant, and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is kept in superb condition. It’s not possible to sleep on the island, but it’s an ideal destination for a day trip. Although it’s still pretty close to Miami, you’ll find it’s a complete change of scenery.
Sanibel Island
Wikimedia – Bradeos Graphon
Spanish explorers in the 16th century already called it Costa de Carocles (« seashell coast »), and the island of Sanibel is still home to an impressive quantity of seashells. People come here especially to collect them. Take the opportunity to visit the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, which has specimens from all over the world and can help you identify the ones you’ve picked up on shore.
If you feel like it (and if time permits), head for Bowman’s Beach, a very quiet, secluded beach where you’ll spot a historic lighthouse. Note that the island’s wildlife is well preserved, and it’s possible to spot waffle turtles from the boardwalks, and there are evengator crossings along the bay.
Knight Island
Credit – islanderproperties.com
It’s also known as Palm Island. This island has a real beach escape, and you can only get there by ferry or private boat. The ferry costs $6 return (if you’re on foot). There are no hotels here, but you can try renting a house. You should seriously consider this, as you may want to stay for a week. If you rent a house, you’ll be entitled to a golf caddy for getting around the island and the various beaches.
The area is also very popular with fishermen. On the sands of the 16 km-long beach, you can pick up black sharks’ teeth during a pleasant walk. You’ll feel very safe on the island, but be warned: you’ll hate this place if you like to move around and do lots of things during the day, but you’ll love it if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Florida’s big cities.
New Smyrna Beach
Credit – nsbobserver.com
Here’s a really great, relaxed beach. The exact opposite of South Beach. To the north are Florida’s best surf spots, named one of the top 20 places in the world to surf by National Geographic magazine. But it’s also where you’ll find the most sharks in the state. Get up high above the beach and you’ll see lots of youngsters surfing, surrounded by shark fins. But these aren’t big sharks, and they’re not here to eat us. New Smyrna Beach is only an hour’s drive from Orlando. Take the opportunity to visit the ruins of an old sugarcane mill.
Travelling in Florida
Of course, these beaches are just a few examples of places to go to discover Florida’s beaches. But the list is not exhaustive. In fact, here are a few more:
- Atlantic Beach
- Palm Beach
- Naples Beach
- The aptly named Clearwater Beach
- Delray Beach
There are plenty of other ideas for touring the state: for example, why not rent a car and head for the keys as far as Key West? You could start in Miami and drive down to Key West, then up the Gulf Coast.