It's understandable why Florida has some of the world's best beaches with nearly 2,000 km of coastline and 1,000 km of beaches to explore.
In Florida, there is certainly a beach for every kind of traveler. Find popular party beaches, isolated beaches for solitary walks, soft sand beaches outside your hotel, family-friendly beaches with lots of activities, and much more.
1. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
This beach has really calm water and large stretches of sand. Spend the afternoon swimming and snorkeling before taking a break to check out the park's pre-Civil War fortress. You'll also find nature trails and snorkel rentals on site.
2. Siesta Beach
Best Places to Stay in Siesta Key
Located on Siesta Key near Sarasota on the Gulf of Mexico, it’s a fun beach for families to spend a day swimming, relaxing in the sun and sandcastle building. Siesta Beach features 8 miles of white quartz sand and crystal-clear water, plus dining, shopping and nighttime entertainment.
3. Clearwater Beach
For more kid-friendly fun, Clearwater Beach also offers the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which focuses on marine life rescue and rehabilitation. Then, guests can travel to Pier 60 to take in the evening activities and spectacular sunset while also making crafts. Anglers frequently come here to fish at night since the 1,080-foot pier is decorated with colorful lights.
4. Sanibel Island
Best Places to Stay in Sanibel
Millions of shells wash ashore on the shores of this barrier reef island near Fort Myers every year, making it a heaven for seashell lovers. Particularly from January through March, shellers adore coming here to look for stunning specimens like conches or sand dollars to add to their collections.
Blind Pass Beach has lovely soft white sands with some of the best shelling grounds, while those looking for a more secluded escape could head to Bowman’s Beach. Sanibel and Captiva island are reached via a 5km causeway with a $3 toll for cars. Measuring about 20 km by 5k m in size, Sanibel is ideal for exploring by bicycle.
5. South Beach
Best Places to Stay In Miami Beach
Located in Miami, if you're a party goer and in search of a lively beach, make your way to South Beach. There's many activities to do including yachting, snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding and kite surfing.
Wander off the beach to explore the vibrant Art Deco district or stop by the museums, art galleries and shops lining the streets. Enjoy sundowners at an Ocean Drive bar before whirling off to party in the clubs late into the night
6. Amelia Island
Best Places to Stay in Amelia Island
Amelia Island is a wonderful vacation spot for families and people looking for a beach getaway with a dash of culture and history. Early risers will find it to be the ideal location to witness the breathtaking sunrise over the Atlanta skyline right off the northeast Florida coast.
It features 13 miles of beaches, including Amelia Island State Park (where you can bike, fish or look for wildlife) and Main Beach Park (with a playground, an outdoor skate park, picnic tables, volleyball courts and more). Don't forget to book a horseback riding tour for a fun way to explore the area.
7. Fort Lauderdale Beach
Best Places to Stay in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale’s main beach is a thriving place with boutique shops, dining spots and a beachfront promenade to stroll and take in the lively human spectacle. Find quieter stretches of sand at Dania Beach or Hillsboro Beach, where there's a lighthouse and yacht-studded inlet. And there’s a fascinating underwater world for scuba divers and snorkelers to explore with 100km of coral reef just offshore.
8. Santa Rosa Beach
Best Places to Stay in Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa Beach, which stretches 26 miles along Florida's northwest coast, is the place to go for sugar white sand, emerald sea, fine eating, and local art galleries and shops. Plus, the food trucks in the neighboring town of Seaside make for a fun and easy meal option.
9. Destin
White sand beaches, lovely Gulf waters, and a lot of sunshine draw families to Destin.
This popular beach destination in Florida has everything you need for an unforgettable beach holiday, including a ton of thrilling things to do. Remember that summertime sees the highest temperatures, visitor counts, and hotel rates.
Travelers will find popular stretches of sand like June White Decker Park and Crystal Beach by the town's resorts and vacation rentals, but for a more laid-back atmosphere, sunbathe on Henderson Beach State Park's Appalachian quartz sands. Beachgoers may even spot dolphins, sea turtles and other critters during their visit.
10. Panama City Beach
Best Places to Stay In Panama City Beach
A variety of activities are available for visitors of all ages along Panama City Beach's 27 miles of shoreline that overlooks the Gulf of Mexico.
Due to its sizable coastal dune lake, Camp Helen State Park is a great place for fishing, while St. Andrews State Park attracts people interested in snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, stand up paddle boarding, surfing and looking for wildlife.
The latter is also where tourists can board the Shell Island Shuttle, which travels to Shell Island, a 700-acre barrier island famous for its big population of bottlenose dolphins. Enjoy dolphin sightseeing on a boat or jet ski.
Check out Panama City Beach water adventures where you can climb on board a Privateer sailing catamaran and head out to Shell island and enjoy fun water activities such as a giant water trampoline, a climbing wall, a water slide and a see-saw ball.
