The bluest beach in Florida is the one at Dry Tortugas National Park, hands down. Dry Tortugas national park is about a 70 mile boat ride west of Key West and since few will make that journey I have some very close runner ups and suggestions for you.
For that matter neither does the gulf coast have the cobalt blue water that you will find in Key West, The Florida Keys or the Atlantic Coast aka the east coast of Florida. Why? The gulf stream which moves the Atlantic Ocean waters from the passes by the Florida Keys and then makes a loop around the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the time it is around 40 miles offshore from gulf coast beaches.
The Emerald Coast to the Lee Island Coast has turquoise blue waters. They most commonly have a greenish tint for several reasons. However, visibility is typically 40 to 50 feet which is still amazing. There is a special treat that comes with those green waters and that is the glowing green colors you will often see at ight in the damp sand. An example is below.
Some of the finest white sand beaches in the world are on the Florida gulf coast. Lets take a quick look at them and then get back to the bluest clear water beaches. I will cover the most popular, some lesser known and the benefits of each.
Florida's Emerald Coast reaches from Pensacola FL to Panama City Beach. Included in these beaches are Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach/ Okaloosa Island, Destin Beach, Henderson Beach State Park, Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach and of course Panama City Beach.
Navarre Beach is probably the easiest beach to find some personnel space. There are few ways to get there and there usually is not much boat traffic either. You will see deep sea fishing boats 3 to 5 miles off shore but that is about it. Because Navarre Beach is on a barrier island and access is a little less convenient it has some unspoiled beaches a short walk from the hotels.
Fort Walton Beach or Okaloosa Island is where things begin to come to life. I remember when they first started building the condos here. The beaches and nightclubs are still very popular but my favorite thing there is the amazing Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier.
As you approach Destin Beach and the Destin Harbor Boardwalk you will pass over a beautiful bridge. On your left in the gorgeous emerald green waters is Crab Island and probably 25 to 100 boats hanging out in the summer on weekends. To the south is the inlet where the boats pass through for deep sea fishing, scuba diving, water sports and sight seeing tours. There is more to beach life than beach chairs, sunburns and towels. There are many other Emerald Coast Beaches between the following ones.
Henderson Beach State Park & Santa Rosa Beach have crystal clear water and like all Emerald Coast Beaches usually they have more than one sand bar. The water clarity is absolutely fine for seeing up to 40 or 50 feet underwater unless you just accidently show up during a bad time or the sees are rough which does happen on the Florida Panhandle.
The natural beauty and white sands of Florida's beaches all come together with Grayton Beach. One of my favorite spots in the sate. Why? it is relatively remote and both it and Seaside are not quite as commercialized even though they have pristine white sand beaches. Being farther from a town also helps have some of the clearest water in Florida.
Honeymoon Island State Park and Dunedin are two places rich in history. Honeymoon Island is on a barrier island and is known for nature trails, marine life and fairly easy parking. If you on a beach vacation this is a great place to at least spend half a day in Tampa Bay.
Clearwater Beach actually is not named that because of just the clear coastal waters. However most of the time it does apply to them. These beaches along with all of the beaches on Florida's Gulf Coast contain quartz sand from the Appalachian Mountains. Cooler on your feet, brilliant white and powdery soft. Combine that with the turquoise blue waters and you have a real winner, literally.
Clearwater Beach | St Pete Beach
Here nature lovers can scuba dive, go jet skiing, enjoy the many attractions of the beach town Such as the Clearwater Marine Aquarium or adjacent marina. If you are wondering, yes there is an amazing boardwalk, pier, restaurants, bars and Tampa International Airport is 20 minutes to the east.
More Sandy Beaches and crystal clear water are to the south. In fact another beautiful beach at Sand Key Park is immediately south. The pristine beaches found here are accented with a large parking lot with picnic tables and other amenities. St Pete Beach is often described as a family friendly beach but probably because of the beachfront hotels. Unlike northern Florida this art of the west coast has great temperatures year round. St Pete Beach is a great vacation spot even in the winter months.
South of Anna Maria Island which is the tip of the Culture Coast and South of Tampa Bay you will find a barrier island. This barrier island is the home of Siesta Key Beach where nature lovers come to enjoy the softest sands and some of the clearest water in Florida. The sand is said to be 99% quartz and I tend to believe that. With the ocean floor being brilliant white you can not only see marine life clearer but the water clarity seems to be increased. Among Florida's beaches there is no finer even including Marco Island and South Marco Beach.
If you think so then definitely head to Key West via the Florida Keys. Although most come here to fish, party or scuba dive there are about a dozen beaches other than at Dry Tortugas National Park. On the Atlantic Ocean side the gulf stream may be just 2-3 miles offshore meaning that cobalt blue water is everywhere.
This chain of small islands usually has the best beach locations well out of view from the main roads. Smathers Beach is one of the few exceptions.
South Beach and Miami Beach are basically side by side. The blue water is amazing even when it is rough. The nightlife is of course fantastic but very expensive. Going on a date here can easily cost into the hundreds of dollars. These two Florida beaches are a nightmare when it comes to parking and the crime is unacceptably high. That being said, they are two of the best blue water beaches in Florida.
Palm Beach is a pink sandy beach which on a clam day makes for a beautiful sight up against the blue Atlantic Ocean waters. Parking is easier, the people as a whole are friendlier and this is one of the underrated destinations on the east coast.
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