Clearwater Beach is the best of the beach towns in Florida. It has everything a beach town should including weather that is good enough to enjoy the beach towns' attractions year round. Lets take a closer look at this amazing beach town and some of it's competition.
When I think of what makes the best beach towns I believe they should have everything you need within walking distance and enough to spoil you within a very short distance. On a barrier island that is actually necessary. Clearwater Beach is just such an island town and it certainly has breathtaking beaches.
Clearwater beach Attractions include deep sea fishing, street performers, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, bars, great restaurants and of course stunning sunsets. At the marina you can rent just about any type of equipment or take a wide variety of cruises, even on a pirate ship. If you are wanting to visit maybe one of the vacation rentals will be a good fit for a week or so.
The best beaches and the best beach towns in Florida are just to the south of Clearwater Beach. First lets talk about the unique sand found on the Gulf Coast. It is made of quartz sand which is why it is so soft, cool and brilliant white. The pure white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico or Gulf Coast is very much whiter than on the east coast. That is why the most gorgeous beaches are found here.
The beaches on the west coast of Florida have a turquoise blue tint to them. That means they have a touch of green but the water clarity is still amazing. Normally around 50 feet which is far more than enough for a beach. Both the Gulf Of Mexico and the Florida Keys get their waters from the Atlantic Ocean just like South Beach and Miami Beach do.
About 20 minutes to the south of Clearwater Beach is St Pete Beach. Both are technically in Tampa Bay and both have the same brilliant sand. This particular town is slightly different. This barrier island has two primary means of access and is around 5 1/2 miles long from north to south. The town has a lot to offer it is just not as good as you can find to the north and south. This beach is known to be more family friendly and has the more famous beachfront hotels.
I seriously doubt there is a better white sand beach for a vacation anywhere in the world. The beach town is almost as good as Clearwater Beach and probably has more of a laid back vibe to it. Is has some great local eateries, gorgeous sunsets and relatively unspoiled beaches on it's north end.
No doubt this is the best beach in the sunshine state and one of the best Florida beach towns. It is just slightly lacking in the downtown area compared to others. I would consider it to be #2 for towns and #1 for beautiful beaches.
Sanibel Island is another barrier island small town on the southwest coast of Florida. A true nature lover's paradise with soft sand, a rich history and a laid back atmosphere. This is a great place because not only is it warmer year round but you can place your feet toward the water due south. Yes the Sunshine State truly shows what it can do for a beach tan here.
The nearest large towns are Cape Coral and Fort Myers to the east. Naples Pier in the not so well known yet Naples Florida area is just to the south. Naples just had a pretty rough go of it in the 2023 hurricane season but is recovering quickly. Great towns do that.
This is one of my old stomping grounds in the panhandle of Florida about 20 minutes east from Santa Rosa Beach & Destin also known as the Emerald Coast. If it stayed warm here year round I would never have left. The amount of coastal beach areas and nearby coastal towns make this an amazing choice. Unfortunately, winter months seem to come each year.
Sorry, no Amelia Island it reminds me to much of Georgia and is just not for me. However, just south of there is St Augustine Beach on what is called the First Coast. Believe it or not I actually lived here for an entire year.
The Town's History
Public Beaches
World Class Golf Courses Nearby
We loved this area and the town was awesome for more reasons than just the architecture. The actual St Augustine Beach was meh, and just got to cold in the winter to be considered for the best beach town. Definitely if you are looking north of Cocoa Beach this is the best option.
Cocoa beach strikes the perfect blend of small town and beach towns. If you like surfing or wave action mixed in with a great pier that you can watch rocket launces from then this is one of the best beach towns in Florida. Where Clearwater Beach has the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Cocoa Beach has the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. All of the best Florida beach towns offer something great.
Like Siesta Key not everyone thinks of this area when considering Florida beach towns. Well they probably should as the area is rapidly modernizing and you can still find parking relatively easily. Deep sea fishing, scuba diving, hiking trails and just about everything you can imagine can be found here. Even an International Airport. Palm Beach is one of my picks for best beach towns.
Granted the Miami Skyline is rather impressive and the nightlife here is amazing as well. Bars, fresh seafood, local art and terrible parking and crime rates are waiting for you. The actual beach is great, the area is for people who are coming here for something specific and I suggest a hotel and Uber. Mind your things as this place is well known for property crime.
Where else but Key West, Key Largo and the Florida Keys. Don't let the white picket fences deceive you this is a party town and well known for it. Yes there are a dozen or so beaches but these beach towns are primarily for deep sea fishing, boating and scuba diving with sea turtles and coral reefs. I love it here and have been probably 25 to 50 times. My visits have drastically slowed since I sold my boat.
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