Dry Tortugas National Park Has The Bluest Ocean In Florida. It is the furthest beach from a city and it has fewer contaminants as a result. In addition the gulf stream provides a constant supply of clear blue waters from the rest of the Atlantic Ocean. Tortugas Nation Park is far more than just a fort. It consists of seven small islands and 100 square miles of cobalt blue ocean water.
Most of the time the Florida Keys and East Coast of Florida are where you will find the cobalt blue waters most people think of. The Gulf Coast which I will get to has more of a turquoise blue water close to shore and the purer Atlantic Ocean waters are around 40 miles off shore. Both tints of blue water have amazing water clarity and normally you can see at least around 30 to 50 plus feet in either.
St Augustine Beach is a beautiful beach where you can enjoy some of the clearest water in Florida. Although it is probably not one of the best beaches in Northern Florida it is one of the best beaches on the east coast north of Daytona Beach. This is what is called the First Coast and the history and architecture here is worth a visit. The actual beach is more of a perk.
Cocoa Beach & Daytona Beach are both within 2 hours of Walt Disney World and most of Orlando. They also both have clear blue ocean water. Daytona Beach is more like a large theme park with a racetrack. However it does have nice pinkish white sand beaches and a great pier.
Cocoa Beach is much more than just a beach with crystal clear water. It is a great beach town. Two large surf shops compete for your business within a short walk from the sandy beaches. Since Cape Coral is 5 miles north if you time your visit right you can watch a rocket launch from the Cocoa Beach pier while having a meal.
Among Florida beaches this one probably gets the least amount of credit or attention. It is a short drive north of Fort Lauderdale and is the antithesis of South Beach & Miami Beach. Plenty of parking and friendly tourist seem to be everywhere and you will want for nothing. The town has everything from a nightlife to a beach scene. Highly consider this area for a vacation to one of the Florida beaches.
Probably the two most famous beaches in Florida are these two. Primarily made famous by television shows the main draw here is the nightlife. That being said the Miami Skyline and the crystal clear blue waters are very nice.
There is relatively white sand but I do have a suggestion for you. Use public transportation, the hotel shuttle or Uber. Miami Beach is like Hawaii where it is better without the bother of a car for most of us.
What is Biscayne National Park? It is the 25 mile long section of blue ocean water south of South Beach and key Biscayne. Most people will blast right through this area in their boats on their way offshore. Known for Hammerhead Sharks and great fishing Biscayne National Park does not offer a beautiful beach.
If you are up to it then this is the best place to reach Tortugas National Park from. Most will just opt for Smathers Beach and certainly there is nice sand and blue waters to be enjoyed there. The Florida Keys are filled with natural beauty and offer one of the best opportunities to actually see or go scuba diving around a tropical reef. Will you find the best of Florida's beaches here? No but as for jet skiing, nature trails and having the only tropical reef in Florida you cannot beat the Florida Keys.
The Emerald Coast is primarily known for having around 90 miles of Emerald Coast beaches that are covered with white sand, sand dunes and turquoise blue waters. Much of this stretch of the west coast is made up of unspoiled beaches with plenty of room.
Some call the water emerald green and I would tend to agree but the color changes slightly throughout the year. Rest assured that this emerald green water is still very clear and scuba diving is very popular in this area. The sugar white sand just magnifies the water clarity along these incredibly white sandy beaches.
There are secluded beaches and then there are other Emerald Coast beaches that are specifically for the typical beach vacation and vacationer. Navarre Beach is one that offers a little bit of both. With miles of the Florida Gulf Coast stretching east and west from it and being on a barrier island there are very few ways to reach this area. As visitors set in their beach chairs staring out at those emerald green waters most likely there is plenty of room around you.
As you cross over the Destin Bridge from Okaloosa Island you will have a great view of 3 things. Crab Island on the north side, Destin Harbor and what we call the east pass. Crab Island may have 50 or more boats located on it during the busier days. Many of them will not even go out of the inlet into the Gulf of Mexico. The other view of Destin Harbor has so many things to view, just drive over there and take a walk around. There will be plenty of time for Destin Beach.
Like Key West water sports are quite the thing here. Scuba diving trips go out throughout the day and so do countless offshore fishing charters. Jet skiing is now very popular in Choctawhatchee Bay and I cannot think of a single water sport commonly done is coastal towns you will not see on Florida's Emerald Coast, other than in the winter months.
As you journey eastward along the stunning beaches you will pass Sun Destin Beach and then run out of hotels. You have reached Henderson Beach State Park. This is a part of the Florida Panhandle that has been left with its natural beauty intact. This stretch is about a mile and a half long and has parking, nature trails and good ole pristine beach with emerald green waters.
There are countless other beaches along this part of Florida's Gulf Coast. Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, Santa Rosa Beach and Panama City Beach are all fantastic places for a beach vacation. Mind you, time your vacation here carefully as times like Spring Break, Memorial Day etcetera will find the greatest crowds.
Honeymoon Island State Park is probably the best state park on Florida's Gulf Coast and definitely better than any on the Florida Panhandle. Namely because it offers much more but you can also enjoy this park year round. Think kayaks, mangroves, private beaches, nature trails and amazing local scenery. Absolutely worth discovery and learning about it's rich history as well. Crystal River is around a 70 mile drive to the north.
Although not the pure blue waters of the Atlantic Coast these turquoise blue waters will definitely suffice. The associated area and beach town are the best in America and that would not have happened without amazing waters and beautiful beaches.
This barrier island has everything from the Clearwater Beach Marine Aquarium to a full service marina with everything you can imagine including the ability to take a cruise on a pirate ship. We highly endorse Clearwater Beach and it is a 20 minute ride from Tampa International Airport.
St Pete Beach is another famous beach just to the south of Clearwater Beach. St Pete Beach is also part of Tampa Bay and has some historic and famous beach front hotels. The same clear water beaches await you and this is another of Florida's beaches that can be visited year round. The white sandy beach you find here may even call you back time and time again.
Still looking for beautiful clear water beaches? If you are then consider those two popular beaches. You will find them on the west coast of Florida just south of Tampa Bay. Although the both are barrier islands and both have the same clear water in Florida there are some minor differences.
Siesta Key Beach is on Siesta Key is in South Sarasota Florida and is very large. This beach is said to have the highest content of quartz sand of any beach in Florida. One thing for sure it can be blinding white and is a great place to get your tan on. Everything you need can be found here and parking is usually just fine in Siesta Key. Two highlights on this island are Siesta Key Village and Sand Dollar Island which is not quite the same as crab island in Destin.
Marco Island is about as far south as you can go by car in Southwest Florida. You will be rewarded richly if you make the trip. South Marco Beach & Tiger tail Beach are the main draws. Both have mostly recovered from the 2023 hurricane season and you can absolutely use these beaches year round. To the south lie many hidden treasures along the coast including secluded beach getaways for the day. You will just need a boat or sea plane to reach these more pristine beaches.
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