Which Side of Florida Has Better Beaches?

The Gulf Coast side of Florida has the better beaches. By that I mean the west coast of Florida has the better beaches. I have lived on or near most of the coastline in Florida, I have driven from the Keys all of the way to Jacksonville sticking as close as possible to the beach, Florida's Gulf Coast while still the Atlantic Ocean has the better best beaches.

Clearwater Beach- St Pete Beach

Florida's Beaches-Most Beautiful Beaches

I believe the most beautiful beaches are in North Florida from Panama City Beach westward. It's impossible to beat Gulf Coast beaches and the most beautiful white sand beaches you will ever see are in the small beach town of Grayton Beach and Destin. However, other than the beach & sand dunes these areas are somewhat lacking.

Florida Beaches & White Sand Beaches

Where would I go if I could just visit one area's beaches? Clearwater Beach. Clearwater Beach access is only about 20-30 minutes from Tampa FL and probably 15-20 from Tampa International Airport. This Central Florida Beach has it all including an awesome pier, restaurants, touristy things and an amazing nightlife. St Pete Beach which is about 20 minutes south is also amazing and has sugar soft sand adults and young kids like to see and feel. Anna Maria Island is 15 minutes further.

Gulf Coast Vs Florida's East Coast

The Florida Keys and Key West are a great place for fishing trips. However, the Florida Keys are not the place to go searching for a beach. During the summer months Miami and Fort Lauderdale are the main draw in the sunshine state. They reign supreme as the most popular beaches. I have a lot of experience with them. Problems? A parking lot is nearly impossible to find around these busy public beaches, especially South Beach.

Atlantic Coast Beaches

Just some of the Atlantic Coast, Eastern Coast beaches are Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach and St Augustine. Along the Eastern Coast my favorite is Delray Beach and the one in Boca Raton. Still parking is a nightmare. In a nutshell any beach on the Gulf Coast will probably be better then an east coast beach for overall quality of the sand dunes and sand along the beach.