Which Side OF Florida Has Better Beaches?

Florida's Gulf Coast side has the better beaches. It is really that simple the gulf coast side of Florida has nicer beaches for any number of reasons. There are a some people who will initially prefer east coast/ Atlantic Coast beaches but not after they visit the gulf coast beaches.

Florida Beaches

Atlantic Coast Beaches Very Best From Amelia Island to South Beach in Miami Beach

The Atlantic Coast has some amazing beach towns and of course beautiful beaches. Amelia Island is a barrier island and the furthest north Atlantic Coast beach and you will find an Ritz Carlton, an airport and a couple of state parks there. For those in Georgia or just to the north this is a great location. Beaches along the Atlantic Ocean run for nearly 380 miles south along the east coast of Florida.

Just south along the eastern coast is St Augustine where Florida's history began. As you creep along A1A southward you will pass along the Palm Coast until reaching Daytona Beach. White sand beaches await you there as well as the Daytona International Speedway, A water Park and very nice pier. More popular beaches are immediately south as you reach New Smyrna Beach before reaching the Cape Canaveral Seashore and Kennedy Space Center in Central Florida.

Port Canaveral Is where the Disney Cruise Ships depart the Sunshine State. This is only about 1 1/2 hours away from Walt Disney World. To the south is Cocoa Beach, Orlando Beach ( yes Orlando ) and countless other beaches until reaching Jupiter Beach and West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County. Although these beaches have soft sand and some would say lush sands they are not really the white sand beaches so many expect. Those are on the gulf side.

Outdoor Adventures, Water Sports & More Lush Sands

At any point now you may see things like sea turtles right off of Florida's beaches. Normally the beach has a clear cobalt blue color to it but stay out of it at night or if the water is murky to avoid possible injury. Busy public beaches will be the norm very soon as we travel further south and beach access will be from paid parking in many instances in South Florida.

Right past the sand dunes the Atlantic Ocean is crashing onto those sandy beaches. Next up is Delray Beach and Highland Beach which is a very expensive area. Next Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach and Fort Lauderdale are the best beaches so far. Just crowded more than in northwest Florida. Young kids need supervision even in calmer waters and don't let them go to far. Do not let a bad experience spoil your Sunshine State vacay.

White sand beaches in Miami Beach and South Beach are a little harder to use because of traffic, hotel crowds and parking. Unless you are planning to Uber etcetera maybe pass. If you must experience it plan on staying a while to take it all in. Everything is within walking distance and like in Hawaii a car is an inconvenience.

Key West Beaches And Beaches In The Florida Keys

The Florida Keys does have some decent beaches. However nobody talks about them for a reason. The Key West beaches are not that great. Key West is for partying, fishing, scuba diving and beach exploring. Don't make the mistake of making that drive to find a quality beach. Smathers Beach is an ok beach.

Southwest Coast & As Many Shell Fragments As You Want

Not to mention the whitest sand you can imagine, the beaches in Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast are some of the whitest on the planet. Hurricane season and the latest tropical storm were not that kind to Southwest Florida but it is rebounding rapidly. Beaches like Siesta Key Beach or Siesta Beach have an adjacent small beach town making them near perfect places to visit.

Gulf Coast Vs Atlantic Coast

From Anna Maria Island north things get even better. St Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach are both better than any beaches on Florida's east coast and there are half a dozen Florida beaches between Clearwater Beach and Anna Maria Island. All family friendly with beautiful white sand. The west coast will soon be the clear winner.

Not to be confused with Palm Beach is Panama City Beach the gulf coast beaches answer for Spring Breakers. One look at this party town and Atlantic Beaches fade from memory and even the sand squeaks when you walk on it at night. Santa Rosa Beach, Ormond Beach, Pensacola Beach I could go on and on. I haven't even covered my favorite among the gulf beaches which is Grayton Beach State Park