There must be a dozen sites that annually claim “The Top Ten Beaches in Florida” or “Best Beaches in Florida”. They go on to rank them one through ten or pick one or two.
More than likely, some incentive or advertiser influenced the selection(s). In our Best Florida Beach for Vacation, the listings are based on your preferences – not ours or an advertiser’s influence.
Florida Travel Blog’s list of the places for Florida beach vacations has no sponsors influencing our findings. We do use our personal opinions and list our “Pros” and “Cons” for you to evaluate. We know that a Con to us may be Pro to you.
Trying to rank the best beaches in Florida for vacation is subjective. It may be your craving for a towel in the sand one day, and the next day you may want to be totally alone and unbothered by fellow sun-seekers. By the third day, you may want a pitcher of margaritas while watching some playful beach antics nearby.
Even more challenging is a Florida beach vacation for families!
Some of the most popular questions you should be asking about beaches in Florida are:
- What is the Best Florida Beach for families?
- What is the Best Beach for swimming?
- What is the best beach in Florida for snorkeling?
- What is the best beach in Florida for couples?
- What is the best beach in Florida for young adults?
As you can see, there is a wide range of objectives. What may be best for one person or family, may not suit the next.
Our views and minds can alternate with our moods. We try to give you the details to choose your own best Florida beach for vacation. We include some are the most popular beaches in Florida and others are more remote or attractive for other reasons.
So here we go in no particular order are the best Florida beaches for a vacation. We have visited them all and keep looking for more.
Best Florida Beach Vacation Depends on Your Choices
So how did we pick the best Florida beaches? Very simply, we are residents of Florida for the last 40 years.
We travel Florida over 100 days a year. We have seen dozens of popular Florida beaches and many well removed from the mainstream travel destinations. These are our choices for the 12 best Florida beaches for vacation. You choose the best beach vacation for you!
Anna Maria Island Beach
Here is an area of Florida that hasn’t been bitten by the high-rise condo bug. Quaint colorful cottages and small hotels are along this long Gulf side beach just a few miles south of Tampa and Clearwater and just a few miles north of Sarasota.
Pros – not full of high-rises, sand is good, older crowd, quaint shops around. Very colorful little community.
Cons – not a lot of services, traffic and parking can be difficult, not as large as some. No particular kid things to do.
Places to stay in Anna Maria Island.
Things To Do in Annamaria Island
Florida has some great park facilities. Bahia Honda and the beaches here are a family’s dream. Swimming, snorkeling and camping. One of the best beaches in Florida for families.
This hidden gem is in the Florida Keys on the road to Key West, but don’t pass it up! You can easily get to the Duval Street craziness from here. Our family’s favorite beach near Key West.
Pros – relatively safe water depth, lots of saltwater wildlife around, family-friendly, a short ride to Key West for a day trip. Great camping facilities. Best Florida beach for families.
Cons – busy during spring season, sand not as clean and white, on busy Rt. 1 through Keys.
Things To Do in the Florida Keys
Clearwater Beach
Yes, Clearwater Beach can get crowded, but you can walk a few hundred feet north and get out of the crowds. This may be the whitest, brightest sand you will find in Florida. Lot’s to do on this island from all forms of watersports to the nearby famous Clearwater Marine Aquarium! Always in everyone’s best Florida beach discussion. Another great Florida beach for families.
We live here and love it. Plenty of annual festivals, events and sports.
Pros – beautiful sand, very large tourist area, plenty of attractions, easy to find, many hotels within a short walk, plenty of good restaurants, sunset celebration on Pier 60 nightly – one the top three beaches in Florida.Good Florida beach for families.
Cons – can get busy in season, parking not easy sometimes, traffic can be heavy.
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