Eight Best Beaches in Florida

(Photo: Florida Beaches via Shutterstock)

In some respects, you can’t go wrong with any Florida beach you choose. But with more than 1,200 miles of coastline, you may feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. Don’t fret! Here’s your primer on the best beaches in Florida.

(Photo: Siesta Beach, Florida via Shutterstock)

Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida

It’s easy to see why Siesta Beach was awarded the top spot in Dr. Beach’s acclaimed Top 10 Beach List for 2011. Sarasota’s beach gem offers powdery white sand and inviting waves. As Dr. Beach himself put it, “[Siesta Beach] is hundreds of yards wide, attracting volleyball players and beachcombers as well as those who just want to find their place in the sun.”

(Photo: Sanibel Island, Florida via Shutterstock)

Lighthouse Beach, Sanibel Island, Florida

Sanibel Island is a shell collector’s dream destination. Scratch that. Sanibel Island is just about anybeachgoer’s dream destination. The island’s beaches offer picture-perfect sunsets, calm waves, and shores made for shell collecting. Lighthouse Beach, with its smaller, varied shells, and the other Gulf-side beaches from Sanibel Island through to neighboring Captiva Island are particularly suitable for shell collecting. Check out the causeway’s beaches for swimming, fishing, and windsurfing, and Gulfside City Park for that romantic beachside picnic.

(Photo: Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach, Key West, Florida via Shutterstock)

Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach, Key West, Florida

Here’s a vacation strategy: Head to the southernmost point of the continental U.S., Key West. Then head to the westernmost point of the key itself, Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach. Stop. Take time to soak your toes in the sand, and then head out to sea. Just offshore you’ll encounter the Great Florida Reef—the third-largest coral-reef system in the world. Add the area’s many shipwreck sites to this natural beauty, and you have a snorkeling and diving enthusiast’s paradise. Snorkel gear is available for rent along Ft. Zachary Taylor Beach.

(Photo: Ft. Myers Beach, Florida via Shutterstock)

Ft. Myers Beach, Ft. Myers, Florida

Ft. Myers Beach might not have the glitz of South Beach or Ft. Lauderdale, and it doesn’t possess nearby Sanibel Island’s shell treasures. But all the things that Ft. Myers is not are the exact reasons why visitors flock here. Ft. Myers’ unpretentious, laid-back attitude is its appeal. A few visitors that once made Ft. Myers their home (even if only on a part-time basis) were Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. Visit the 20-acre Edison & Ford Winter Estates for a tour. Afterward, be sure to get back to the beach for a spectacular sunset.

(Photo: Pensacola Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida via Shutterstock)

Pensacola Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida

Nestled between Florida and Mississippi is the Gulf Islands National Seashore—a Gulf of Mexico nature preserve and home to the self-proclaimed “world’s whitest beaches.” Pristine shores and historic forts abound along this stretch of white-sand beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, and bayous. The area’s beaches host a variety of activities, including camping, snorkeling, fishing, hiking, boating, and bird watching.

(Photo: South Beach, Miami, Florida via Shutterstock)

South Beach, Miami, Florida

Known the world over for Ocean Drive’s art deco architectural structures, South Beach itself is the real attraction here. Along this man-made beach you’ll find candy-colored lifeguard huts, warm waters, soft sand, and plenty of sunbathers, including the topless variety. But it’s not until the blazing sun sets that it gets truly hot in South Beach, home to one of the most happening nightlife scenes in the world. For South Beach’s international movers and shakers, the party doesn’t end until dawn.

(Photo: Ft. De Soto Park, Florida via Shutterstock)

Ft. De Soto Park, St. Petersburg, Florida

Those who’ve always coveted beachside digs should head to Ft. De Soto Park. Sure, you can only camp, but this seven-mile-long park boasts abundant bird, marine, and plant life. You can also explore past lives in this historically rich area, once a passage route for Spanish explorers, a U.S. Army post, and home to Tocobaga Indians.

(Photo: Palm Beach County, Florida via Shutterstock)

Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida

It’s clear as day (and the beach’s pristine waters) why Palm Beach has attracted the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and even new money like Tiger Woods and Mark Zuckerberg: tropical weather, warm seas, and, well, as the name dictates, palms and beaches. For a more affordable vacation, make your way across the Intracoastal Waterway to West Palm Beach: as beautiful as Palm Beach but without the high price tag. Shop, tour historical sights, or simply enjoy the beach—that’s always free.