A Day at the Beach - Orlando / Florida Guide
Florida Guide > Days Out
Florida is blessed with many excellent beaches and visiting one can be inexpensive and make a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the theme parks. The sun kissed sands are an excellent place to top up your tan or just recharge your batteries!
I have listed below are some of the most popular beaches.
The Atlantic Coast
Cocoa beach is Florida’s famous party beach and as the closest seaside town to Orlando, approximately 50 miles east, it naturally attracts lots of day visitors and it is also extremely popular with anglers. A trip to Cocoa beach takes about and hour via the Beeline Expressway.
Daytona beach is one of America’s best known seaside resort and has 23 miles of long, broad sandy beaches. Daytona is famous as the setting for a number of land speed records and cars are still allowed on the sands today, but nowadays speeds are limited to 10 mph. These days it’s a modern, cheap and cheerful sort of a place but there is enough faded grandeur around to bring a strong sense of nostalgia for childhood holidays spent in similar resorts.
Although swimming is generally safe and the sands are perfect for making the most ornate sandcastles, the Atlantic waters can be cold and rough in the winter months so visitors are encouraged to swim and play under the watchful eye of the local lifeguards. Daytona beach is approximately 55 miles north east of Orlando and can be reached in about one and a half hours via the I4.
The Gulf Coast
Gulf coast beaches tend to be far more attractive than those on the Atlantic coast and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico are generally warmer and gentler in comparison.
Approximately 100 miles from Orlando, Clearwater and St. Petersburg beaches are part of the 28 mile strip of clean, safe, white sands that make up the famous Pinellas Suncoast. These beaches can be reached in about 2 hours.
Clearwater beach has been named the top city beach in the Gulf region on a number of occasions. Pier 60 Park, features a family recreation complex on Clearwater’s expensive beach with covered playgrounds, fishing and concessions. The “Sunsets at Pier 60” festival features music, entertainment and a beautiful Gulf of Mexico sunset throughout the year.
For even better beaches, head a little further south to Sarasota, 127 miles south west of Orlando, where the soft round, white grains of sugar-like sand provides some of the best sunbathing in the whole state.
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