With season wrapping up and maybe, just maybe traffic getting a little easier to deal with - it's time to reclaim our Florida white sand beaches. We're in the sweet spot right now, after Spring Break and Snowbird season, but before all the northerners come down on their summer vacations. So each weekend has to count. Those of us in SWFL already know how amazing our local beaches are, so why not take the time and make an adventure of beach day. We took a look at tripstodiscover.com and made a list of white sand beaches here on the gulf coast that are well worth the destination. I also added the distance between these beaches and Fort Myers Beach. Sort of a, I already know how long it takes to get to FM Beach, how much further do I need to drive to check out one of these places? I'll also include approximate drive time.
Yes, I know we have amazing beaches in Southwest Florida, some are probably even better than ones on this list. But I'm ready to get in the car and go adventuring.
Let's get out of town and check out more of what Florida beaches have to offer. But let's also stay on the left coast - the best coast.
Siesta Key Beach
Siesta Beach is a beach located on Siesta Key in the U.S. state of Florida. Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of pulverized coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz, most of which comes from the Appalachian Mountains. Wikipedia
97 miles away, you can do this in around 2 hours.
Clearwater Beach
Laid-back Clearwater Beach is known for its namesake stretch of soft, white sand, which draws visitors year-round for jet-skiing, parasailing, and stand-up paddleboarding in its calm waters. ― Google
157 miles, just over 3 hours drive.
Pensacola Beach
Pensacola Beach is a Florida resort community on the Gulf Coast barrier island of Santa Rosa.
613 miles, 9-12 hour drive based on traffic.
Navarre Beach
A compact beach community found just east of Pensacola at the far northwestern tip of the state.
604 miles, best case around 9 hour drive. Florida is big
Perdido Key
Perdido Key is an unincorporated community in Escambia County, Florida, United States, between Pensacola, Florida and Orange Beach, Alabama. "Perdido" means "lost" in the Spanish and Portuguese languages. Wikipedia
625 miles, 9 and a half hours
Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach is a small city in the Florida Panhandle. It’s known for fine white-sand beaches on adjacent Okaloosa Island.
576 miles, all goes well, under 9 hours
Destin Beach
This beach town is known for its plentiful fishing, challenging golf courses, mouth-watering seafood restaurants, and incredible Gulf views.
563 miles, 8 + hours
Grayton Beach
Grayton Beach is a small, historic beach village on the Florida Panhandle Gulf coast halfway between Destin and Panama City in Walton County and adjacent to Grayton Beach State Park. Wikipedia
559 miles, 8 1/2 hours drive time
Santa Rosa Beach
Located along a 26-mile stretch of Northwest Florida's famed Emerald Coast
557 miles, 8 1/2 hours
St. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach is a Florida resort city set on a barrier island, west of St. Petersburg. This is also where I went for spring break as a college freshman.
136 miles, 2 and a half hours
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island is a barrier island on Florida’s Gulf Coast. It's known for its broad beaches, like Manatee Beach Park.
120 miles, 2 1/2 hours
Longboat Key
Longboat Key is a town in Manatee and Sarasota counties along the central west coast of the U.S. state of Florida
111 miles, 2 and a half hour drive
Fort Myers Beach
Or, skip the drive time and just stay here.
