Beach Visit During WDW Stay

[jimnky]

We are visiting WDW at the end of June and staying at the HIFS. It will be our first time to stay offsite. We also plan on going to the beach for a few days after our WDW stay. We were thinking about Clearwater Beach since I prefer the Gulf side, but after reading some of the posts on this board, I wonder if this is a good choice?
Can anyone recommend a nice Beach on the Gulf. We would like to stay at a beachfront property. so any recommendations would be appreciated.
I have read that Clearwater Beach is very crowded & not what it used to be. We would like a Beach that we don't have to fight for a spot on the beach, if you know what I mean.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[HunnyPots]

Actually I am pondering the same question you are; which beach is the best? But out of curiosity, why do you prefer the gulf side? I'm well aquainted with the Texas gulf, which is somewhat less than desirable, so I always assumed that a beach on a "real ocean" would be better! Is it not?

 

[vmkids]

We went to Cocoa Beach on our way and it was okay but on our way home we stopped near Saint Augistine. WE stopped at Anastasia and walked on the beach. The beach was white sand and we walked near white sand dunes. We are planning on stopping there again on our next trip and not going to Cocoa Beach. It was more on the way and nice stop to kill time before check in at HIFS. BY the way you will love the hotel. We enjoyed it! Get there before actual check in and they let you pick your room early! WE did that then went to eat by the time we got back the hotel room was ready and we got the key!

 

[jimnky]

Having been to both sides, I just prefer the Gulf side. I think the sand is whiter, and the water is more blue in color. I'm sure it's just me, but the Gulf side looks "cleaner", prettier.
How about anyone else, Gulf or ocean side? Which do you prefer, and what beach??

 

[BigDave]

We visited the gulf side this past February and have to say that it is absolutely beautiful. When we were in Cocoa beach a few years ago, they had problems with riptides.

Our favorite beach is Siesta Key-- beautiful white sand. Ana Maria is also nice and Venice Beach was nice and the quietest of the three.

BigDave

 

[Jane E.]

The Gulf side of Florida has beautiful beaches. I agree with Big Dave that Siesta Key is #1. If you go, make sure you go to Siesta Beach and not Turtle Beach.

 

[dreamer]

Are there any nice hotels to stay at on Siesta Key?

 

[Yay2001]

We/re going to the gulf side after our DW stay. I actually chose Indian Rocks Beach -- don't know much about it, other than it's narrower/smaller than Clearwater beach, but QUIETER.

Here are two very good websites for beach lodgings on the west coast. The first list is done by the Superior Small Lodgings of Florida (an organization that inspects and reviews hotels/cottages, etc. with fewer than 50 rooms.) The site also includes bigger resorts and some condo operators.

The second is also very good, and has lots of photos of resorts all over, plus a mini-tour of the entire west coast.

Good luck!


www.floridasbeach.com www.beachdirectory.com

 

[dmen]

In general, I am an East Coast Beach person. However, I was very disappointed during a recent trip to WDW with a few days in Daytona/Cocoa/New Smyrna. I would never return. Generally, I like the more Southern Beaches. I was however, incredibly impressed with a recent trip to Naples. The beaches there are really gorgeous and so is the entire area--very upscale. It is also 4 hours from Disney (I think although we didn't drive from there.) For something closer, how about St. Petersburg? Also Marco Island or Sanibel! Good luck.

 

[Jane E.]

Dreamer, you may want to do an internet search on Siesta Key, FL. The key has a website with all kinds of information on it.

 

[jesse]

We really enjoyed Sanibel/Captiva islands this winter. They are quiet, and must have some great zoning laws; no chain restaurants, no neon signs, no tacky t-shirt shacks every block... very tropical, nice bike and walking paths, great shelling on the beaches. It's about four hours south of WDW. I also prefer the gulf side to the Atlantic side in Florida. One of our favorite beaches is probably too far north from WDW, it's Panama City Beach. It does have all the neon and t-shirt factories, but the water is the most incredible shade of green, and the sand is white,white.

 

[shamrock30]

It's not on the gulf side, but we always go to the Canaveral Seashore. It is not built up or crowded, and is only 90 minutes or so from WDW. (It is like day and night when compared to Cocoa Beach, which we hated.)

 

[tigger230]

We went to both Cocoa beach and clearwater beach this past week. Cocoa beach was more "run down" than clearwater. Clearwater beach had white sand and blue water but was very crowded yesterday (Sun). Both trips were to the public beach. I can't really speak for any of the resorts. We did find a nice local restuarant/bar on the beach in Cocoa called Coconuts. Really good food and lots of drinks with umbrellas in them. We were told about this by a local resident. It wasn't a real tourist area (maybe that's why it was less crowded than Clearwater)

 

[Scotch]

How long does it take to drive from Orlando to the southwestern beach areas, particularly Marco Island? I'm trying to figure out if it is feasible to add such a segment to our 2002 Orlando visit.

 

[hentob]

I have been to Captiva once before and I agree it is lovely! I went in May of 1992 and took a direct flight to Ft. Myers. My questions are....

How would Captiva be in January? Too cold to swim?

Also, approx. how long would it take to drive from Orlando to Captiva? Hmmmmm, I wonder how much TTC would charge to drive us there <vbg>?

TIA,
Toby

 

[Planogirl]

HunnyPots, I see that you're from Texas like me. We have been to some of the beaches in Florida and they're nothing like the ones in Texas. The water is real nice too in the Florida area. There's a world of difference.

 

[micnadkel]

I can't speak for the gulf beaches since I have never been. We have always gone to Daytona Beach when we wanted to relax after visiting Disney. It's about a 1 1/2 drive from Disney to Daytona. The boardwalk area tends to be a bit too congested for us, so we go to Daytona Beach Shores. My husband and I recently visited Daytona (after an absence of about 8 years) and had a great time. We stayed at the Daytona Hilton. To read my trip report and see pictures go to

http://www.angelfire.com/ma3/vacations/index.html

 

[PrincessTori]

I'm a Gulf Coast person myself. I love being able to see what is swiming around me and on the Atlantic Ocean I have always found it to have many jelly fish and darker water so you can't see whats out there. We went to Destin, Fl on the upper Gulf Panhandle and fell in LOVE with the area. I really have to say that it is a much cleaner place then where I have been on the Atlantic side. Beautiful white sand and blue green water. A tropical paradise.
PrincessTori