A trip to the beach?

[jaclark]

Our kids have never been to the beach - were would all recommend going??

thanks,
Annette

 

[denisenh]

Are you visiting the orlando area and want to make a side trip? Typhoon Lagoon is a nice beach. I enjoy it there! LOL!
But a REAL beach close by (well closer than most) is Cocoa beach, Space coast area. I have only been there once and it was just a few weeks ago. I planned to be disappointed because I like beaches on the lower coasts of Florida and feel extremely spoiled but I was pleasantly surprised.
We just drove there on a whim and found some small metered parking lots (along route a1a maybe? I wasn't driving or paying too much attention) with sandy paths and wooden boardwalks to the beach. It was totally uncrowded and clean. The water was just right in terms of warmth (nice and warm), wave action (there were surfers as the waves got stronger later in the day but my kids weren't knocked over by waves that were too strong) and depth ( nice and shallow, even way out) for this nervous mom and her action needing kids. Not as many shells as the other coast but still a good beach to walk, look for treasures, etc.
I wish that I had gone prepared to spend the day with a cooler. We had our swim suits and towels but I really could have made it a nice day trip had I known better. DH changed his clothes in the car. No bathhouse. There are some fast food places close driving distance.
Maybe there are facilities and we just didn't see them?
( I am looking forward, just the same, to the gulf coast in a couple of weeks)
I hope this helps!!

 

[Jakesmom1]

The most famous beach of all is Daytona and it is about a 45 min drive.
You can actually drive on the beach, park your car and go immed. into the ocean.

There are hotels and restaurants everywhere. Water is absolutely beautiful!!

There is also a boardwalk with rides and games etc.

Hope this helps you out.

 

[disneymom3]

We have gone to Cocoa Beach many times. Several slightly different experiences each time so I will explain each of them. First time, we paid $5 to park in the attended lot just down from Ron Jon swim shop and right by on of the peirs. This was fine, but we found out later that that was rather high for parking. There was a bathroom and places to buy food and drink.

The next beach trip we just drove north on the main road through Cocoa Beach from where we had parked the first time and found a meter and plugged in quarters. Much cheaper but no bathroom within site. Still a great time and very clean and totally empty as it was December and the natives thought we were totally nuts!

Third and fourth beach excursions we went to the municipal lot which is north of where the peir was. I believe it was pretty near the block where there is a Waffle house and Burger King. JUst keep going down that street there and then drive on the coastal road. It's $3 to park there. They have bathrooms--not bad at all for a beach--a spray off area which is nice before an hour car ride, and I believe a snack area, though we brought lunch so I am not certain of that. This was early June and the crowds were not bad at all.

We have also been to Daytona--I don't like it. Cars on the beach is just not entertaining to me. I want to play in the waves and build sandcastles. And one year when we were there, there was a hurricane on the east coast so we drove all the way to Tampa and headed up along the coast after you take that really long bridge (okay, so I wasn't driving, my directions are bad.) Anyway, went to a municipal beach there that was pretty much the armpit of humanity and that was not good at all. From talking to others, our problem was we didn't go far enough north from where you cross over the bridge. I was just so sick of being in the car by then, DH knew I was going to kill him if we didn't stop soon!

If you need better directions, post and I can ask DH to post for me and improve on my borderline ones.

 

[jaclark]

Thanks for your help - my 9 yr son some how has it in his head that he will be eaten by a shark..... Mmmmm. I think when we were in Orlando on a previous trip (either 9/01 or 11/02) there were stories of people being attacked by sharks at the beaches... Anyway, I'm hoping to convince him to go and take a day off the parks... We'll do either BB or TL one day as well.

Thanks again and feel free to add more - we leave Sat morning

Best wishes,
Annette