Beach recs

[mauigal]

Can someone recommend a nice beach, preferably on the gulf side (Tampa)to go to for a day trip?! We will have a car and will not be doing the parks everyday! Thx so much!! Looking for nice, white sand beaches.

 

[MattM]

The beaches from Clearwater down to St Pete are nice, and are in areas that have restaurants and shops too for if you want to get out of the sun for a bit.

Sarasota has beautiful beaches as well, but its a bit further of a drive.

 

[footballmouse]

I agree w/Sarasota. I think it's about a 2 hr drive but the beaches are beautiful.

 

[MarkinNM]

I know you wanted the Gulf side BUT if you venture over to the Atlantic side try Daytona Beach! We did and LOVED IT! The crowds were light, waves were perfect, loved driving on the beach, Ponce Lighthouse was sooooo cool!
I will upload some pics tomorrow as my camera battery died and needed charging, we had a BLAST at Daytona so much that it was the BEST day we had during our trip!!!!!

BTW the drive was about 70 mins from WDW!!!

 

[fla4fun]

Fort Desoto Park, just south of St. Pete Beach, is consistently rated one of the top beaches. There is also a county park on the beach at Sand Key (just south of Clearwater Beach) and Caladesi Island is another great park (accessible by ferry). The county park beaches are really nice, quiet, and well maintained.

If you're looking for more action, either Clearwater Beach or St. Pete Beach would fit the bill.

Count on at least a two hour drive to the Gulf side.

We either go to Sand Key (Gulf Side) or Cocoa Beach (there are a couple parks well south of the pier that are nice and quiet).