best Beach

[dsjmeadors]

We are finally going to Orlando in the summer. And I want to take the kids to the beach. Whats the best one?

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi,

I personally think Clearwater and St.Pete's are the best, pure white sand.
A 2 hour drive from Orlando but well worth it.

 

[Jen66]

Were is the second vote for the St. Pete's area. We love all the beaches between Tarpon Springs and St. Pete's~beautiful and worth the drive IMO.

 

[#1 Minnie Lover]

Clearwater.

 

[Minnie]

Now we didn't enjoy Clearwater. Course the water was anything but clear as it had rained the day before. The public beach was packed and not enjoyable.

We stayed on LidoKey Island in Dec and loved every minute. Very clean and no crowds at all. Further to go though and no lifeguards.

We went to KSC last summer (total waste of a day) though we really enjoyed the public beach at Cocoa (ocean side) though there were no lifeguards.

 

[dameodie]

My parents, who have been to Florida much more often than I have, told us we should go to the Gulf side for our beach day, specifically Clearwater.

Should we go to "Clearwater proper" or is there another beach either slightly further north or south that would be better? Perhaps somewhere less urbanized/commercalized?

If it makes a difference, we have our beach day scheduled for a Saturday... mostly because a crowded beach simply can't be as bad as a crowded WDW park.... right?

 

[madcoco]

We spend alot of time on the TreasureCoast (Atlantic) but for the best beaches head for the Gulf. Imho the best out of the bunch is Caladesi Island State Park in the Clearwater area.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/caladesiisland/

 

[mh1973]

We love Anna Maria Island, about 30 minutes south of Tampa, about 1hr 45 min from orlando. The island is about 7 miles long, no high rises, old florida type of place.

We usually spend 4 days in orlando and 4 days on Anna Maria Island.

 

[jcriket]

My parents, who have been to Florida much more often than I have, told us we should go to the Gulf side for our beach day, specifically Clearwater.

Should we go to "Clearwater proper" or is there another beach either slightly further north or south that would be better? Perhaps somewhere less urbanized/commercalized?

If it makes a difference, we have our beach day scheduled for a Saturday... mostly because a crowded beach simply can't be as bad as a crowded WDW park.... right?

Any of our beaches in pinellas county, except "Clearwater Proper". Slightly south is a park called Sand Key. It's very nice. Clearwater is under construction, and parking may be a problem, and it does get crowded. Further south down in St. pete is another park with an excllent beach called Fort Desoto, the only downside is Sand key's sand is much softer.

 

[Danteandrandallsmom]

St. Pete is beautiful, but Cocoa Beach is much closer. It's only about 45 minutes to one hour away if you take the road called the Beach Line.