Closest beach.

[Pinkos]

We are spending a week at the world then a week at a private house relaxing in May. During our house week we are thinking of doing a day trip to a beach.

Which one is closest and most fun? We will have 4 adults and 4 kids ( 4&7).

Suggestions welcome!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Closest would be the Atlantic side. Cocoa and Daytona would be your two options (with Cocoa being a tad closer, but with multiple tolls along the way......Daytona is a teeny bit further but has no tolls on the highway).

We preferred Daytona to Cocoa, but both were lovely. Cocoa is more natural and undisturbed while Daytona has a more commercial element to it (rides and shops right on the beach).

Many folks on this board are fans of the gulf beaches, which are further away but also look gorgeous.

 

[staceyrhood]

We are locals and go to Jetty park at cape canaveral when we go to the beach. It is a 45 minute drive. Very nice and clean, snack bar, and you can see the cruise ships. It is owned by the port authority so it does cost to get In, I think it is $10 or $15 per car for the day.

 

[Ametista]

We like the Gulf beaches. Treasure Island, St Pete Beach, Indian Rocks, Clearwater, etc. are all great beaches. Clearwater can be hard to find parking because the lot fills up so early. When we do go to the Atlantic we like Cocoa Beach the most. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think its the only beach you can buy a beer at and have it on the sand plus you can rent boogie and surf boards inexpensively.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Another vote for the clear, blue waters of the Gulf beaches - but Cocoa beach on the Atlantic is very nice too! (and closer)

 

[katallo]

It's not the closest but we love Siesta Key. Takes about 2 hours but we made the trip and have returned every year since for our vacations.

 

[Pinkos]

How busy are the gulf beaches?

 

[mich1073]

Seista Key and Anna Maria Island are my favorites. Cocoa Beach is always nice and a lot closer than Orlando but my local beaches are voted the best beaches in the world over and over again for very good reasons.

Both AMI and Siesta Key are lovely. The sand on SK never gets hot as it's almost all quartz and AMI has a very old school Florida feel. Siesta Key has more parking and more restaurants and night life by the beach. And the water is super clean normally.

 

[emsstacey]

We love both Cocoa Beach and St. Pete Beach. If you are going for warm water, calmer waves and pretty sand... then gulf. If you want low crowds and less touristy, then Cocoa Beach is great!

 

[disneyember]

We love Clearwater Beach. About two years ago we ventured to Daytona Beach. We were not impressed. We had a 2 and 6 year old with us. They allow cars to drive on the sand at the beach. Not sure if it was the time of day/tide, but there wasn't much space between the ocean water and where the cars were driving on the beach. We had all our swim gear on and opted to not even get out of the car because we felt that the kids might get too close to the cars lane. We did drive up and down the beach a little bit and never found a spot with a wider beach area.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

About two years ago we ventured to Daytona Beach. We were not impressed. We had a 2 and 6 year old with us. They allow cars to drive on the sand at the beach.

Certain sections are declared traffic-free. When we visit Daytona, we set up camp near the pier and never have to deal with cars.

You can see which areas allow cars (and which don't) on this map:

http://www.volusia.org/core/fileparse.php/4145/urlt/N-Beach-broch-2014c.pdf

 

[disneyember]

Certain sections are declared traffic-free. When we visit Daytona, we set up camp near the pier and never have to deal with cars.

You can see which areas allow cars (and which don't) on this map:

http://www.volusia.org/core/fileparse.php/4145/urlt/N-Beach-broch-2014c.pdf

Thank you for the info, good to know if we ever go back.

 

[DSLRuser]

2.5 hours to the gulf.
1 hour to the atlantic.

Gulf beaches are a little warmer water, especially in spring and the beaches are cleaner and blue wayer.

We alternate each year.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

I've been to Cocoa Beach and it's beautiful! However, my parents did three days in Siesta Key after they visited me on my CP and my mom does NOT stop talking about, she is really obsessed. It might be worth the drive!

 

[Ametista]

Gulf beaches are 2 hours or less unless you hit massive traffic or go to Siesta Key. I have frequently done Clearwater in 1 hour and 45 minutes. OP should use Google maps for times.