Florida beaches for Social Distancing?

[bethy]

Looking for recommendations . . . We are booked on a Disney Cruise later this month and are flying across the country to sail. We will be tested for Covid before we board the ship and if one of us tests positive we will be refused boarding.

I am going to have a back up plan in place for quarantining and it will not include a 4 day drive back across the country to get home.

So I'm looking for a quiet beach in Florida where we could rent a place and safely quarantine for 10 days and enjoy the beach while doing so. Chances are we wouldn't be too sick because we are vaccinated.

I have always wanted to visit the quieter Gulf barrier islands like Anna Maria Island or Longboat Key. But am open to any suggestions. Thanks!

 

[HeatherC]

St Augustine Beach is beautiful and relatively uncrowned compared to many Florida beaches. It is on the East Coast but is beautiful and wide.

 

[bethy]

St Augustine Beach is beautiful and relatively uncrowned compared to many Florida beaches. It is on the East Coast but is beautiful and wide.

Thank you - we love both coasts!

 

[OneOftheB's]

We just returned from a trip to Cape San Blas and it was wonderful. My kids had fall break, so the beach was a little more crowded than it will be this week or the upcoming weeks. In full disclosure, we own a townhouse on the Cape so it's our go to beach.

 

[JimMIA]

I think you'll be fine just about anywhere. Beaches are kind of naturally socially-distanced; you're not going to be crowded unless you go to Daytona or South Beach (Miami Beach).

Where are you cruising from? If it's Port Canaveral, nearby Cocoa Beach (or really anywhere down to Stuart) in one direction or St. Augustine Beach in the other direction should be fine.

If you are cruising from Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) or Port Miami, I would NOT recommend beaches in either area. Most of our beaches would be more crowded than you'd find other places. The less-crowded beaches here (Dania and Hallandale) have been having crime problems.

Also, don't go to the Keys for beaches. Keys beaches are mostly small, rocky, and not good. And the few that are decent would be relatively crowded.

Anywhere on the Gulf Coast, with the possible exception of Marco Island or Ft. Myers Beach should be fine. Longboat is very nice, as are Anna Maria and Sanibel/Captiva.

Beaches in the Florida Panhandle are also very nice, but probably too far of a drive from your cruise port.

 

[bethy]

We just returned from a trip to Cape San Blas and it was wonderful. My kids had fall break, so the beach was a little more crowded than it will be this week or the upcoming weeks. In full disclosure, we own a townhouse on the Cape so it's our go to beach.

Thank you! I had never heard of it! Never been to the Panhandle and appreciate the new area to explore! (Let me know if you have any recommendations for accommodations)

 

[bethy]

I think you'll be fine just about anywhere. Beaches are kind of naturally socially-distanced; you're not going to be crowded unless you go to Daytona or South Beach (Miami Beach).

Where are you cruising from? If it's Port Canaveral, nearby Cocoa Beach (or really anywhere down to Stuart) in one direction or St. Augustine Beach in the other direction should be fine.

If you are cruising from Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) or Port Miami, I would NOT recommend beaches in either area. Most of our beaches would be more crowded than you'd find other places. The less-crowded beaches here (Dania and Hallandale) have been having crime problems.

Also, don't go to the Keys for beaches. Keys beaches are mostly small, rocky, and not good. And the few that are decent would be relatively crowded.

Anywhere on the Gulf Coast, with the possible exception of Marco Island or Ft. Myers Beach should be fine. Longboat is very nice, as are Anna Maria and Sanibel/Captiva.

Beaches in the Florida Panhandle are also very nice, but probably too far of a drive from your cruise port.

Thank you - we love the beaches in your area but would avoid them for quarantining. We cruising out of Port Canaveral. Since we'd have 10 days we'd be willing to drive a little ways to try somewhere new - We've only been to the Gulf coast once which is why I thought it'd be fun to maybe head that direction. We LOVE florida!

 

[JimMIA]

Thank you - we love the beaches in your area but would avoid them for quarantining. We cruising out of Port Canaveral. Since we'd have 10 days we'd be willing to drive a little ways to try somewhere new - We've only been to the Gulf coast once which is why I thought it'd be fun to maybe head that direction. We LOVE florida!

The Panhandle beaches basically start in the Panama City area and go west to Alabama. Panama City is about a 6 1/2 hour drive from Port Canaveral, all almost all expressway.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Personally if I tested positive for COVID and was quarantined…wouldn’t be visiting any beach.

 

[bethy]

Personally if I tested positive for COVID and was quarantined…wouldn’t be visiting any beach.

I would if it were right outside my cottage door and I could sit on a chair very far from other ppl. We would ideally rent a secluded cottage/individual dwelling. Hoping our vaccines would also do their job and fight it off quickly!

At least we wouldn't fly home as I know many people would haha. I guess I didn't need to respond to this but ah well.

 

[DisneyHardin]

If you do end up needing to quarantine, please make sure that you communicate to the owner that you are renting from that someone in your party is Covid positive so that they can have their cleaning crew do a more thorough cleaning and also wear proper PPE while they are cleaning.

 

[bethy]

If you do end up needing to quarantine, please make sure that you communicate to the owner that you are renting from that someone in your party is Covid positive so that they can have their cleaning crew do a more thorough cleaning and also wear proper PPE while they are cleaning.

Absolutely! I’d offer to pay for the extra cleaning and also do some cleaning myself before we leave (with PPE)

 

[Deb & Bill]

I live on Marco Island and our beach is pretty big and people really spread out. But it getting to "season" so rentals might not be as easy to get. To be right on a beach, you'd need either a condo, timeshare or hotel. Hardly any single family units right on the beach.