good, close beach

[eddieras]

gorgeous!

if you don't mind asking him that'd be great -but the gulf does sound great!
i do appreciate it...

 

[lillygator]

there is a Crescent Beach near Jacksonville that we used to go to when I lived in Gainesville.

What are you looking for in a beach?

 

[eddieras]

good surf, clean.. but prefer not a severe drop off, which apparently the atlantic side has-- hoping to find a gradual drop off on the atlantic side- not as concerned about the surrounding- eg restaurants etc.. as were only going for a day...

 

[Amity 3]

great photos - thanks!
i'm really torn - i'd prefer the ocean -- come on... it's the OCEAN!

i know it's probably be best for the kids at the gulf ... i'm from new england and the kids have swam in the ocean and enjoy the waves and body surfing. i agree, i don't like the quick drop off - also causes the waves to tumble and churn more sharply. are there any ocean beaches that have more of a gradual drop off?

I'm not following that thought. it's all connected saltwater and plenty of people surf at Venice Beach on our side of the state. there's more skimboarding than surfing at Daytona and Cocoa.

 

[gweny70]

We just made reservations to go to Clearwater for 4 nights after 9 nights at Disney! Can't wait to see that beautiful water at the gulf!!

 

[eddieras]

I'm not following that thought. it's all connected saltwater and plenty of people surf at Venice Beach on our side of the state. there's more skimboarding than surfing at Daytona and Cocoa.

thanks- what i was getting at is i assumed the waves are greater on the atlantic. i've never been to neither, so i guess i'm wrong if people are surfing at venice. does anyone know what the usual wave heights are on the atlantic vs the gulf?

 

[spiceycat]

the waves are generally greater on the ocean side. those waves never stop.

the gulf can be calm enough for almost no waves or very gentle (my favorite).
Now when there is a storm off or near the gulf - these waves are up and can be worst than the ocean side. But I would never go to the gulf during a hurricane.

I asked my brother and he says the coast line is the same.

I know further north it is different - I mean Hilton head is an island and it has pretty gentle waves (okay sometimes).

but I think gentle waves and slower slope go together.

the gulf side has a slower slope to the gulf, and the ocean side has a drop off in Florida. now this drop off is a few feet - but I am a :bird: so never even tried to find out how far.

 

[GAN]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this but I think the best beach to spend time at is New Smyrna Beach(south of Daytona). I like west coast beaches but the waves are non-existant for any kind of surfing and the water is very warm -which some people love but I'm from up north and prefer "refreshing." Cocoa has RonJon's and is nice but the sand is course(similar to New England) and the drop off is pretty significant. Daytona is Daytona, fun beach, maybe not exactly for kids your age. As far as I know driving is still allowed on certain parts of New Smyrna(like Daytona), it is a much more relaxing atmosphere -no seedy establishments, just basically a simple beach community with mostly houses and condo's lining the beach. You can walk south to Canaveral National Seashore, it is a great beach. I suggest doing a search on the internet for info -you'll like it I'm sure. Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[eddieras]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this but I think the best beach to spend time at is New Smyrna Beach(south of Daytona). I like west coast beaches but the waves are non-existant for any kind of surfing and the water is very warm -which some people love but I'm from up north and prefer "refreshing." Cocoa has RonJon's and is nice but the sand is course(similar to New England) and the drop off is pretty significant. Daytona is Daytona, fun beach, maybe not exactly for kids your age. As far as I know driving is still allowed on certain parts of New Smyrna(like Daytona), it is a much more relaxing atmosphere -no seedy establishments, just basically a simple beach community with mostly houses and condo's lining the beach. You can walk south to Canaveral National Seashore, it is a great beach. I suggest doing a search on the internet for info -you'll like it I'm sure. Best of luck whatever you decide.

now that's what i'm talking about!
i'm from CT and there's just something about the ocean. i like the surf, and if you can swim off the cape (now that's cold) then i'm sure the water in FL is fine! is it a gradual drop off there??

thanks so much - i will surely google it...

 

[Amity 3]

the better swells are generally found in the Jupiter area on the west coast if you really want to surf.

Ron Jon's has been building a surf park at their Orlando Festival Bay location for a couple of years now, it should be opening soon.

you can google 'florida surf reports' and find swell conditions all around the state. there's nothing like a good old hurricane to raise the surf advisories.

 

[GAN]

The drop-off at New Smyrna is gradual, you could probably go out 50/100ft without being over your head in still water. The waves are generally good size for body/board surfing on calm days -even better on days with a little breeze. I will say that I haven't been in a few years and I know that all the beaches on the East coast have had substantial damage from the hurricane season 2(?) years ago. It's a very wide beach so I can't imagine too much damage, my parents were there in January and said that it seemed pretty normal in most parts.

 

[turrethouse]

This is probably a 'stupid' question....but are the gulf side beaches discussed here...do they show water for as far as the eye can see like the ocean does?

Our kids are 6 and 4, and we want their first impression of the ocean to be 'big'.

This is a Minnesota girl here, so don't laugh at me! But I just had to ask.

Thanks!

 

[INdisneyfamily]

We prefer the Gulf side for the beautiful sunsets. I am not an early riser. Yes, the water is as far as the eye can see.

 

[luvdisney2006]

Which is the closest beach to WDW on the gulf side?

 

[winterman]

This is probably a 'stupid' question....but are the gulf side beaches discussed here...do they show water for as far as the eye can see like the ocean does?

Our kids are 6 and 4, and we want their first impression of the ocean to be 'big'.

This is a Minnesota girl here, so don't laugh at me! But I just had to ask.

Thanks!

I won't laugh but it is difficult for me to imagine living so far away from the ocean. Anyway, your kids will be truly impressed by the gulf. It is indeed water as far as you can see. On our first several trips to Florida DH took me to beaches on the east coast like Daytona and St. Augustine. I hated them. The drop off was just too steep for me. More than once he had to pull me out of the water. Now we go to the gulf side. We have stayed at Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island. Next Oct. we will be going further south to Fort Myers Beach. I love the gulf beaches. I think you will find them to be much more 'kid friendly'.

 

[Detailor]

Which is the closest beach to WDW on the gulf side?

I think that Clearwater Beach is the closest on the Gulf side, but will defer to the Florida contingent if I'm wrong about that.

Dick Taylor

 

[Wolfelaw]

For little kids, I agree the Gulf if best, but my twelve year old son insists that we always stay on the East coast -- he requires at least some big waves, and every time we've gone to the Gulf (always in the summer), the water has been extremely bathtub-like; a beautiful bathtub, but a bathtub none the less. We go to Vero Beach, and there are usually big waves, but it also calms down around mid-day. But my sister's six year old won't go past the very edge of the water, even with her mom, because of the waves.

 

[eddieras]

we went to new syrmna beach on the ocean side two weeks ago and it was really nice. decent waves for my 8 and 11 year old. very long gradual drop off - i've read it's one of the safer beaches on the atlantic because there is an underwater ridge about 40 miles out that helps minimize riptides.
plus its as close to WDW as you can get = about an hour and 15 minutes.