Looking for...

[maddi]

our DD would like to go to the ocean, have a picnic on the beach and look for seashells. What beach is the closest to WDW?

 

[JohnnySharp2]

The closest beach I believe is Cocoa Beach, Daytona is pretty close too, both are about an hour or so drive from Orlando.

 

[kilee]

Daytona takes us about 45 minutes each time. However, I'd go to the gulf side if possible. It is just "prettier". Clearwater Beach is about an hour and 15 minutes or so. Depends on traffic.

 

[tednvon]

Hi...here is copy of reply I did a while back...We absolutely loved Honeymoon
Island...check out the link...I think it is just what you may be looking for.

Enjoy..Ted

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Hello,

We have done a bunch of beaches and here is our opinion...
Atlantic or east side is just OK...Daytona is very hard sand but can drive right on the beach at low tide...
Cocoa is OK...nothing spectacular...about one hour 15 minutes right to the beach. East side has very few shells, but great waves.

Clearwater (Gulf side) is about 1 hour 30 minutes...very busy but huge beach with sugery white sand and good supply of shells..good but not really big waves...nice local restaurants close...we love Cooter's about 2 blocks from the Ocean...

Best of all is Honeymoon Island about another 15 minutes from Clearwater...the ONLY State Park Beach for hundreds of miles...pristine shoreline with shells EVERYWHERE...you can walk for miles up the beach and not see a single condo or house...there are just two buildings, one with a snack shop and restrooms and a second with just restrooms...there is also a small very nice beach for swimming in front of the building with the snack shop...low waves pretty calm...very shallow out hundreds of feet
We loved Honeymoon Island and spent hours collecting shells...

Here is the site...FYI you could do both Honeymoon Island and then about 20 minutes to Clearwater beach and the restaurants if you started early from Disney area...

http://www.abfla.com/parks/Honeymoo...moonisland.html

Good Luck...Ted
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