Need (very specific type of) beach advice

[merekc]

Couldn't figure out where to post this, so hopefully this forum works.

I am planning our upcoming Disney trip and we want to spend a day at the beach. Last trip we went to Clearwater and loved it. However, we are driving so I would prefer to find a Northern beach so we don't have to backtrack.

Preference is gulf side but will take what we can get, but one of the things we loved about Clearwater were the local artists/vendors that came out on the pier in the evening.

Anyone know of any Northern beaches that do anything similar? If not, any Northern beaches to recommend?

Thanks.

 

[Beth]

Are you asking about beaches on the Florida "East" coast?

If so - "Cocoa Beach" is considered "Orlando's Closest Beach."

They do have a pier, there - which has several shops, etc - but it's really more of a "tourist trap" than what you likely saw over in Clearwater.

However, there's a quaint little shopping area just west of the beach in the city of Cocoa, called "Historic Cocoa Village."

They tend to have live music on the weekends, and have a playhouse that is often hosting shows/events.

Here's some websites:

Cocoa Village

Cocoa Village PLayhouse

 

[golfgal]

We went to Cocoa Beach when we were at Disney. We spent 4 days there. We chose that because of the Kennedy Space Center. It was nice to have that there because it rained 3 out of the 4 days we were there.

 

[PatsGirl]

If you mean you are stopping at a beach on the way home, I'd try any of the panhandle beaches, maybe a little off track but certainly not "backwards"

 

[powellrj]

http://www.volusia.org/beach/driving.htm

We like new smyrna beach. We go to cocoa beach sometimes, but really like new smyrna better.

 

[taylor3297]

The panhandle does have great beaches. Destin and Sandestin are my favorites. Panama City is a bit more touristy but has plenty of things to do there.

 

[LuvOrlando]

-

 

[KristinBelle]

Will you be going up 95? St Augustine beach is really nice, plus there's the historic district, it is the oldest city. New Smyrna is nice too if you just want a beach, I'd stay away from Cocoa.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

I was wondering had anyone been to the beach in Naples? I know it is a 3 hour ride but not that much further than Clearwater. It is a Gulf beach if I am not mistaken.

 

[NotUrsula]

You might want to take a look at this website: http://www.discover30a.com/ Route 30A is a two-lane highway that hugs the Gulf beach up in the Panhandle, and there are several small beach towns along the route. I like Grayton, myself, but I'm an Old-Florida kind of girl.

Just FYI, on the subject of "backtracking" en route back to KC. If you choose a panhandle-area beach, you may end up going even farther out of your way in order to get back to a northbound Interstate that will take you home without first taking you eastward. Most people headed in that direction will go north on I-75 toward Atlanta and swing west further north. From the Panhandle you would either take I-65 and veer east toward Montgomery before getting back headed NW, or continue west on I-10 all the way past New Orleans and go north on I-55.

There's just no beach that is directly en-route between Orlando and KC, I'm afraid; no matter where you decide to stop you will end up going fairly far out of your way. The biggest issue is whether you want to do it on an Interstate or on an old highway that goes through towns, which will be pretty, but will normally take a lot more time.

 

[merekc]

Thanks everybody! You pretty much confirmed what I was thinking. Any beach is going to add a couple hours on to our return trip home.

I'm thinking I will just split up our park days with a day down to Clearwater (since we loved it). We will then not have to add any hours on to our return drive home.

I love the Dis!!