One Day at a Florida Beach, any advice?

[spima3]

My kids want to take one day to go to "a" FL beach so they can say they were there! We are not beach people, so one day works well for alll of us.

However, I don't know how to do it? Do you just drive there with your stuff, park, and sit on the beach? anything other than sand and surf? a boardwalk or other activity? places to eat? restrooms? unbrella rentals? changing rooms? so many needs for just a short visit.

Is there a particular beach, within driving distance of WDW, where I can get all of this? I have my own car, so transportation isn't a problem, just the destination.

 

[sympatico]

We went to the Allan Shepherd Beach park in Cocoa Beach which is about an hour away. There's a $7 parking fee. They have bathrooms/change rooms in the parking area, a restaurant, picnic tables, outside showers etc. There was cabanna and chair rentals on the beach. Also a life guard station which covers a section of the beach. From the parking lot to the beach is about a minute walk. We watched lots of people kiteboarding/surfing.
http://www.beachhunter.net/cocoa-beach/shepard-park.htm
Address is: 211 East Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach, FL for google maps.

 

[palmtreelover08]

Siesta Key Beach in Siesta Key (obviously), is a 2 hour drive. We just did it in July and are doing it again in August. They have an amazing, white powder beach. You should plan on getting there early. The parking is free, but fills up early.( get there before 11:00 am). There are beach umbrellas for rent, rest rooms, and an area to get some food. The entire key is only about 6 miles long. There is a restaurant called Capt. Curt's for a good lunch meal, or there is a place called "Turtles" just a bit away if you are looking for a waiter/waitress service type of restaurant. After the beach, you could head to Lido Key (about 15 minutes north of Siesta Key), where they have St. Armands circle with great stores and restaurants. They have an old-time ice cream shop there that is awsome. Just past St. Armands Circle and over a little bridge is a small aquarium with a turtle rescue/rehab. facility across the street. You can take a boat ride from the aqaurium where they will teach you about the area and the fishies you are gliding over. Pretty cool. I am sure you can do the beach thing on Lido Key, but I have never done so, so I really can't recommend where to go.

Siesta Key is the place to be!

 

[amybgs]

Ditto - have been to Siesta Key a few times and it's really beautiful. Well worth the drive.

 

[leanne11]

we love ft myers its great also,,,but is the gulf side ok?????safe no oil...yet

 

[SmallWorld71]

we love ft myers its great also,,,but is the gulf side ok?????safe no oil...yet

My grandparents live in Cape Coral which is next to Ft. Myers and there haven't been oil problems. However, IMO this is too far for a day trip. It took us 3 1/2 hours to get to WDW from the area in Feb.

 

[bdoyledimou]

We try to get a day at Clearwate Beach (about 1.5 hours drive) which is on the Gulf side... but it's beautiful and easy to get to.. not sure how/if the oil has affected it...

we frequently see dolphins there, and they have a few fun cruises (a pirates cruise is cool for the kids!) for sun set and dolphin watching.

 

[spima3]

Thanks so much to all for the responses. I will do some research on the ones listed and hopefully come up with a plan.

They all sound doable!

 

[two*little*birds]

We also want to do a beach trip for our upcoming November trip... DH and I haven't seen the ocean in 13 years, and the kids have never seen it.

Also heard Sanibel Beach is great, especially for shell collecting.

Will keep an open eye for any posts on the oil spill situation though...

 

[amybgs]

Sanibel is amazing - very, very beautiful. If your kids have never seen the ocean, that would be a great place to take them.

 

[jacksmom]

We are going to spend 4 nights/5 days at Clearwater Beach in a couple of weeks! We have family there and they report that there is no problems with the oil there! It is a beautiful area!

 

[bdoyledimou]

We are going to spend 4 nights/5 days at Clearwater Beach in a couple of weeks! We have family there and they report that there is no problems with the oil there! It is a beautiful area!

That's great news.... just may have to squeeze a day in next week..

 

[LoveKermit]

We're looking at Clearwater for a day a couple weeks from now as well. We are probably going to on a Sunday. It seems we should get there early, and are aiming to arrive before 10.

Any parking or eating advice?

We've done some research, but looking for opinions from people who've done it.

We were going to try Frenchie's for lunch. Then, it sounds like there is a little town to walk through as well? And, DH didn't say otherwise, so is parking free?

TIA!

 

[AliceinMaryland]

I just asked this question to my Orlando friend and his wife today. We want somewhere with the clearest water, 2 1/2 hrs or closer to Disney, and calmer surf. Siesta Key!!!!! It was rated as #2 in the country. I read it somewhere, can't remember. I saw my friends pictures from there and it looks amazing!!!! The water is sooo clear, it's got a good deal of shallow water for our little guys, and the sand is pure white!!! The waves appear to be a lot calmer than if we were on the Atlantic side. I actually just went to the beach today at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in MD. You go somewhere like that, where you step 3 ft into the surf and then it all the sudden gets so steep and you can't even see your feet in a ft. of murky water, it makes you long for that clearer FL water!!! Can't wait!!! Can you tell?! LOL

 

[cjb71870]

Funny, AliceinMaryland, I came to read this post... and I'm a lucky one who lives in Sarasota.. where Siesta Key is one of our gifts!!

 

[LoveKermit]

Siesta Key is a little far for this trip and we'll wait until DD can appreciate the beach too.

We're sticking with Clearwater unless the weather changes that for us.

Any advice on Clearwater?

 

[Pineapple Whip]

Siesta Key is a little far for this trip and we'll wait until DD can appreciate the beach too.

We're sticking with Clearwater unless the weather changes that for us.

Any advice on Clearwater?

I'm mainly a space coast up to St. Augustine beaches kind of guy and haven't been to clearwater in years.

The first Hooters restaurant is nearby, but it's all the original waitresses and they wear big t-shirts now, so it's sort of a cruel joke on any males in your party. They also may have retired by now, so this joke has the potential of backfiring. You'll pass it on Courtney Campbell Causeway.

There is also a nice Jet Ski spot around Courtney Campbell Causeway where you'll be able to ride around in Old Tampa Bay. This is a fun way to blast around in some calm waters.

Food was in short order around Clearwater beach last time I went. You might want to scope that and then go get chow / snacks / refreshments if necessary to bring it to the beach. Find the area Publix and grab a cooler, ice, sandwiches, and drinks. IIRC there are a lot of local restaurants, but not necessarily big names or stuff to carry to the beach. That might have changed.

Read the signs and follow ALL the rules. Beach patrols take their jobs seriously, the fines are serious, and that is why the beaches here are so beautiful.

If you burn easy, take all the necessary precautions. For some reason I always felt the sun was hotter on the gulf side than the atlantic. Bring a shirt, and towels to cover up, rent the umbrella, use the sunscreen that works best for you. If there is a shower, rinse off the salt water before you drive back. THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN DRIVING AN HOUR+ BACK HOME BURNT AND EXHAUSTED! Tanning is nice, but this is not the time to risk burning. Make sure the kids cover up so they won't be miserable later.

Enjoy!

 

[Pineapple Whip]

I just asked this question to my Orlando friend and his wife today. We want somewhere with the clearest water, 2 1/2 hrs or closer to Disney, and calmer surf. Siesta Key!!!!! It was rated as #2 in the country. I read it somewhere, can't remember. I saw my friends pictures from there and it looks amazing!!!! The water is sooo clear, it's got a good deal of shallow water for our little guys, and the sand is pure white!!! The waves appear to be a lot calmer than if we were on the Atlantic side. I actually just went to the beach today at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in MD. You go somewhere like that, where you step 3 ft into the surf and then it all the sudden gets so steep and you can't even see your feet in a ft. of murky water, it makes you long for that clearer FL water!!! Can't wait!!! Can you tell?! LOL

As a recently former northerner, I can tell you that the first time I went to a FL beach was the last time I went to a northern beach. I'm not a beach person either.

 

[AliceinMaryland]

LOL @ Pineapple Whip! It's so true. The older I've gotten, the more of a scaredy cat and beach snob I am. I admired my 5 yr old's "no fear" attitude when he went in up to his waist yesterday. He could've cared less. I kept having to tell him to come back. He had his float suit on and the undertow there in the bay is not so bad so I wasn't that worried. It was only the Bay and my husband tries to tell me there are no sharks, but I'm still silly about it

When I was younger I would go up to about waist high or a little higher in MD, DE, NJ, VA waters. Never again will I go in that deep. I just don't like not seeing whats in there with me and the undertow is awful. Your 10ft from the shore line and your at about waist level water already. There are very little shells. It's mostly rocks and chips of shells. The sand is an ugly tan. I've been to Key West, Hollywood beach, and Bahia Honda Key. We went right after a storm so the conditions weren't that great but it was a lot better than anything I had ever been to up north. I love love love the beach so I'm imagining getting to Siesta Key, and dropping to my knees and hearing soprano choir angels singing "Aaaahhhhhhh" LOL! I think, out of me and my 2 kids, my husband is going to have to pull the 3 of us off the beach kicking and screaming LOL!

 

[lyonking3]

advice....stay away from oily beaches.....