There isn't much 'great beach' in the "curve" area of west Florida .....
You could do time in the Clearwater Beach area and this puts/keeps you close to I-75 so you don't LOSE much ground ..... and it is a GREAT beach area
and this gives you Gulf beach
OTOH
Cocoa Beach and the Atlantic Ocean is less than an hour east ......
NIETHER plan is gonna save miles ... <do the geometry >
BUT when you leave either stop, the trip home miles are nearly IDENTICAL .....