OT- beach vacation in Florida

[mermaidwannabe]

My kids prefer the Atlantic, good thing because that is where we live. They can't stand the beaches on a cruise because there is no surfing or boogie boarding, they find it a 100% snooze fest. If your kids are small or don't swim well, or waves freak them out, go to the gulf coast. I love the gulf, but I am not a kid that loves to do these things.

One thing to be aware of, in April some areas, especially the panhandle are crowded with spring breakers. I have a very good friend that lives over in the panhandle and she hates March through April more than anything because of all the spring breakers, so I would definitely check this out before you decide.

I agree with this! My parents are in Mexico Beach, which is near Panama City, and they don't go out on the beach much while the Spring Breakers are there. If you know your dates, I can ask my parents.

 

[deva]

you cant go wrong with siesta, longboat or anna maria island. all our close to one another

Love, love, LOVE Anna Maria. Usually drive to Sarasota/ Siesta Key for one day too.

 

[SplashMo]

Love ClearWater beach on the gulf. Just amazing...

 

[ShiPooOwner]

We love the Gulf side and have rented homes in Rotonda West. There are a lot of rental homes there suitable for a family of your size and nearly all have private pools. There are three beautiful beaches (Englewood, Venice and Boca Grande) very close to Rotonda. Lots to do nearby and yet a quiet place off the beaten track. It's about half way between Fort Myers and Sarasota. Hope you find what you are looking for and have a wonderful get away.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We go to the beach for 1 day every time we go to WDW.
The kids prefer Cocoa and St Augustine as they all love to boogie board. I love Clearwater and Fort DeSoto beach for the calmness and beauty. We alternate which coast we visit for each trip.

 

[KCmike]

Bump

 

[NotUrsula]

We've been to Clearwater (actually Belleair Beach which is right by) twice and Cape Canaveral once. My DH and I love the white sand/clear water of the gulf, and it truly felt like paradise! However (and you prob won't have to worry about this being in April), the last time we went, there were many baby sting rays in the water so you had to do this "shuffle" when you walked in. This understandably freaked my daughters out, so the next beach vacation, we went to the Atlantic. It doesn't look as nice IMO, but that's where they want to go this year because they spent a lot more time in the water playing in the waves that the Gulf just didn't have. Even in shallow areas, my kids could ride the boogie boards, and my oldest tried surfing (3 girls now 15, 13 and 10). We found great places to stay all three times by using VRBO.com, but they were for week rentals. I have seen 3 day minimums on some of the places though. We almost did a split stay last year, half our time at the Gulf and half at the Atlantic, but it seemed to be too much unpacking for us, but it's only a 4 hour drive I think? Best of luck in your decision...based on ages of your kids and time of year, I would probably go the the Gulf.

Rays have particular beaches where they breed on both sides of Florida; it just depends on the beach and the time of year. The Clearwater area is a major breeding ground for rays, so you have to do the "stingray shuffle" there more often than elsewhere.

If you do find yourself vacationing at a beach that has ray warnings out, be sure to wear water shoes while in the water, and it is a great idea to put a thermos of boiling water in your beach pack, along with a good-sized sand bucket. If you get a sting, pour the hot water into the bucket and put the injured foot into it (first diluting the water with seawater to a temperature that is bearable, of course). Hot water immediately neutralizes the pain of a stingray barb if applied ASAP.

For jellies, carrying a bottle of white vinegar in the beach bag is a good idea.

Wildlife is wildlife, and certain beaches are homes for certain species, and if you want to avoid those species you need to pick your beaches carefully for the time of year. Here is an example: One Atlantic beach that is often recommended as wonderful and uncrowded here on the DIS is the one at New Smyrna, and all of that is true. However, because of its close proximity to the Ponce Inlet jetty, New Smyrna is also the largest migratory shark feeding ground on the Atlantic Coast. Most of the time they don't bother people, but for people who are freaked out by sharks just on principle, New Smyrna in April or September is a bad idea, because you WILL encounter them in the waters there at that time of year. This photo is a view into the water from the top of the New Smyrna lighthouse during a migration; all those dark dots are blacktip and spinner sharks:

 

[travelbug]

Glad to see a number of positive comments about Anna Maria Island! I'll be vacationing there for the first time in April.