Taking one day to go to a Beach?

[kmmum]

Hey

Just wondering if anyone has taken a day to rent a car and head to a beach? If so how far would it be? Suggestions on what beach to head to for the day?

Thanks.. Sarah

 

[highland3]

We drove over to Cocoa Beach for a day. I think it was just over an hour. The water seemed a little chilly at first, but it wasn't bad. There were some decent waves, but the kids and I had a blast. Lots of cool surf shops nearby to check out cheap t-shirts an d trinkets. We had our car with us so we didn't need to rent.

 

[papertraveller]

I second Cocoa Beach - it's just an hour, and it's a very easy drive. It's as fun as the PP said.
A lot of locals prefer to head to Clearwater, which is a good 90 minutes or more depending on traffic through Tampa and across the bridges. But if you're just going for the day, I'd head east.

 

[mkmommy]

Not sure when you are going, but when we are there in March and going on a cruise we like the spend the day before at Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral, which is about an hour from WDW.

There is great playgrounds, it is not warm enough to swim in March so not sure what the water is like but the beach is great for playing in the sand and chasing sea gulls,

but the best part is watching the cruise ships head out to sea about 5:30. This is the Carnival Dream

 

[Sue M]

We often go first to either Cocoa Beach or the gulf-St. Pete Beach for a couple of nights before arriving at WDW. Cocoa Beach has the waves, and Ron Jons Surf Shop, and Surf School. My dds love the surf lessons there. Last time they got the same instructor that gives the surf lessons in WDW Typhoon Lagoon.

We also love the calm water and fine white sand of the gulf coast. The gulf coast is about 30 min drive further. So 90 min to gulf.

 

[rjan67]

I was on that ship last year at this time! Wahhhhh!

 

[mkmommy]

I was on that ship last year at this time! Wahhhhh!

That was the March 13/2010 departure.

 

[rjan67]

Then that was us! Do you see me waving from the Lido deck? We were heading for the Bahamas.....man, I wish that was me now!

 

[SplashMom]

We usually do a beach day as well. We have done Cocoa and St. Pete's but our favorite is Daytona! It is so cool to drive your vehicle down the beach, park and go for a swim. We really like the little shops and restaurants as well. Definitely worth a short drive!

 

[candielips]

We've always wanted to do a beach day, but by the time our beach day roles around, we usually just feel like hanging out at the resort.
Maybe this year!

 

[Kat&Dom]

We went to Clearwater Beach just outside of Tampa and combined it with attending a baseball game. Tickets to the ball game were only $18 and it was a lot of fun. We slept in a bit that day to avoid rush hour traffic then made it to the beach around 11am - hung out until 4pm then went to the ball game. We had an awesome time. It was about 1 1/2 hours to drive down there.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would also recommend going to Clearwater Beach.

 

[kelkel03]

sorry, how far is clearwater from Kissimmee?

 

[MedicGoofy]

I'm all in for going to Cocoa Beach!!! It's great and it's close

Easy to spend a full day there without feeling like you've driven forever to get too. Great for the little ones and great for the big ones. Enjoy the day

 

[pixie_mtl]

Heard Siesta Key is great too

 

[sonomom]

Just went to Clearwater it was great water warm and awesome playground, is the water at cocoa that much colder thinking of checking it out but Clearwater was so nice

 

[mollyseven]

We have done Cocoa Beach twice...it's nice and close, water is cold and very wavy so the kids like that.
We just went to Siesta Key (off of Sarasota) and Indian Rocks beach (in between Clearwater and St Petes) the first week of April.
Siesta Key is probably about 2 hour drive from Disney depending on traffic.
It has the best beach in the US apparently. It is the whitest softest sand I have ever been on and I have been on alot of caribbean beaches. It was so wide also.....just fantastic.
Clearwater all the way to St Petes is lovely also but more like crushed shells and not soft like Siesta Key.

I would go and stay on Siesta Key for a couple nights but not go there just as a day trip.

 

[two*little*birds]

I can't say enough about Siesta Key.

Do a search and you'll see some older posts. Amazing beach, and only about 1.5 hours away.

One of my older posts with photos - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2624964&highlight=siesta+key

 

[Mybails]

Daytona Beach is about the same distance as Cocoa Beach and if anyone is a car lover the Daytona Speedway and Museum is there.