Want to drive to the beach from WDW

[LuvindisCruiser]

What beach is recommended ?
How long is the drive ?
Are there places to eat lunch in that area ?
We will have a rental car.
Thanks for the info !

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would recommend Clearwater Beach which is an hour & a half away from WDW. There are also several restaurants and a McDonalds located by their beach for you to eat lunch at.

 

[jctwizzer]

If you prefer the ocean, go east for about an hour and take a look at
Daytona Beach or Cocoa Beach

 

[cranbiz]

There are plenty of places to eat at beaches on both coasts. If you head east, Cocoa Beach is about an hour away. If you go to Cocoa, stop at the Ron Jon Surf shop. Right on the beach, free parking and a food court.

 

[scard192]

Love the Gulf Coast. Clearwater Beach, St. Pete's Beach are beautiful!

 

[LidoDeck]

I live in Kissimmee and find Cocoa Beach far more convenient than Gulf Coast beaches (Clearwater, St. Pete). It takes 1 hr 5 min from my house - just can't quite make it in an hour. I also prefer this destination for the east coast waves.

From the 417 / Greenway or I-4 take the Beach Line 528 east all the way. It becomes A1A and goes right through Cocoa Beach. Alan Shepard Park is a nice location, but does charge for parking. Ron Jon has free parking (right next door to the park) but I wouldn't stay there all day.

There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the area. Awesome seafood is available at Boston Beef & Seafood right on A1A just north of the intersection with 520 (our favorite).

 

[Capt_BJ]

having lived in both places I will say I prefer the beach on the east coast over the Gulf but they both are mighty fine. I also think you'll actually get to the beach faster heading east since SR-528//A1A is going to take to all the way there while the trip west is a little more involved....exit highway, continue west, find beach, find parking.... not hard but east is much easier.

If you do come to Cocoa I would strongly NOT recommend eating at RonJon .... buy a t-shirt but there are MUCH better places to get just about anything to eat.

If you happen this way on a DCL departure day then plan to be at Grills, Rusty's, Fishlips or Millikan Reef in the port around 5 pm and watch the departure. There's usually a crowd waving on the decks of each of these places and the ship will respond by sounding the musical horn . . . These 4 places are all in a row on the south side of the port and just off 528//A1A .... just follow the signs to the Casino Cruise and you'll end up in the right place. Or be on the jetty at Jetty Park, which is at the entr to the port, south side. There is a small admission charge at this particular park/beach but it is a very popular beach area.

http://www.jettypark.org/
http://www.grillsseafood.com/

 

[mckinley]

We went to cocoa beach back over the summer. The drive was not bad at all and the beach was really nice. Our hotel was alittle run down though. With us not being there before i just found a hotel online and booked. You are able to walk out pretty far at waist deep water also. If we ever decide to go back to the beach while at Disney we will to go back to cocoa beach.

 

[LuvindisCruiser]

Thanks, got some great info.
That would be so cool if we could see DCL leaving port !
I would love to hear the horn and wave good-bye to them.
Thanks again !

 

[zulemara]

I've gone to the beach at new smyrna twice and really enjoyed it. It's not nearly as well known, so it's not as busy. There are still places to eat in the area though. I take 528 east to 95 and go north simply because I hate I4. If you take I4 east to FL 44 right to the beach, its about 55 miles.

 

[giginator]

Have been to both Cocoa beach and Clearwater. The drive is about a half hour longer to Clearwater but soooo worth it! Will never go back to Cocoa, we LOVED Clearwater. The Gulf side is much cleaner, calmer, beautiful white sand, warmer and lots of stuff happening along the pier. Many many cruises and excursions. Not much appeal in Cocoa besides Ron Jon's. You will end up with a lot of crushed shells in your bathing suit if you choose to go to Cocoa. Rough waves and waters.