Miami Beaches
Miami Beach:
Miami Beach is the place for people-watching. With the Art Deco facades of Ocean Drive as your background, watch the toned bodies play volleyball and sun themselves bronze.
Sanibel Beach:
Sanibel is a unique barrier island with an east-west orientation that differs from the typical north-south layout. This east-west designation has helped Sanibel earn its reputation as one of the Shell Islands — prime spots along Florida's coastline for gathering perfectly intact shells in every shape and size.
Naples Beach:
The biggest dilemma when chilling on the pearly white sands in Naples is which way to look. On one side are the rolling waves, and on the other are the glimmering chateaus that makeup Millionaires' Push. This is a great place to spread out the family's beach blanket and camp out for the day, as there are bathhouses and food stands on-site and rentals available for everything from umbrellas to kayaks to snorkeling gear.
Palm Beach:
This 16-mile-long, half-mile-wide island is the epitome of wealth and extravagance. In times past, it served as the winter home to the Vanderbilts, the Kennedys, the Rockefellers, and other millionaires. Perched next to the Gulf Stream, this beach town also enjoys the extra benefit of warm blue water and gentle breezes.
South Beach:
Take a dip in the crystal-blue waters of Miami's South Beach, an international playground that offers non-stop nightlife, high-end shopping, luxurious boutique hotels, and unique Art Deco architecture.
Siesta Key:
Siesta Key Beach is perfect for strolling, shell-collecting, or more active pursuits, such as renting a catamaran or kayak from one of the many beach concessionaires. This perfect family vacation venue, which boasts beachside picnic areas and playgrounds, is also home to candlelit restaurants and cozy rental cottages ideal for a romantic getaway.
Key West:
A beach lover's heaven, Key West is one of the most enchanting of the 1,700 islands that make up the Florida Keys. It's also the southernmost city in the continental US. The beaches in Key West are ideal for swimming and snorkeling, and fishing is allowed off the piers at most beaches.
Anna Maria Island:
A barrier island on Florida's Gulf Coast, Anna Maria Island is where to go when you and the kids really just want to chill on a beach for a week, gazing out into tranquil turquoise waters. If you want to do more, there's more to do too, like kayaking at Robinson Preserve.
Cocoa Beach:
Cocoa Beach is best known for its great surfing waves and come-as-you-are vibe, with chill waterfront bars and a fishing pier. For the most pristine beaches, away from the high-rise buildings, head to 13th Street South, where you'll find a strip of beach known as Second Light.
Clearwater Beach:
One of America's finest white-sand beaches, Clearwater Beach spans a narrow, 3-mile stretch of the Pinellas Peninsula on the Gulf Coast. Clearwater's proximity to Tampa offers visitors ample activities to enjoy, including beach volleyball, parasailing, a dolphin-watching cruise, and a fun fishing excursion.