There are 189 named beaches that make up Florida's 825 miles long sandy picture frame. Each of those beaches will have one or more feature that is unique to it. So doing a ranking of Florida beaches, is like ranking the best types of foods, everyone has their favorite. The following beaches are not in order of best to less best, rather they are grouped by interests, activities, and attributes.
Action Packed Party Beaches
For those that want lots of wide open fun time mixed in with lots of sand and sun time, these beaches are going to provide many opportunities. Leading off has to be Miami Beach, more specifically South Beach (known as “SoBe” to the locals). South Beach is the place to see and be seen, beautiful beach, beautiful people. Panama City Beach, Hollywood Beach, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Daytona Beach, Clearwater Beach (USA Today's 2023 #1 beach in the south) and Cocoa Beach all have great beaches, and also a great amount of things to see, and do. |
Slower Pace Beaches
Are you looking for less crowded, less crazy beaches? These beaches will check all of your calming boxes. Top beach in this category has to be Dr. Beach’s 2023 #1 beach in the USA, St. George Island Beach. St. George Island is a Florida State Park that features the most beautiful, unspoiled, natural beach you could imagine. Other beaches that will fill your beach fix, and not your stress level are: St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park, near Stuart. Tigertail Beach, Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge that features 5 miles of quiet beach. Caladesi Island (Dr. Beach's 2023 #4 beach in the USA), Navarre Beach, Cayo Costa State Park, and Bahia Honda State Park. |
Relaxed With Things To Do Beaches
For those that want a lower key beach experience on better known beaches Naples Beach, Captiva Island, Boynton Beach, Ormond Beach, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Vero Beach, St. Petersburg Beach, and Coquina Beach will provide a great low key beach experience while still giving you other things to do. |
Surfing Beaches
Florida “surfing season” is between August through April. For the best wave action though, November through March are your dream times. The most famous area for surfing, and recommended only for very experienced expert surfers is at Sebastian Inlet Park in Brevard County. Sebastian Inlet Park has a beautiful unspoiled 3 miles long beach which is amazing in itself. But the feature surfers are interested in is “Monster Hole.” Sharks like that area too though. Great place to see, don’t bring your board though. Other great beaches for surfing are Jacksonville Beach, St. Augustine Beach, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Boynton Beach, Jupiter Beach, Palm Beach and Cocoa Beach. If you are learning to surf, or inexperienced at it, Cocoa Beach is the spot to learn. Cocoa Beach offers calm, consistent waves to get your confidence up on, and a beautiful beach as well. The only surfing beaches on the Gulf of Mexico side that can allow for good surfing albeit not to the Atlantic side standard, are in the Panhandle of Florida: Destin Beach, Pensacola Beach, Panama City Beach, Navarre Beach, and Grayton Beach. |
Best Beaches to Hunt for Seashells
For people who love to go “shelling” there is none better than Sanibel Island Beaches. Get up early in the morning during low tide, it will look as if a truck spread shells all over. Over 300 different varieties of shells have been found here. Other good shelling beaches are the Captiva Island Beaches, Venice Beach (also known for a great place to find shark teeth), Tigertail Beach, on Marco Island, Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island (also a good place to find shark teeth), Barefoot Beach in Naples, Fort Myers Beach, Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island, and Shell Island off of Panama City Beach. |
Drive On Beaches
Everyone is familiar with Daytona Beach allowing people to drive and park their vehicles on the beach, but did you know that there are others as well? Along with Daytona Beach, St. Augustine Beach, and New Smyrna Beach also allow driving on their beaches. Grayton Beach, which is located on Florida's panhandle, allows only it's residents with special permits to drive on the beach. There will be some restrictions, rules, fees, and certain designated areas where driving or parking is allowed. Check with each individual municipality before you go. |
Beaches of Great Natural Beauty
This could be a huge list, but we will narrow it down for you. St. George Island Beach, Caladesi Island Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach State Park, Hobe National Wildlife Preserve State Park, Crescent Beach, Canaveral National Seashore. |
Beaches with Great Piers
There are a lot of great beach fishing piers in Florida but the following are worthy of mentioning first. These fantastic piers are in no particular order: Clearwater Beach Pier 60, Naples Beach Pier, Pensacola Beach Pier, Jacksonville Beach Pier, Cocoa Beach Pier, and Dania Beach Fishing Pier. |
Horseback Riding Along the Seashore
One of the beaches that allow horseback riding is Cape San Blas which is located near Port St. Joe, and is home to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in the Panhandle. Other beaches that allow horseback riding are Amelia Island Beaches,and Fort Pierce Beach. If you bring your own horse you are allowed to ride on the beach in these areas, St. Augustine Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, and Canaveral National Seashore. |
Dog Beaches in Florida
The following beaches allow our furry friends to frolic: Jupiter Dog Beach (Jupiter), Flagler Beach (St. Augustine), Bonita Beach Dog Beach, Fort Myers Dog Beach, Miami Beach Bark Beach, Key West Dog Beach, Fort DeSoto Park Dog Beach (Tierra Verde), Bowman’s Beach Park (Sanibel Island), Vilano Beach (St. Augustine), St. George Island beach. Most of these dog beaches are in designated areas, not on the entire beach, and some are leash only, while others allow you to take fido off his leash. Check with the local municipality for any restrictions. |
Florida’s Beach Warning Flags
Usually posted on or near lifeguard shacks and or beach entrances. GREEN FLAG = Low hazard, calm conditions. YELLOW FLAG = Medium hazard, moderate surf or currents. RED FLAG = High hazard, high surf or strong currents. Lifeguards could close the water to the public. DOUBLE RED FLAG = Water is closed to the public. No one is allowed in the water walking on the beach, and sunbathing is fine. BLUE FLAG = Stinging or hazardous marine life, stingrays or jellyfish are present. |