All the beaches will be crowded on weekends. If you are retired or have a flex schedule, and now that schools are starting, going during the week would be much more pleasant. My favorite, about 2.5 hrs from The Villages, is Pass-a-Grille, on the south tip of St.Pete beach. No boardwalks or trails, just a nice, clean beach, and very quiet. There are several places to eat, on the bay side, enough for a two day visit. There are many AirB&Bs and a couple of Mom and Pop motels on the beach front. It is not a condo canyon, as no structures are more than 2 or 3 stories high (except for a condo building at the southernmost point). To get there, just set your GPS for the Don Cesar, a very old, but quite fancy and expensive hotel, art deco style, and PINK!!. When you get to this hotel, head south for less than a mile, and there’s Pass a Grille. You can also hunt for specials at the Don Cesar, especially after Labor Day. The hotels will give you a parking permit, most of the time.
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