Best Beaches

[Pegamyheart]

Hello fellow Villagers. I have family coming in from frozen NH next week and they want desperately to go to the shore. What is my best bet for a clean beach, no hassle day trip to the east or west coast? Is the water warm at this time of year? Are the sands white? Are there reasonable/no fees? What are the secrets to a good day at the beach down here? No pets involved. I would appreciate your wisdom and experiences. Thanks.

[Bogie Shooter]

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/travel-forum-119/st-petersburg-vs-clearwater-beach-96748/

[Debfrommaine]

Hello fellow Villagers. I have family coming in from frozen NH next week and they want desperately to go to the shore. What is my best bet for a clean beach, no hassle day trip to the east or west coast? Is the water warm at this time of year? Are the sands white? Are there reasonable/no fees? What are the secrets to a good day at the beach down here? No pets involved. I would appreciate your wisdom and experiences. Thanks.

My sister is coming from NH and we just talked about this last night! Glad you asked the question and I look forward to the answers.

[Maryj18]

Although a little further drive than some definitely Siesta Key in Sarasota, all my NH family love it there, the white quartz sand that never gets hot(does not burn your feet) the wide beach, always clean, plenty of parking and good facilities.

[Mike&Marilyn]

New Smyrna just south of Daytona. Small, quaint, great place to eat called "Bostons"
best fried shrimp ever.

[Pegamyheart]

Sounds great. Can you tell me how you best enter the beach there? Is it 27th St and drive onto the beach for maybe $5? Or maybe at E 3rd? Is Bostons on the water? Never been there and trying to make it fool proof.

[Tweety Bird]

It's $5, and FREE if you have a handicapped sticker

[Jejuca]

The beaches on the west coast (Gulf of Mexico) will have the best sand and the warmest water (we think the water is freezing at this time of year but plenty of tourists will be swimming).
Clearwater, St Pete Beach (we lived there for 25 years), or Sarasota are great. It costs $10 a day to park at St Pete Beach - don't know about the others.

[CFrance]

New Smyrna just south of Daytona. Small, quaint, great place to eat called "Bostons"
best fried shrimp ever.

The thing I don't like about New Smyrna is that there's cars allowed to drive on the beach. When we were there last year, the scenario was... All the people and their blankets and chairs were up at the top of the beach by the sidewalk. Then came the parade of cars up and down the beach (one lane each direction), and then a short amount of space between the cars and the actual water. The result was all the sunbathers were not at the water. They were up at the top of the beach before the lanes of cars.

We prefer a beach that doesn't allow cars, like Cocoa Beach (2 hour drive).

Also, do your visitors prefer ocean or Gulf? We spent decades vacationing between Ocean City, MD, and Nags Head. I love the rough waves. The Gulf is too tame for us.

[NoMoSno]

Is the water warm at this time of year?

No. :(

[graciegirl]

New Smyrna just south of Daytona. Small, quaint, great place to eat called "Bostons"
best fried shrimp ever.



We took our grandson to swim there a couple of years ago and then his mother pointed out that New Smyrna Beach is the shark attack capital of the world.


North America's top shark-attack beaches - USATODAY.com (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/news/2008-04-18-shark-beaches-forbes_N.htm)

[Medtrans]

Give me Clearwater beach any day...beautiful white sandy beaches, clear blue water. It's like being in the Caribbean. Frenchy's for a grouper sandwich!

[tainsley]

I was at Siesta Key just today! Just beautiful! White almost powder like beach. The water is blue aqua and green. The temp was 84. Low humidity. Water was too cold for me but plenty of people swimming. Not overly crowded. Beach is free. No restaurants on the beach. About a 2 hr 20 min ride down 75S. If you go, leave early. We got down there around 11 am and it was hard to find parking. There is a big parking lot for beach goers. Truly is beautiful! Traffic coming home was horrendous due to several accidents.

[Mike&Marilyn]

Here is the info. for Boston's Boston's Fish House
Seafood Restaurants

1414 S Atlantic Ave, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
Cross Streets: Between E 5th Ave and E 4th Ave
(386) 424-0757

You can drive on the beach at New Smyrna but I am not sure if there is a charge. Atlantic ave is the main street running north & south along the beach . But the rest. is not directly on the water.

[Indy-Guy]

We have taken many guests to Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs. The beach/island is about a mile out in the Gulf via a causeway. Be sure and have a GPS or good directions to get there as you drive through the neighborhoods of Tarpon Springs to get to the park. There are no restaurants on the beach just an island with parking lot, sand and the Gulf. Very quite place to enjoy the beach without fighting the traffic. After you enter the park there are picnic areas with swings and is great for a picnic before or after the beach.

If you are looking for a nice laid back beach and don't want to fight the traffic. This is the place.

See links below.


Fred Howard Park - Tarpon Springs - Reviews of Fred Howard Park - TripAdvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34680-d1063571-Reviews-Fred_Howard_Park-Tarpon_Springs_Florida.html)

https://www.pinellascounty.org/park/06_Howard.htm

https://plus.google.com/109412739829726575923/about?gl=us&hl=en

[janmcn]

The water temp for Clearwater Beach for today, Thursday Feb 20, is 65 degrees according to the Tampa Bay Times. If considering the east coast beaches, don't forget the Daytona 500 is this coming Sunday.

[CFrance]

The water temp for Clearwater Beach for today, Thursday Feb 20, is 65 degrees according to the Tampa Bay Times. If considering the east coast beaches, don't forget the Daytona 500 is this coming Sunday.

That's considered a decent water temp for Lake Michigan. Perhaps since your visitors are from NH, they might think that is okay.

[justjim]

The nice thing about New Smyrna Beach is the fact you CAN drive on the beach and tailgate right out of the back of your SUV or other vehicle. We also like Cocoa Beach --- The Pier at Cocoa Beach has parking close and Pier has good food. Always a number of Surfers to watch too.

Over to gulf side definitely worth the drive down to Siesta Key. The water is cool either side but waves are better on Atlantic side.

[CFrance]

The nice thing about New Smyrna Beach is the fact you CAN drive on the beach and tailgate right out of the back of your SUV or other vehicle. We also like Cocoa Beach --- The Pier at Cocoa Beach has parking close and Pier has good food. Always a number of Surfers to watch too.

Over to gulf side definitely worth the drive down to Siesta Key. The water is cool either side but waves are better on Atlantic side.

I agree with you about Cocoa. We had a great time there with our kids over Christmas. There is a restaurant on the pier with excellent seafood, and also a nice place for lunch outside but under cover.

A nice beach with great waves. I'm sorry, I just don't like cars & their pollution on beaches, and the fact that you're always having to watch out for traffic. To each his own, though.

[patfla06]

Siesta Key in Sarasota hands down!