Where's the Beach?

[livsea2]

I live at the beach so when I buy a place in the Villages, Fl I will need my occasional "beach fix". Where do you guys/gals go to the beach? How long does it take to get there (in reality not marketing time lol) I had been thinking 90 minutes minimum to either coast but the marketing package I got from the villages sales people indicates like 45 minutes to the Gulf and 60 minutes to the Atlantic. Can this be correct? Thanks! :bigthumbsup:

[Indy-Guy]

I have been to a beach due West of hear and it wasn't very nice. We have gone to Fred Howard park and beach in Tarpon Springs. It is a little farther but very nice it is hard to find so be sure and use a GPS or map it. Well worth the drive. Check out photos below.

http://www.east-lake-homes.com/fred-howard-park-tour.php

[downeaster]

I find the 45/60 minute timetable very unrealistic! I have never timed it but I know it takes me longer than that. Also, getting to the beach is the easy part, finding parking can be a bear. The closest Gulf beach is at Crystal River and it is small with limited parking. On the Atlantic side the most convenient is probably New Smyrna. There is a large National Seashore area south of New Smyrna. It has a lot of parking but can fill up. It is our choice for watching space shots.

If you are willing to spend more than a day then your choices expand. Starting at New Smyrna then north there are great beaches all the way to Fernandina Beach.

Hope this helps.

DC

[Sgt Mac]

Livsea,

Yes about 45 to the Gulf and may be just a little more to the Shore 1 hour

I used to take Coney Island Ave. just passed the hot dog stand cold_cold

Da Sgt

[JAV0108]

Crescent Beach which is a little south of St. Augustine. Probably takes about 1-1/2 to 2 hours to drive there but you can drive on the beach so that eliminates the parking problem. We make a day of it, fill the cooler with food and drink, take our dog and just enjoy. It is a wonderful beach. Also I have not heard of all the shark scares like they have further south, ie. New Smyrna.

[Indy-Guy]

New Smyrna is very nice and I watched the last launch from there it was great. However I would not get in the water since I have seen that there have been many shark attacks in that area.

[Indy-Guy]

Sorry I forgot about the closest beach which is 12 miles from The Villages. It is at Gator Joe's click on below! Be sure and look at the photos!

http://www.gatorjoesocala.com/

[downeaster]

livesea2, As an addendum to my first post, I suggest using google maps, in satellite mode, or google earth. You can see the beaches and in google earth you can measure the distance. Need more info just PM me.

DC

[livsea2]

Thanks folks! Your answers were a lot closer to what I already thought but wanted to check. THANKS a bunch for the Gator Joe's suggestion that place nit only looks cool but really would satisfy my "beach fix" once in a while! That place looks cool I will be sure to check it out! ( now I gotta find it!) :bigthumbsup:

[chuckinca]

Sorry I forgot about the closest beach which is 12 miles from The Villages. It is at Gator Joe's click on below! Be sure and look at the photos!

http://www.gatorjoesocala.com/






Just don't expect the food or service to be very good.

[cabo35]

Clearwater Beach is 85 miles from the Villages, mostly Interstate. Under two hours in normal traffic. Beautiful sand. Usually clear gulf waters.

[Russ_Boston]

Second the choice of Clearwater beach. It always makes the travel channel's list of top 10 Florida beaches.

http://search.travelchannel.com/travel/Top%2010%20Beaches%20In%20Florida

[Skip]

Howard Park near Tarpon Springs will be closing after Labor Day and will not be reopened until fall of 2009. The picnic area will remain open but the causeway to the beach will be closed for a year while they rebuild the bridges.

http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/06_howard.htm

Skip

[swrinfla]

:agree: with chuckinca that Gator Joe's food isn't the best, but I still think it is a fun place. Always try to sit out on their tiki-hut deck, so you can watch the birds and the water-sporting folks!

I wouldn't, however, consider it a "beach" place, unless you're satisfied with a small splash of sand on what, by many standards, is little more than a pond! It's Lake Weir, by the way!

SWR

[KayakerNC]

Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin FL.
Siesta Key near Sarasota. 8)

[Rokinronda]

They don't call it Gator Joe's for nuttin' honey. There's gators in that there 'pond'!!! Last time we ate there a big spider came down from the ceiling right in front of my guests face!! ewwwww! Kind of lost our appetites.
:agree: with chuckinca that Gator Joe's food isn't the best, but I still think it is a fun place. Always try to sit out on their tiki-hut deck, so you can watch the birds and the water-sporting folks!

I wouldn't, however, consider it a "beach" place, unless you're satisfied with a small splash of sand on what, by many standards, is little more than a pond! It's Lake Weir, by the way!

SWR

[mikey]

:#1:Any Nude beaches?

[downeaster]

My earlier post touted the East Coast beaches but, due to Fay, they may be history for a while.

DC

[Sidney Lanier]

We are not beach people, but one of our NY sons 'discovered' Ozello on the west coast close to Crystal River (due west of TV), and the drive there is just under an hour. Marvelous sunset cruise on a pontoon boat with Captain Russ, and he also rents kayaks that our son and his girlfriend enjoyed.

Our FL son (who lives in the Clearwater area) took us to see Honeymoon Island State Park and I second that suggestion; it is gorgeous!

[MMC24]

If Fay decides to drop as much rain on TV as it has in other parts of FLA the beach will be much closer to your house than it is today.

[JohnN]

another vote for Clearwater Beach. I go just past that beach, actually, just south, to Sand Key Park and the beach there.