Beach
 

Hi. Being new to The Villages I'm not familiar with most anything! Can someone recommend the closest "Nice Beach"? My wife would like to go swimming in the gulf or ocean. Thanks.

New Smyrna, Cocoa, Flagler, Melbourne and Indialantic to the East.
Clearwater and Sarasota to the West/Gulf.

Villages Transportation and AAA have day trips. Check them out. Easy way to find out about easy day trips.

Unfortunately, all of the beaches are a two hour drive.
Clearwater Beach was recently named the best beach in the country. We've tried several on both coasts and always go back to Clearwater.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with areas prone to sharks.

Not intended to frighten. Just recommending what I would do.

Get on SR 44 (southern edge of Brownwood), go west until your feet are nearly in the water.

Seriously, to the very end of 44.

You will be at FT Island Beach, on the Gulf. It is a State Park, beach only. Nice sand, nice water, nice scenery, bare amenities. Take your own chairs, food/drinks & shade.

A nice family beach, only 50 miles, about 1 hour max, for us. We are in-between Bonifay and Evans Prairie CC’s.

This is the closest beach to us that we have found.

By the way the eastern end of SR 44 terminates in New Smyrna Beach. About two hours depending on traffic.

:thumbup:

Don

We like Daytona Beach Shores. Love the drive on beach.

The beauty of New Smyrna is you can drive right on the beach and don't have carry your beach "equipment" two or three blocks. We also like Cocoa Beach. The Pier at Cocoa Beach---parking close and food and beverage right there.

My favorite is a 2 hour drive. Treasure Island and St. Pete Beach.
Stay overnight at the Residence Inn for a great get-a-way. Very wide, soft sand beach. Very gentle slope in the warm Gulf water.

I would consider joining a beach club that takes monthly trips. There are several but membership is closed to most of them.

I think Reef Rovers may take some new members soon.

30 bucks per person per trip gets you to beach and back.

Call Villages Rec to get contact info. They have a meeting tomorrow night if you call them maybe you could come.

Anna Maria island is my favorite. White sandy beach. Lots of public access areas.

Thanks all. After reading all the suggestions I'm exhausted so I'll take Villager Joyce's recommendation and take a nap. Will decide tomorrow which way to go. Thanks again.

St Pete Beach
 

We go 2 or 3 times a year to St Pete beach, it's less crowded than Clearwater. We rent a room at the Bon Aire Hotel. our room is only 15 feet to the beach, and they have the best TIKI bar on the beach. The rooms a very clean and the owners are 3rd generation. There are 2 pools, covered seating areas, and best sunsets on the coast. Len & Mary