[DougB]

Although not on the gulf, try Playalinda Beach on the Canaveral Seashore. It may be just the beach for you.

[Villager Joyce]

Originally Posted by DougB

Although not on the gulf, try Playalinda Beach on the Canaveral Seashore. It may be just the beach for you.

Is it still nude? Do people want to see nude senior citizens? Yikes.

[OpusX1]

Howard Park in Tarpon Springs is the closest. A little farther South is Caladesi State Park in Dunedin. Spectacular! It can only be reached by ferry and reservations must be made.

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Caladesi-Island

We take 75 to 50 west to 19 south to alt. 19. Gets you to both Howard Park and Dunedin. You miss the Tampa traffic.

There are no beachs worth going to North of Tarpon Springs in our opinion, until you get around the big bend.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

Dr B, thanks for asking this question. We have company coming in a couple of weeks and we hadn't planned anything. Think we are going to ft island. About an hour drive.

Maybe you'll like it, but we were very disappointed in Ft Island Beach. Let us know what you think.

[jnieman]

Anna Maria Island is about 2 hrs 17 minutes from here and you can avoid Tampa and take I-75 most of the way there. There are tons of white sandy public beaches. It is gorgeous there.

[dotti105]

Winston, If you head to the Clearwater area or further south, I highly recommend that you take 289. It is a new hwy that you can get to from I-75, via 52 or 54. YOU MISS ALL OF THE TAMPA CONSTRUCTION AND I-4,I-75 TRAFFIC!!!!

It brings you out by the Tampa Int'l Airport at the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Shaves 30 min + off of the drive and it has little traffic. Check the Maps. It starts by the airport as "Veterans Memorial Hwy" but he name changes as it heads north. If you take it from Tampa past the 52 or 54 turn offs you end up in Brooksville.

Give it a try! We make the drive more often than we would like, not to visit the fabulous beaches but to visit my 90 yr ol Mom on Clearwater Beach. Gotta leave early enough one of these days to sneak in a walk along the water.......

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by jnieman

Anna Maria Island is about 2 hrs 17 minutes from here and you can avoid Tampa and take I-75 most of the way there. There are tons of white sandy public beaches. It is gorgeous there.

Agree that Anna Maria Island is a very nice beach. Although the drive time sounds a bit optimistic to me.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by dotti105

Winston, If you head to the Clearwater area or further south, I highly recommend that you take 289. It is a new hwy that you can get to from I-75, via 52 or 54. YOU MISS ALL OF THE TAMPA CONSTRUCTION AND I-4,I-75 TRAFFIC!!!!

It brings you out by the Tampa Int'l Airport at the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Shaves 30 min + off of the drive and it has little traffic. Check the Maps. It starts by the airport as "Veterans Memorial Hwy" but he name changes as it heads north. If you take it from Tampa past the 52 or 54 turn offs you end up in Brooksville.

Give it a try! We make the drive more often than we would like, not to visit the fabulous beaches but to visit my 90 yr ol Mom on Clearwater Beach. Gotta leave early enough one of these days to sneak in a walk along the water.......

Do I pick up 289 off of 75? if so where abouts?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by JGVillages

Siesta Ket Beach just south of Sarasota is spectacular. It may be a bit over two hours but the firm white sand at the water is great for walking and biking. Make a day of it and hit St Armands Circle in nearby Sarasota for some great shops and restaurants.

I used to live about two miles from Siesta Key Beach and I agree. It is spectacular. But I seriously doubt that I would get there in 2 hours and 17 minutes. Maybe if there is zero traffic and I catch every light.

[villagetinker]

OP,
I took a look at Google maps, and you can take 60 to 589 to 580 to 92/75 and completely avoid 275, which I agree is a disaster.

[outlaw]

How about Pine Island? Google map has several pictures of it. I think it is about 1 1/2 hours from here.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

OP,
I took a look at Google maps, and you can take 60 to 589 to 580 to 92/75 and completely avoid 275, which I agree is a disaster.

Where would I get on route 60?

It looks like I can take 75 to 93 to 580 then 589 to 60. That would avoid the traffic but am I then taking a bunch of 35 mph roads and turning it into a 3 hour trip?

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

Dr B, thanks for asking this question. We have company coming in a couple of weeks and we hadn't planned anything. Think we are going to ft island. About an hour drive.

If you do decide to go to Fort Island Beach Park in Crystal River, they have a fishing pier there. I saw a guy hook and lose a big tarpon there. It jumped out of the water twice before breaking the line... very impressive. There's a bait shop on the road to the park. Besides the man-made beach, there's also a boat launching ramp, some picnic tables and restrooms. When we were there, the mosquitoes got my wife on the boardwalk between the beach and the fishing pier.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Do I pick up 289 off of 75? if so where abouts?

Doc, it's the same road I mentioned to use in post #11 except I used the name Suncoast Parkway. The other poster is using the number instead of the name but has the wrong number, it's 589. Same directions I gave you before. Take I-75 as far as as you can before hitting construction and then go west on either 50 (Brooksville exit), or 52, or 54. Then hit Suncoast Parkway (589) and go south until you reach Courtney Campbell Causeway (Hwy 60), go west until you see the water and you'll be on Clearwater Beach.

[beachx4me]

It isn't on the Gulf side, but New Smyrna beach is about 1.5 hours away. If you go 42 through the Ocala National Forest to 44, it takes you right on through for the most part.