[eweissenbach]

1. Siesta Key - Nicest beach anywhere - bit of a drive
2. St. Augustine Beach - As someone said, great beach, great old city, great restaurants
3. New Smyrna - Drive on the beach, eat at Breakers, walk old town area
4. Clearwater - Shells on beach a problem for walking barefoot (sorry barefoot:-), but otherwise stellar

[SyrNancy]

What is your route that gets you to New Smyrna Beach in 75 minutes?

[justjim]

Use the Search option to see several,Threads on Florida beaches. We like the Atlantic side because of the waves. At port Canaveral near Cocoa Beach is Mulligan's restaurant for seafood and you can see the Cruise Ships. There is also a new visitor building with a nice view of the port you can visit.

As mentioned in a previous post , Dixie Crossroads at Titusville (famous for their rock shrimp) is worth a visit and Florida Seafood Bar on The 520 causeway at Cocoa Beach has wonderful fresh seafood.

For breakfast at Cocoa Beach, try The Big Biscuit on A1A about a mile south of the Hilton. You won't be disappointed in this Mom & Pop breakfast & lunch restaurant.

[Midvale]

Sand Key Beach is a nice little beach usually less packed than Clearwater Beach (which is also a great). Honeymoon Island and Fort DeSoto are both enjoyable spots, too.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by patfla06

Siesta Key in Sarasota - hands down.

I used to live in Sarasota and I agree. Siesta Key Beach, to me, is the best beach I have been to in Florida except for South Miami Beach.

But, having said that, it's a two and a half hour drive so if you want to go down and spend a few days it's one thing, but we like to drive down to a beach for a day and come back at night. For that, the beaches in the Clearwater area are the best. I've been to beaches on the ocean and on the gulf, and the gulf and I find there to be no contest. The gulf beaches are far superior until you get below Ft Lauderdale.

[Poetrosie]

I agree. Siesta Key is the most beautiful beach around. And the sand is so soft and clean.

[69Ludwigs]

Originally Posted by SookeyJo

Hi everyone! We are relatively new to The Villages (since January of this year) and we're anxious (VERY anxious) to go to some of the Gulf and Atlantic beaches. Which ones have you been to and would go back to time and time again? Could you please share the names of some of your favorite restaurants to eat at while you are at your favorite beaches? Thank you so much for your recommendations!

There 's a cool little place on Longboat Key in Sarasota called The Seahorse. it's a 60's vintage 2 level motel on the beautiful beach with a nice pool and private patios or balconies. Al units are privately owned condos but rented through a sales office. Eat at The Dry Dock for dinner and The Blue Dolphin for breakfast. Killer sunsets!

[DougB]

Originally Posted by Villageshooter

i love playalinda beach on merrit island a 13 th mile is all nude, is very secluded

If you are walking around Merritt Island nude, you will get arrested. Playalinda Beach is in Canaveral National Seashore, not Merritt Island.
Vandals cut a hole in the fence around Playalinda. Local police are looking into it.

[springfield]

Manasota Key is old Florida at its best. Located south of Veñice, In Endlewood, it has no high rises, traffic, just friendly people. Our condo is there and we love looking for fossils and sharks teeth. The gulf is warmer and the fishing is great.

[buggyone]

Mrs. Buggy and I just returned from a wonderful day trip to St. Pete Beach. We left home in The Villages around 10:30 this morning, drove to St. Pete Beach in 2 hours and parked free at a great beach bar called The Undertow. The beach is talcum powder white soft sand, the beach is very wide, the slope of the sand into the water is very gradual, the water was a perfect temperature.

We take our beach umbrella and chairs. Naturally, we do buy a couple of drinks at The Undertow since we park there.

On the way home, we drove past the first Hooters restaurant that is in Clearwater. We had dinner in Clearwater at Bahama Breeze and got back home about 8. Downright excellent day away from The Bubble.

[DougB]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Mrs. Buggy and I just returned from a wonderful day trip to St. Pete Beach. We left home in The Villages around 10:30 this morning, drove to St. Pete Beach in 2 hours and parked free at a great beach bar called The Undertow. The beach is talcum powder white soft sand, the beach is very wide, the slope of the sand into the water is very gradual, the water was a perfect temperature.

We take our beach umbrella and chairs. Naturally, we do buy a couple of drinks at The Undertow since we park there.

On the way home, we drove past the first Hooters restaurant that is in Clearwater. We had dinner in Clearwater at Bahama Breeze and got back home about 8. Downright excellent day away from The Bubble.

Sounds like a great day, except I wouldn't have had dinner at Hooters and drove past Bahama Breeze.