Where's the Beach?

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:13 PM
livsea2's Avatar
livsea2 livsea2 is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 308
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Where's the Beach?

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:
__________________
Lick the lollipop of mediocrity once, and you'll suck forever.
  #2  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:25 PM
Indy-Guy Indy-Guy is offline
Gold member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,059
Thanks: 0
Thanked 127 Times in 51 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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-...-park-tour.php

__________________
Anderson Indiana---Indianapolis Indiana--- Village of Poinciana Full Time
  #3  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:29 PM
downeaster downeaster is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,562
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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
  #4  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:32 PM
Sgt Mac Sgt Mac is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: The Villages
Posts: 276
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?


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
  #5  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:35 PM
JAV0108's Avatar
JAV0108 JAV0108 is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Springdale
Posts: 261
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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.
__________________
Minneapolis, MN, Annandale, MN, Albuquerque, NM, Dallas, TX, Maple Grove, MN, Live Oak, Florida, The Villages, FL (Springdale)


I'm the type of woman that when I get up in the morning the devil says "oh crap, she's up"!
  #6  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:36 PM
Indy-Guy Indy-Guy is offline
Gold member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,059
Thanks: 0
Thanked 127 Times in 51 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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.
__________________
Anderson Indiana---Indianapolis Indiana--- Village of Poinciana Full Time
  #7  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:50 PM
Indy-Guy Indy-Guy is offline
Gold member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,059
Thanks: 0
Thanked 127 Times in 51 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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/

__________________
Anderson Indiana---Indianapolis Indiana--- Village of Poinciana Full Time
  #8  
Old 08-19-2008, 08:52 PM
downeaster downeaster is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,562
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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
  #9  
Old 08-19-2008, 09:16 PM
livsea2's Avatar
livsea2 livsea2 is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 308
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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:
__________________
Lick the lollipop of mediocrity once, and you'll suck forever.
  #10  
Old 08-20-2008, 04:34 AM
chuckinca's Avatar
chuckinca chuckinca is offline
Sage
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,904
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

Quote:
Originally Posted by 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/



Just don't expect the food or service to be very good.
__________________
Da Chicago So Side; The Village of Park Forest, IL; 3/7 Cav, 3rd Inf Div, Schweinfurt, Ger 65-66; MACV J12 Saigon 66-67; San Leandro, Hayward & Union City, CA (San Francisco East Bay Area) GO DUBS ! (aka W's)
  #11  
Old 08-20-2008, 11:59 AM
cabo35's Avatar
cabo35 cabo35 is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 995
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

Clearwater Beach is 85 miles from the Villages, mostly Interstate. Under two hours in normal traffic. Beautiful sand. Usually clear gulf waters.
  #12  
Old 08-20-2008, 01:58 PM
Russ_Boston's Avatar
Russ_Boston Russ_Boston is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Buttonwood
Posts: 4,844
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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

http://search.travelchannel.com/trav...20In%20Florida

  #13  
Old 08-20-2008, 03:52 PM
Skip's Avatar
Skip Skip is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,568
Thanks: 0
Thanked 272 Times in 149 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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
  #14  
Old 08-20-2008, 07:40 PM
swrinfla swrinfla is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,778
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

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
__________________
Missouri-Massachusetts-Connecticut-Maine-Missouri-Texas-Missouri-Florida
  #15  
Old 08-20-2008, 07:46 PM
KayakerNC's Avatar
KayakerNC KayakerNC is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,879
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default Re: Where's the Beach?

Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin FL.
Siesta Key near Sarasota. 8)
__________________
KayakerNC
Mt Clemens, MI
Newport, NC
Suffering from TV envy
Closed Thread


You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:14 PM.