[2 Oldcrabs]

[QUOTE=Shimpy;613445]I'm not sure you have seen all of Florida. Check out Hollywood Beach.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk - VisitHollywoodFL.org

We have been to Hollywood beach. IMHO it is not the same as Wildwood. The Jersey Shore has wood boardwalks and a very nice night life. I don't think the wood Boardwalk do well in a Hurricane.

[Monkei]

[quote=2 Oldcrabs;613643]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

I'm not sure you have seen all of Florida. Check out Hollywood Beach.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk - VisitHollywoodFL.org

We have been to Hollywood beach. IMHO it is not the same as Wildwood. The Jersey Shore has wood boardwalks and a very nice night life. I don't think the wood Boardwalk do well in a Hurricane.

Not to mention the relentless Florida summer sun! The upkeep would be massive.

[Cantwaittoarrive]

[quote=2 Oldcrabs;613643]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

I'm not sure you have seen all of Florida. Check out Hollywood Beach.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk - VisitHollywoodFL.org

We have been to Hollywood beach. IMHO it is not the same as Wildwood. The Jersey Shore has wood boardwalks and a very nice night life. I don't think the wood Boardwalk do well in a Hurricane.

I love Hollywood Florida and there's a nice Holiday Inn right on the beach at a very reasonable per night price

[Cantwaittoarrive]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Mary

Is there ever a bus here in The Villages who go to the Beach for a day ?

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

I don't know of one, but it seems like a helluva business opportunity for some entrepreneur. Buy a small bus and run a shuttle to various beaches for $50 or so round trip.

Don't even have to buy a bus. All we need to do is hire a bus and driver, add in some drinks and food and sell tickets at a profit

[cquick]

Originally Posted by ssmith

Here is a vote to check out Siesta Key Beech....powdered sugar sand and crystal clear water....so you can see if a shark is coming hahahaha....seriously it is usually too shallow quite a ways out....but on occassion does get some serious waves. A little further but one to check out any way!

If I didn't life in The Villages, my second choice would be Siesta Key! Love it there.

[Villages PL]

Clearwater Beach

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by gomoho

Sanibel Island (off the coast of Ft. Myers) is one of the top shelling spots in the world. Not kidding. Little bit of a distance and might require an overnight stay, but I could think of worse places to spend a night. Sanibel is a beautiful island worth spending a little time on.

Ditto. I agree.

We would take the kids every April spring vacation (after they outgrew Disney World after going from toddlerhood through middle school....)

Rent a condo on the beach......great shelling. A quiet island.

If you are looking for "night life" , then it would not be your place to go.

Ding Darling Nature Preserve allows you to canoe through what looks like "old Florida".....lots of alligators on Sanibel.

Captiva Island.....down at the tip......driveable from Sanibel island, has a great little place to eat......."The Bubble Room". Again, you will feel like you are in the old Florida on Captiva Island. Both Sanibel and Captiva are small. No super highways.

Sanibel is accessible by causeway from the Fort Myers area......on the Gulf coast.

For those who like the serenity of a beach which is NOT a hangout type of place, you will appreciate Sanibel Island. We always felt safe there.

We were "Jersey shore teenagers" (not the snooky type, ha ha) as we were raised in N.J........but after moving to Vermont in 1970 and paying one return visit to Wildwood Crest when our kids were about ten and twelve, we realized that the LOUD boardwalk "stuff" was no longer for us.
But we did enjoy Seaside Heights, etc. as teenagers. It was the place to go on Sundays to bake out on the sand......then to crawl home on the Garden State Parking Lot.

Now, we prefer peaceful beaches, for sure....especially those in Maine, off the beaten path.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Important to know the Atlantic is surfier and loud, the gulf is calm and quieter. If you go north of Tampa Bay the water is dark, fishy smelling, and wild boars may chase you away.

Wild boars? The barrier islands south of Tampa have gorgeous white sand beaches. Not sure about north?

Nokomis Beach is a little known one......Casey Key, etc. north of Venice.

The Gulf of Mexico beaches are beautiful. We've seen them all.

As someone else mentioned. Saint Pete Beach is HUGE......great beach.
Nice pier as well.

Tarpon Springs is a cute town to visit.....with the Greek fishing boats, restaurants, etc.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by PammyJ

Well, I go to the beach for the therapeutic sounds of the surf, the beautiful waves, and birds. I love Cape Canaveral. Just locals there, not a touristy beach. The cruise ships going out on Thursdays at 4:00 is also very cool! I agree with DougB!

Another "not touristy" at all beach is Satellite Beach, Florida.
We lived there when our kids were 2 and 5 for one year.

Empty beaches, great shells, great coral..........a few condos but very private.

No traffic. Just A1A. Our daughter actually began kindergarten at Patrick Air Force Base. Believe it or not, they were more advanced than Vermont schools at the time. Anyway, for those who like nice empty beaches, all to themselves, without a lot of honky tonk, check out that stretch from Cape Canaveral south and north.

Vero Beach is also very very nice. Hutchinson Island has a nice beach too, except there are BOMBS left in the sand and water......also an interesting bomb museum.

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2007/nov/...inson-island-/


I added this; also just remembered that there is a nuclear power plant on Hutchinson Island......it's next area over from Vero Beach which we really liked. Cute family oriented town. Nice beach.

[graciegirl]

I think that the most beautiful beach in Florida is Rosemary Beach and the whole Destin area is less "touristy", but it is not close, not easily available and not inexpensive.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I think that the most beautiful beach in Florida is Rosemary Beach and the whole Destin area is less "touristy", but it is not close, not easily available and not inexpensive.

Yes, I was going to suggest the Florida panhandle beaches, such as you mentioned, however, it's a much longer ride..........unless one is going for a week or so.

Excellent prices on homes up on the panhandle as well, but for some reason I seemed to notice more jails??? But gorgeous beaches.

[genebouc]

Originally Posted by pdlore

does anyone know which beach is good.from nj an love beach time.

Siesta Key off Sarasots. Voted numerous times as best Beach in USA if not the world. ALMOST AS GOOD AS NJ BUT I AM BIASED.

From a fellow Jerseyan who is still waiting to see what will happen to my Ortley Beach home EXTENSIVE DAMAGE BUT iNS CO TAKING THEIR SWEET TIME IN REIMBURSING ME.

[villagerjack]

Originally Posted by genebouc

Siesta Key off Sarasots. Voted numerous times as best Beach in USA if not the world. ALMOST AS GOOD AS NJ BUT I AM BIASED.

From a fellow Jerseyan who is still waiting to see what will happen to my Ortley Beach home EXTENSIVE DAMAGE BUT iNS CO TAKING THEIR SWEET TIME IN REIMBURSING ME.

Recommend any hotels? How warm is gulf water this time of year?