9 Best Beach Towns of Florida

These Florida beach towns offer beautiful views, vibrant nightlife scenes and family-friendly vibes.

If there’s one thing the Sunshine State is known for, it’s beautiful beaches. With more than 825 miles of sandy coastline to explore, it’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite, but we’ve rounded up some of the best beach towns in Florida, whether you’re looking for an affordable place to live or a vacation straight out of a storybook. We included some larger cities, which have populations below 30,000 and many that are under 10,000 respectively.

Seaside offers picture-perfect views

This small resort community in northwest Florida was built by Robert Davis in the late 1900s. It was the first New Urbanist community. Its architecture and relaxed pace are a testament to its quality. bike-friendly streets You will find everything you could want in a beach town. As you stroll past pastel homes with porches and white picket fences, you might feel as if you’re on the set of a Nicholas Sparks book-turned-movie, but no, this is real-life Seaside.

Palm Beach is the perfect place to feel the Ritzy Vibe

With more than 30 billionaires calling Palm Beach home, the eight-square-mile barrier island may seem like the definition of unapproachable, but pay a visit and you’ll find a palm-fringed paradise that’s anything but. Its beautiful beaches are known for their difficult parking and limited public access. However, the off-sand highlights such as Worth Avenue, The Royal Poinciana PlazaThe, and Flagler Museum We are happy to host visitors. Stay at The Breakers Bicycle riding Lake Trail for the full experience in one of America’s first resort towns.

Captiva Island: Peace and Quiet

Those seeking a peaceful, breezy sojourn will find what they’re looking for on Captiva Island, Sanibel Island’s charming little sibling. This quiet spot is great for shell collecting and getting back into nature. It has a small village but the main attractions include walking the beach, playing tennis and boating. While Sanibel and Captiva are still actively working to recover from September 2022’s devastating Hurricane Ian, the two beloved islands will need the support of visitors to get back on their feet as businesses reopen.

South Beach, Miami has a vibrant nightlife scene

No Florida destination offers a more vibrant mix of nightlife and beach life than this. Miami’s South Beach. South Beach, even though it is home to a significant population, retains its insular beach-town feel, but has international connections. South Beach is an amazing place to enjoy the nightlife, take in the beautiful views, party all night, or relax at one of the many historic oceanfront luxury hotels. Just off its famously sandy shores, there’s great shopping along the Lincoln Road Mall and a plethora of celebrity chef eateries.

Cocoa Beach is the place to be for the most stunning views

Plan a beach day at Cocoa Beach And you may be surprised by an unexpected sight: the launch from the Kennedy Space Center. Whether it’s a NASA mission or a SpaceX test launch, the regular liftoffs are a sight to behold. Cocoa Beach has a front row seat to these launches, even though they may be visible from Orlando. If space exploration is enough to pique your interest enough to keep you from the sand you can purchase tickets to visit the interactive attractions and see astronaut presentations at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. If you’re seeking “beach with a side of space shuttle,” Cocoa Beach belongs on your itinerary.

Clearwater Beach is the perfect getaway for families:

Yes, Clearwater’s population numbers more than 100,000, but locals can confirm this beach haven has a small-town atmosphere. There are many hotels and restaurants along the beachfront. Pier 60 The Clearwater Marine Aquarium, home of the late “Dolphin Tale” star Winter, it doesn’t get more family-friendly than Clearwater Beach. The stunning white-sand beaches with calm waters perfect for jet skiing, parasailing, and stand-up paddleboarding don’t hurt, either. Clearwater’s beachfront promenade is a great place to start your day. Then, take a stroll down the beachfront and spend the afternoon building sandcastles. Finally, enjoy a sunset celebration on Pier 60. This Pier hosts street performers and craft vendors every day.

Anna Maria Island offers a lot of charm

Anna Maria Island This is one of those places where you fall in love, then spend your entire life dreaming of moving there. The barrier island off the Gulf Coast has wide beaches and trolley stops. There is also a main street with many shops, galleries and restaurants. While the island has an old-town feel, you won’t be short of modern conveniences: Check out the Rod and Reel Pier The perfect introduction to Anna Maria Island

For Tranquility: Amelia Island

It is located in a quiet part of northeast Florida. Amelia Island is actually part of the Sea Islands chain of barrier islands that stretches from Florida to South Carolina along America’s Eastern Seaboard. It’s the perfect beach town if you hope to relax and enjoy the serenity of your surroundings. Along Amelia Island’s 13 miles of beautiful beach, visitors will experience native wildlife, pristine waters, marshland, a slow pace of life, and natural beauty unmatched by any of Florida’s other beach towns. The island has just under 40,000 inhabitants, but more than 10% of it is protected by parks, making its natural beauty more prominent than the residents.

For Star Status: Siesta Key

If Siesta Key wasn’t famous enough for its have-to-feel-it-to-believe-it powdery sand, MTV solidified its celebrity status with the 2017 debut of reality TV show Siesta Key?, Laguna BeachA saga of the next generation in a classic style. Whether or not you’re a fan of the show, it’s hard to resist the eight-mile island’s sugar-white sand and stunning blue-green waters — not to mention the shopping, resorts, dining, and nightlife.

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