Between its Gulf shores and Atlantic coastlines, the best beaches in Florida have no shortage of powder-fine sand, national and state beach parks, marine biodiversity, and scenes that are both cocktail- and kid-friendly. From the siren song of South Beach and the unexpected surf town of New Smyrna to the natural wonders of Dry Tortugas National Park and Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, here are our picks for the best beaches in Florida—from the Panhandle to the Keys, each with its own distinct personality. Prepare to throw down a towel, soak up the sun in South Florida, and explore the excitement surrounding both land and sea.
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Sebastian Beach, Fort Lauderdale
Despite an alarming onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, Florida’s beaches remain magnets for the queer community, none more so than this swathe in Fort Lauderdale where all the colors of the rainbow are represented. True, the utmost alpha-male gay eye candy resides on 12th Street Beach in Miami; but many prefer Sebastian Beach for its hyper-inclusive vibe best described as the Cheers of gay beaches. All are welcome—and present.
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Hunter Springs Park, Crystal River
While coastal beaches are the prime draws of Florida’s vast water world, the Sunshine State also impresses with myriad natural springs, seventy of which feed Crystal River and Kings Bay along the central-west coast. One is Hunter Springs, a rarity among state springs in that it boasts a lovely, small beach. However, truth be told, it’s the stunning water—and the life that thrives therein—that makes this area unique on Earth. Don a mask and snorkel, and head into the mesmerizing blue ombre waters of neighboring Three Sisters Springs, rife with sand volcanoes and underwater vents. Go further in Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge to discover a manatee utopia, where the gentle giants bask in the warmth of natural springs, particularly during winter months. This happens to be the only place in the world where outfitters have permits to allow humans to swim (responsibly) alongside manatees.
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Alys Beach, South Walton
Among the stunning wide beaches of Florida’s Emerald Coast, none wow more than this sparkling beach flanked by a 158-acre, picture-perfect town of white-washed masonry buildings finished in eclectic architectural styles. The highly manicured town comprises enclaves of stunning homes centered around dreamy courtyards, a main thoroughfare with boutiques and restaurants, and a 20-acre nature preserve. Since there are (intentionally) no hotels in Alys Beach, your access pass to the fine, white sands and calm, cerulean water lies in renting a cottage, villa or home—or befriending someone who lives there.
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Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin
This untouched, 650-acre island feels like a giant sand bar reserved for the lucky few who visit. It dazzles with its pristine environs—vast stretches of radiantly white sands, cerulean waters, beautiful seashells, and prolific bird life. Access the island by ferry from nearby Honeymoon Island State Park or enter on foot via neighboring Clearwater Beach from the south, (A major hurricane in 1985 dredged up enough sand to create a link between Caladesi and Clearwater, but, be warned, it’s a long wade and recommended only for the physically fit.)
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South Beach, MiamiBeautiful people, flashy cars, skimpy bathing suits, Art Deco architecture: It’s all here on the two-mile white sand stretch that makes up Florida’s most famous beach. Within South Beach’s 22-block span, the busiest—and most touristy—section surfaces between 5th and 14th Streets, parallel to the iconic, neon-trimmed Art Deco backdrop of Ocean Drive as well as Lummus Park, home to 18 volleyball courts and two outdoor fitness gyms. Near the 12th Street lifeguard stations, rainbow flags mark the gay beach where you’ll find a sea of Speedo-clad, sculpted bods. Locals tend to hang south of the touristy hoopla, on the quieter patches below Fifth Street. Hotel beach clubs dominate the shoreline from 15th Street to 22nd Street, but rest assured, there’s still plenty of space for anyone to throw down a towel. To truly take in the pulse of South Beach (inclusive of vibe, high design and an upscale Miami “scene,”), consider staying at either the soothing, nature-inspired 1 Hotel South Beach or the art-forward, all-suite W South Beach.
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Clearwater Beach
This Gulf Coast beach is a magnet for tykes and tots (and their parents), thanks to its clear, shallow waters, pillow-soft sands, playground, and Beach Walk Promenade, ideal for bike rides and rollerblading. When sun fatigue strikes, consider a respite inland at Clearwater Marine Aquarium to ogle the spectacular dolphin complex, home to multiple rescue dolphins, plus sea turtles, river otters, stingrays, and nurse sharks. Stay for the nightly, festival-style sunset celebration at Pier 60, where street performers delight as the sun sets.
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Marco Island Beach
The western perimeter of Marco Island is marked by stunning, wide white-sand beaches idyllic for ambles and shelling. At low tide, wade out to sandbars to collect sand dollars and other sea treasures. Toward the north of this barrier island, Tigertail Beach Park is popular for its tidal lagoon, where paddleboarders can take advantage of the ultra-calm waters. Further south, the beaches are busy with families vacationing at beachfront properties like Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa and JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort (which also has an adults-only resort within a resort, Paradise by Sirene, for those who want to leave the kids behind.) Along the beach look forward to seabird activity aplenty, as Marco Island is a preferred nesting ground for least terns and black skimmers.
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Fort Lauderdale Beach
Forget what you think you know about Fort Lauderdale: The Pabst Blue Ribbon-strewn sands, Hawaiian Tropic oil slicks, and packed motels of yesteryear’s spring break capital have gone away (though the ultimate dive bar, the c. 1938 Elbo Room, is here to stay, much to our delight!) Nowadays, for the most part Fort Lauderdale beach is characterized by uncluttered stretches of sand, sparkling blue waters, upscale resorts, and mega-yachts rewriting this beach’s story. Billions in economic development have gone into erasing the Where the Boys Are vibe, restructuring Fort Lauderdale Beach as an unfussy yet refined alternative to neighboring Miami’s beaches. Case in point: Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, a 189-key high design oceanfront stunner that opened in March 2022 and that ticks all the boxes one would covet in a snazzy Four Seasons stay—from excellent service to a sublime spa to an adults-only pool.
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Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne
We wouldn’t blame you if you took one look at this mile-long, undeveloped beach on the southern tip of Key Biscayne and thought, “I’m just going to nap.” But there’s also an extensive network of trails with superb Miami skyline views worth exploring. No wonder it regularly receives accolades as one of the top beaches in the country. Consider renting a bike from the park’s concession and exploring in depth. Peek inside the circa-1845 Cape Florida Lighthouse (South Florida’s oldest) and look to the horizon for a glimpse of Stiltsville, a collection of historic homes that appear to float atop Biscayne Bay. Consider combining a trip to Bill Baggs with a stay at The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, a luxe yet unpretentious island retreat nearby with its own 1,200-foot-long golden sand beach.
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Bowman’s Beach, Sanibel Island
Easily accessible off the main Sanibel-Captiva Road yet remarkably undeveloped, this family-friendly beach lacks the crowds of neighboring stretches but promises all the pastel-hued sunsets, excellent shelling, and gentle waves for which Sanibel Island is known. It’s also one of the best beaches in Florida for windsurfing, sailing, and even canoeing, thanks to inland waterways to the west of the beach. However, our favorite pastime here is a barefoot walk through the white sand, admiring the Gulf views and picking up more shells than we can carry along the way.
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Fort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde
With a whopping 1,136 acres spread across five islands, this beach park impresses with its powdery white sands, nature trails, and patchwork of mangroves, ideal for kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. It’s not uncommon to see bottlenose dolphins skirting the shoreline and manatees bobbing up and down in the water. Families should head to the sprawling natural tidal pool on the park’s North Beach, an excellent spot for kids to collect seashells and splash around.
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Blowing Rocks Preserve, Hobe Sound, Jupiter Island
Natural splendor takes center stage at this Nature Conservancy preserve on Jupiter Island. The beach is anchored by an ethereal 100,000-year-old Anastasia limestone shelf—the largest on the Atlantic coast—and the greater, untouched surrounds are considered a major success story in native coastal habitat restoration. Don’t expect to sunbathe and chill here; do expect to stroll the mile-long beach, marvel at a glimpse of natural Old Florida, view sea turtle tracks in the sands, and perhaps catch a shot of water plumes through the rocks, which are known to reach as high as 50 feet.
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Bahia Honda, Florida Keys
Sitting at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico is a 524-acre beach park with some of the finest stretches of sand in the Florida Keys. At mile marker 37 of US-1/Overseas Highway, Bahia Honda is an essential stopping point on any road trip between Miami and Key West. There are both secluded and more trafficked spots for sunbathing and excellent opportunities for fishing, kayaking, and snorkeling. On the beach, be sure to look up: The largest intact section of Henry Flagler’s elevated overseas railroad is an eye-catcher.
Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
About mid-state along Florida’s east coast, Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge is 20.5 miles of beach and shoreline habitat, situated between Melbourne Beach and Wabasso Beach and designated for sea turtle conservation. It happens to be the world’s most significant area for loggerhead sea turtle nesting and North America’s most significant area for green turtle nesting. Secure your spot far in advance to participate in naturalist-led nighttime turtle walks during nesting season (June-July annually) with Friends of the Carr Refuge. During this time, you’ll witness the spectacle of a nesting sea turtle laying her eggs, covering her nest, and returning to the ocean. Once the hatchlings start emerging from the nests in August and September, embark on a guided daytime dig turtle watch to view hatched sea turtle nests.
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Henderson Beach State Park, Destin
A series of 30-foot white sand dunes underscore the natural beauty of this Panhandle beach. It’s one of the most picturesque stretches of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, an exquisite mosaic of barrier islands stretching 160 miles across the Gulf of Mexico, from Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle. Note that this beach park isn’t just popular with humans—it’s also a favorite nesting ground for green and loggerhead sea turtles, a known hot spot for dolphins, and a feeding ground for brown pelicans and black skimmers
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Siesta Beach, Sarasota
This incredibly wide beach along the Gulf of Mexico has what it calls the world’s finest, whitest sand (it’s more than 99 percent pure quartz, which keeps it cool even under blazing temps), and there’s plenty of it to go around. It’s the highlight of the 8-mile-long Siesta Key Island and popular with sand sculpture artists, hippies, and families basking in the sun. Cross the bridge from Siesta Key and arrive in Sarasota, one of Florida’s hottest emerging cities on its west coast.
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AlamyJupiter Dog Beach, Palm Beach
Expect paw prints of every shape and size along this off-leash beach in northern Palm Beach County. At two and a half miles long (from Beach Marker #26/Marcinski Road to Beach Marker #57 at the Carlin Park property line), it is the largest dog-friendly beach on the East Coast. On any given day, it’s simply a feeling of overwhelming joy as zoomies, splashes, and belly rubs abound. Doggie bags are provided at multiple sites on the beach, and four-legged beachgoers are expected to abide by the beach’s social code of conduct: behaved, obedient, and well-socialized.
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GettyGarden Key, Dry Tortugas National Park
Reached exclusively by seaplane (with Key West Seaplane Adventures) or ferry (on the Yankee Freedom III), the main island of North America’s most inaccessible national park houses Fort Jefferson, a circa-1846 coastal fortress, and some mind-blowing marine life off its coast. Snorkel among seahorses, sea turtles, and rainbow-hued tropical fish, or head toward the west moat wall in search of moray eels and nurse sharks. There’s limited shade and facilities, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
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AlamyNew Smyrna Beach
When one thinks of surfing in America, towns along the California and Hawaii coastlines quickly come to mind. But Florida has a surf scene, too. Case in point: this East Coast surfers’ paradise, which promises prolific breaks, thanks to some massive rock ledges four to five miles offshore. Hang ten or simply immerse yourself in the surf culture of this small stretch of Florida, which often receives accolades as one of the top surf towns in the U.S.
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Mid-Beach, Miami
A raised boardwalk separates the beach from hotel-lined Collins Avenue between 23rd Street and 46th Street, an area collectively referred to as Mid-Beach. Home to some of Miami’s most stylish hotels—including The Miami Beach Edition, an Ian Schrager–backed reinvention of the 1955 Seville Hotel and the epicenter of Miami’s daytime social scene, Soho Beach House—this area caters to Miami’s style set and well-heeled travelers that consider South Beach passé. Anticipate a lounge-y vibe, both day and night, with plenty of beach and pool clubs to choose from, as well as Miami’s most buzzed-about nightlife.
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