Were supposed to go to Rosemary Beach in two weeks. I've never been to the Gulf side of Florida. There are so many choices, it was really hard to choose.

I will put a "2nd" on the Destin/Ft. Walton Beach area.

I’m also a fan of the beaches around Sarasota and south of Tampa. My parents live in Bradenton and we spend a lot of time on Anna Marie Island and Long Boat Key. Beautiful area and I much prefer the Gulf side over the Atlantic.

I prefer the Atlantic side over the gulf side.

I also like the keys.

There are almost no bad beaches in Fl.


we go to CoCo beach often because it is an easy drive for us.

My wife really likes Siesta Key.

Key West can be fun.

It depends what you are looking for.

Just a hotel on the beach there are thousands of choices depending on your budget.

quote:

Originally posted by stkfox:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by wreckdiver:
Caladesi Island State Park is wonderful white sands, near Clearwater on the Gulf. You have to take a ferry out to it. While on the ferry we saw lots of dolphins.[/p

Come on, man. Quiet about Caladesi, enough people there already

+1, love to Kayak across to Caladesi Island from Dunedin Causeway. Magical place

quote:

Originally posted by sigspecops:
Were supposed to go to Rosemary Beach in two weeks. I've never been to the Gulf side of Florida. There are so many choices, it was really hard to choose.

I went to Rosemary Beach a couple of years ago. The beach was GREAT. The town is nice, and there are a few very nice restaurants and shops, but it's a small beach town. If lots of shopping and restaurants are a priority for OP, Rosemary might not be the best choice for him.

The Florida Emerald Coast beaches in the Panhandle between Panama City Beach and Pensacola are in my opinion the most beautiful beaches in the world. If you want to fish, the charters out of Destin are the best. If aviation is your thing the naval aviation museum is in Pensacola. Lots of outstanding seafood restaurants in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Escambia counties. And Florida is wide open.

https://www.visitflorida.com/e...s/miramar-beach.html

Sanibel Island. I was on a business trip but the location was seriously captivating. The memories are still vivid in my mind.

Siesta keys and St.Augustine down thru Crescent beach, whats nice about that is if you have the right vehicle you can drive on the beach.

quote:

Originally posted by sig2392:
I prefer the Atlantic side over the gulf side.

There are almost no bad beaches in Fl.


we go to CoCo beach often because it is an easy drive for us.

It depends what you are looking for.

Just a hotel on the beach there are thousands of choices depending on your budget.

Agree with all of this. I lived in Tampa for a year and Merritt Island for two. Merritt is an island between Cocoa Beach and the mainland. My wife and I went to Cocoa beach a lot and never had a bad time. It can get crowded during spring break. We'd also go south to Indian Harbor beach or Pelican Beach, but I wouldn't call those tourist destinations as such. Really, like others have said, figure out what you want to do and go from there.

Destin has tons of restaurants and shops. 30A is next door and a less crowded or Orange Beach, AL.

I live on St Simons Island and agree with Yellow Jacket. SSI and Sea Island are nice, but not typical Florida type beaches. The water here is murky due to the extensive marshes nearby so not clear like in Florida. Tybee Island water is better and a more typical beach town. If we’re looking for ‘clean’ water we head south to Amelia Island in FL.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
I prefer the Gulf Shores, AL area over other places on the FL Pan Handle

I really like the spots closer to Ft. Morgan, we have rented houses on the beach several times

What BigSwede said!

Orange Beach and Gulf Shores has beautiful beaches and plenty to offer and also St. George Island in Florida...

Another vote for the Emerald Coast area IF what you want is clearest waters. Destin, Sandestin, Rosemary Beach, Seaside, etc. Congested when school gets out, be forewarned, but its waters are generally more clear than the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach AL area (I'm getting to be an older man, and been going to both since I was a kid, so plenty of experience). GS/OB proximity to Mobile bay means that with certain tidal conditions the water is more murky than further down at Destin Ft. Walton beach area.

Great white sands, friendly people, and excellent local cuisine make it our go-to.

Cant go wrong wi FL beaches!! Grew up in SoFla.

East Coast:

Used to live (in my early 20's) two blocks from the Deerfield Beach pier...it used to be very quiet.

Cocoa Beach is amazing but might be too busy...depends on what you are looking for.

I do like Daytona but the place we used to go every year (Wyndham Oceanwalk) got super sketchy. Ormond Beach is probably more my speed now.


West Coast:

My best friend from HS lives on Siesta. Its really nice.

Theres a terrific place on Longboat Key a bit north of Siesta. The Resort at Longboat Key Club at the South end of the island. Pretty close to and connected by a bridge to tiny St Armands with a lot of restaurants and shopping.

My company is having a conference at Opal Sands on Clearwater...super nice place right near a really fantastic-looking Hyatt Regency (didnt have the rooms for us during the week we wanted).


Panhandle:

Destin is terrific if you can get a place on the beach (not on the other side of the beach road. Have heard nearby Navarre beach is really nice as well.


Have heard great things about Marco Island, Captiva and Sanibel but have never been. The remoteness of them is attractive.


Also consider Kiawah Island Resort (SC North of Charleston) dep on the time of year (June or July...wouldnt go after mid-Aug due to hurricanes)...they have an amazing hotel - The Sanctuary. Built to seem old but only been there about 15 yrs or so. The stairs were designed to creak when you walk on them to give it that lived in feeling. As I recall, a nice cigar bar and a steakhouse in the hotel.

What Hayes Greener said above. I would add the Air Force Armament museum in Shalimar, just outside Eglin AFB.
Navarre is centrally located and not quite as crowded as the Destin area. Destin, 30A area has tons of restaurants and shopping.
If you end up coming this way I can advise on any of the above.
There is a reason a lot of military has returned here to retire.