The Beaches of Florida by Location

The state of Florida contains so many wonderful beaches. It’s impossible to list them all, so it’s best to describe the beaches of Florida by location.  Some allow pets and some allow nude sunbathers.  Others let cars travel up and down the sand, and some are perfect for finding a rare seashell.  From the panhandle to the east and gulf coasts, and along the Florida Keys, every beach is beautiful. People all over the world know this, and tourists flock to the Sunshine State year round to enjoy the tropical climate. There is not necessarily a tourist season in Florida, there are tourists year round.

When planning a vacation, it may be helpful to know what to expect at each of the area beaches. I have not personally spent a lot of time in any location except the New Smyrna Beach area on the east coast. I’ll talk about the east last, as I am most familiar with it. Most beaches are very sandy, but some can be made up mostly of little seashells. Sanibel Island is like that.
Some beaches are actually rocky, like the one on Jupiter Island on the east coast.

Beach of Seaside in Walton County in Florida Panhandle
I have stayed in a condo in the town of Destin in the north, far to the west. The panhandle is the northern strip of land that borders the southern United States and the Gulf of Mexico. It’s an area known for it’s white, sandy beaches, and the sand there is truly white. It does get colder there than in other areas of the state, as it’s farthest north. That area tends to get some very bad storms as well. Because it’s on the gulf, in general, it’s a busy and expensive location. Continue reading “The Beaches of Florida by Location”

The Perfect Beach Day

florida beachI remember the perfect beach day because it occurred to me at the time that it was just that.  Although I often traveled the 30 or so miles to the coast to take my kids for a day at the beach, this day was special.  As I sat in the little flowing trough of saltwater watching the kids play, I felt that it was a time I would always remember.  It stands out instead of blending in with all the normal beach excursion memories. Continue reading “The Perfect Beach Day”

Lunch at Breakers on Flagler Ave.

Eating with an awesome ocean view at Breakers Restaurant in New Smyrna Beach.

New Smyrna Beach
Our view from the window bar seat at Breakers at Flagler Ave.

Lucky me, I had the chance this summer to visit my old stomping grounds in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. I met up with a friend who wanted to head out to Flagler Ave. and have some lunch and see the sights.

It was the week before the July 4th holiday and I think people had begun vacation early because the area was quite packed for a middle of the day week-day. We drove into Breaker’s tiny parking lot and miraculously got a spot right outside the back door.

We found our seats at the wooden bar with perfect views of the beach and ocean. Before we ordered our food, a storm moved in and the beach patrol was getting everyone out of the water. It didn’t amount to much and we ended up driving onto the beach, after our meal, and headed down to the jetty at Ponce Inlet.

Breakers Restaurant is a favorite with the locals and tourists alike.  It nearly washed into the sea during the hurricanes of 2004, but thankfully it was refurbished and is as good as new.  The pink building with the best view on any beach still serves up a mean (and delicious) fish sandwich.

You can see more of my pictures on my page Plan a Florida Beach Vacation.