Unique on the Beach

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Amelia Island State Park offers horseback riding on the beach.

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The Ironman World Championship at Clearwater Beach

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Think outside the box on your next beach trip with these fun ideas.

Think sunbathing and volleyball are your only options for fun on the sand? It’s time to expand your beach repertoire.

DRIVE

You can drive right on the sand in Daytona Beach, home of Daytona International Speedway, and in nearby New Smyrna Beach. The tradition dates back to the early 20th century and evokes visions of car culture’s heyday, when the Beach Boys were singing about their little deuce coupe and drive-ins were all the rage. View the regulations at volusia.org. You can also steer onto the sand in Butler Beach, south of St. Augustine Beach, and Cape San Blas in northwest Florida, with a valid permit.

HORSEBACK RIDE

Cape San Blas likes horsepower in all forms. Not only can you drive on its beach, but you can also saddle up for a beach ride. Two-Bit Stable and Broke-A-Toe give guided tours. On the northeast coast, Amelia Island State Park is Florida’s only state park to offer horseback riding on the beach. Ride along the Atlantic Coast on a 45-minute tour. If you just can’t stay out of the water when you’re on the beach, try horse surfing in Bradenton’s Palma Sola Bay with Great World Nature Tours. Riders stand on their horses just like they would a surfboard and stay on until they fall off into the four-foot-deep water.

SAND SCULPT

Learn to craft sand masterpieces (at least in your eyes) from top sand sculptors. Every November, the American Sandsculpting Championship & Beach Festival in Fort Myers Beach holds hands-on lessons, and sculptors provide tips. For year-round instruction, turn to instructors like Mark Flynn of Sand Odyssey in Santa Rosa Beach who offers lessons for a fee as well as free seminars in the summer in Northwest Florida.

COMPETE IN OR WATCH A TRIATHLON

Calling all athletic types and athletic admirers – you can participate in or watch triathlons right from the sand. Stake out your spot early on Clearwater Beach for the Ironman World Championship, which attracts more than 1,800 of the best international athletes. The race begins and ends at Pier 60. The Santa Rosa Island Triathlon in Pensacola and the Nautica South Beach Triathlon in Miami also come complete with beachfront views.