FLORIDA Q&A

Walt Disney World  and Orlando are about an hour away from the nearest beaches. They are all on the Atlantic coast, all have golden-brown sand and waves, all are lovely – and all are quite different from each other!

Which you should visit depends on your tastes. I’ve included a little info about all of them, but you can follow the links for lots more info from VISIT FLORIDA that you can filter by blog, article, photo or video, to help you decide which one is the best fit for you.

• Daytona Beach has a big-city feel more than the other destinations. It’s got a boardwalk with shops, arcades, amusement rides and a pier, and you can drive on its beach. My personal recommendations: You can snag a mean grouper sandwich on the Sunglow Pier; my favorite beach-spot is to the south of town, by Ponce Inlet; the lighthouse in Ponce is a must-see (you can climb it).
• New Smyrna Beach is a small surfing town with plenty of charm (that I often visit because it’s close to my home and it’s one of my favs). It features quirky little restaurants and shops, and you can drive on the beach there. The water is very shallow for a long ways out, which is great for kids. It also has a beach where cars aren’t allowed, if you prefer that. Just south of town you can visit Canaveral National Seashore, which is totally natural and awesome.
• Cocoa Beach is touristy, with a big pier where you can eat, and it’s a great place to learn to surf because of its gentle waves. It has tons of beachfront accommodations, and it’s home to the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop, worth a look-see even if you have no interest in surfing.
• Melbourne Beach and Indialantic (just to the north of Melbourne Beach) are the quietest of these locations. It has a small-town feel, lots of space and makes a great place for nature and wildlife – and to escape the crowds!