Florida Beach Holidays & Accommodation

USA, North America

florida beach holiday and accomodation guide

There are a great variety of beaches in Florida. Some are on uninhabited islands, others get swarmed during legendary Spring Break festivities by college students. One thing is for sure, the state of Florida has beaches in a seemingly endless supply, beaches of pristine white sand, with or without ideal surf, where people can explore water sports or just lounge on the sand.

Florida Beach Holidays Planner

For people who prefer to 'just get away' when they go to the beach, or are more eco-minded when they travel; they may face a bit of a dilemma when they want to go to a beach. Fortunately, this dilemma is easily resolved with Florida's vast variety of beaches.

Close by the Spring Break haven of Panama City, there is Shell Island. It offers pristine sand dunes, great waves for surfers and wonderful scuba opportunities. The island is completely uninhabited and is only accessible by boat or by ferry. You can also arrange with a local tour operator to swim with a local pod of dolphins.

Sebastian Inlet State Park offers three miles of Atlantic Ocean beach to explore. There is also great surfing here at Monster Hole on the south side of the park, and you can also canoe or kayak on the Indian River Lagoon. Visitors also come here for the fresh and salt water fishing. The park also has superb wildlife viewing opportunities; you can see manatees and over 180 species of birds. In the early part of the year rare right baleen whales can be spotted as they migrate offshore.

Just south of the Everglades, near Naples, is the largest of the Ten Thousand Islands, Marco Island. Here you can explore a four mile crescent shaped beach and mangrove island. There is also a significant archaeological site here between 3,000 to 3,500 years old called Cushing Archaeological Site. There are some historic inns and hotels on the islands, but life here is quiet and laid-back.

For a more party-oriented beach adventure, you may consider some of the classic beach vacation spots in Florida. Panama City is where MTV films its Spring Break feature every year. It is especially popular with college undergraduates, and jello fights rage long into the night during this school vacation. The nightlife is quite lively with beach bars, clubs, pubs, and the city is host to America's largest nightclub, Club La Vela which has a maximum capacity of 8,000 people and has 15 theme rooms.

Pensacola Beach is hugely popular with grad students. Several beaches are here which are good for snorkelling rather than surfing. Nightlife is focussed on Pensacola's Seville historic district which host New Orleans style pubs and bars.

Of course, a classic beach in Florida is Daytona Beach. This beach has lifeguards, wheelchair access, and – for a fee – you can drive your vehicle on to the sand.