When you're driving around Florida, and the temperature soars, a stretch of glorious white sandy beach is never far away!

So if you think, "Hey, lets go to the beach today", chances are the locals are already there.
To avoid the large crowds it is best to go during the week. If you decide to go to the beach of a weekend make sure you go very early.
To help you decide where to go we've broken the beaches down into four general areas. If you're interested in catching some waves head for the East Coast, in the South East you have the beaches of Fort Lauderdale and Miami whilst on the West Coast the water’s are calmer and so is the pace or alternatively take a drive to the Panhandle if you're looking for a more back to natural Florida beach.

East Coast
This is the place to go for surfing, the East Coast beaches offer the best waves these generally get better as you travel further north, the Atlantic water is a touch cooler than on the Gulf Coast.  Daytona Beach  still allow cars to be driven on the firm sands, during the annual “Spring Break” this beach becomes the home to thousands of vacationing college students who drink and party until they drop, it is also home to the famous Daytona Speedway home to the Daytona 500 and numerous NASCAR races. Cocoa Beach is the closest to Orlando being only 60 miles away, this beach is picturesque and surfing is taken seriously here with the added attraction of Ron Jon’s Surf Shop a pink and purple outlet of warehouse proportions offering all manor of beach and surf ware plus numerous other lines, the shop is open 24 hours, you also have New Smyrna Beach which is also a wide and flat beach with vehicle access, but much less crowded than Daytona Beach. Melbourne Beach is easily reached from the Kissimmee area, and offers a clean narrow beach more popular with locals than tourists.

South East
If you like your beaches with a more metropolitan feel this is where you want to go, the South East beaches of Florida have long been a playground for the wealthy and fashionable, Fort Lauderdale Beach offers terrific beaches plus once you have had enough sun for the day why not try out the water taxis which is a fun way of seeing the city and the homes of the rich and famous, this area is known as the  “Venice of America” with over 300 miles of canals further south is the fashionable Miami Beach, the northern part with it’s large hotels right on the beach whilst South Beach is home to the famous art décor district. a hotspot for celebrities. Ocean Drive is bustling with visitors from all over the world intent on having a good time with its many restaurants and clubs.

West Coast
Situated on the Gulf of Mexico, and in the middle of the Gulf Stream, the beaches of the West Coast offer warm, calm seas, and are generally regarded as very safe for swimmers. Try to stay late because the sunsets here are nothing short of spectacular. The most popular beaches are St. Petersburg and Clearwater, just two hours from Orlando and offering 361 days of sunshine this is the busiest resort area along the Gulf Coast. Clearwater Beach is home to the Marine Aquarium the Suncoast Beach Trolley links Clearwater to St Petersburg running along the coast giving you access to all the beaches along the coast. St Petersburg is home to the famous St Petersburg Pier and the Dali museum plus many more finer exhibits, with its pedestrian friendly streets, the famous Pier, restaurants and the newly opened Bay Walk shopping complex gives a wealth of possibilities for the tourists, whilst going south take a look at the Historic Spanish Fort at Fort DeSoto, still traveling south you then have Bradenton, Sarasota home to the Ringling Museum and Venice Beaches then further south crossing the causeway at Fort Myers which is home to the shell factory, you have Sanibel Island offering a paradise of towering palms, exotic birds, lush tropical foliage, immaculate white powdery beaches, unmatched in beauty. Learn the famous Sanibel Stoop and see for yourself why the shelling here is the best in the Western Hemisphere further south is Naples which is rated one of the best beaches in Florida, the historic downtown area of Old Naples dating from the early 20th century with its pastel coloured buildings offers a pleasant stroll among interesting shops and galleries. Clearwater Beach Guide

Panhandle
The Panhandle is actually part of the West Coast, just a little further north, here you still find the beautiful beaches and shoreline as found in the rest of the state, but in this area there is an emphasis on outdoor activities such as camping and fishing. Destin offers a wide array of full and half-day fishing charters, for those of you who enjoy fishing with out having to find your sea legs why not try the Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge in Pensacola, alternatively enjoy 27 miles of white sandy beaches in Panama City.