Beautiful beaches are the Sunshine State’s most well-known feature. We are choosing a favourite among the more than 825 miles of Best Beach Towns in Florida for Families. Still, we’ve compiled a list of some top beach communities, whether you’re searching for a dream vacation or a cheap place to live in Florida. Although the majority are tiny towns with populations of less than 30,000 (and many fewer than 10,000), we have included a few unique places, unique things to do, popular vacation places, resorts, and camping. That managed to capture the essence of a beachside hamlet.
best beach town for families in florida
South Beach, Miami
There is nowhere in Florida that mixes nightlife and beach life like South Beach in Miami. And even with a large population, South Beach still has the feel of a small, exclusive beach town despite its global ties. South Beach is a feast for the senses, whether you go out to party all night, enjoy the sun, unwind in one of the many luxurious seaside heritage hotels, or take pictures of every gorgeous example of Art Deco architecture you can locate. Numerous celebrity chef restaurants and the Lincoln Road Mall are close to its well-known sandy beaches, which offer fantastic shopping.
Palm Beach
Palm Beach, an eight-square-mile barrier island home to more than thirty billionaires, may seem unapproachable at first, but a visit reveals a paradise draped with palm trees that’s everything but. Beautiful beaches can be infamously difficult to park at and have restricted public access. Still, attractions off the sand, such as Worth Avenue, The Royal Poinciana Plaza, and the quaint beach towns in florida, Flagler Museum, are happy to see visitors. For the complete experience in one of America’s first resort towns, reserve a room at The Breakers and ride the Lake Trail.
Clearwater Beach
Although Clearwater boasts a population of over 100,000, residents attest to the town’s small-town charm. It doesn’t get more family-friendly than Clearwater Beach, with its abundance of seaside eateries and lodgings, Pier 60, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium—home of the late “Dolphin Tale” star Winter. It doesn’t hurt that gorgeous white-sand beaches with calm waters are ideal for stand-up paddleboarding, jet skiing, and parasailing. A morning stroll down the best beach cities in florida seaside promenade, an afternoon spent building sandcastles, and a sunset party at Pier 60—home to a daily festival including street entertainers and local craft vendors—make up the ideal Clearwater day.
Captiva Island
The quaint little sister of Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, is the perfect destination for a calm, breezy getaway. This serene location is ideal for shell collection and spending time in nature. It features a small village, but the main draws are the beach walks, tennis, golf, fishing, and boating. Sanibel and Captiva, two cherished islands, will require the best beach communities in florida, assistance of tourists to get back on their feet as businesses reopen, even if they are still actively attempting to rebuild.
Cocoa Beach
If you schedule a day at Cocoa Beach, you may be treated to an unexpected spectacle: a rocket launch from the adjacent Kennedy Space Center. Although one can see these launches to Orlando, Cocoa Beach offers an actual front-row seat to the action. Also, you may purchase tickets to visit the best florida family beach towns, Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island and take in astronaut talks if space exploration piques your curiosity enough to lure you away from the beach.
Seaside
The first New Urbanist community was established in this little resort area in northwest Florida in the late 1900s by a visionary named Robert Davis. Its architecture, laid-back lifestyle, and bike-friendly streets make it all a seaside town should be and more. You could think you’re on the set of a Nicholas Sparks novel turned movie as you walk by pastel houses with porches and white picket fences, but this is really Seaside.
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island is one of those locations you visit, fall in love with, and then fantasize about moving to for the rest of your life. This barrier island on the Gulf Coast features broad, friendly beaches, bike paths, trolley stations, and a charming main street full of galleries, eateries, and other businesses. Even though the beach towns in florida, island feels like a small village, it boasts all the modern amenities you need. For the ideal introduction to Anna Maria Island, visit the Rod & Reel Pier.
Siesta Key
If the pristine sand of Siesta Key had already made the island renowned, MTV’s 2017 reality TV series Siesta Key—a modern-day Laguna Beach story—further cemented the island’s star status. Whether you enjoy the best beach towns in florida, performance or not, you can’t help but be drawn to the eight-mile island’s gorgeous blue-green waters and powder-soft white sand, not to mention the shopping, dining, and nightlife options.
