Memories of Mohn

Best beaches in Florida

Wondering where to go for the best beaches in Florida?

It’s no secret that Florida is known for its beautiful sand beaches. Almost wherever you stop along the coast, it’s possible to lay down in the warm white sand, or jump into the ocean blue.

Miami Beach is without a doubt the most popular beach, and is indeed truly amazing. On our little road trip around Florida we quickly realized that there are MANY other wonderful beaches which we personally would rather visit again. It’s no secret that a beach day definitely isn’t the same since Ezrah came along, but as always we try to make the best of it.

Our 5 favorite beaches in Florida

Here’s a list of the 5 best beaches you can’t miss if you’re in the areas.

5. Bark Park Dog Beach, Boca Raton

Bark Park Dog Beach is a nice beach in Boca Raton with wide open spaces. In certain hours of the day, it’s as the name describes, possible to walk your dog here. We were here a couple of times and brought delicious cheesecakes from Cheesecake Factory (are we the only ones who can’t go to the beach without a snack? haha).

Cheesecake and baby laughter makes every beach trip a bit more fun!

We decided to park at the nearest Publix, as we didn’t want to pay for parking. The walk from the parking lot to the beach wasn’t long, approx. 15 minutes.

Location: 3001 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33431, United States

Free parking at Publix: 4141 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton, FL 33431, United States

4. Clearwater Beach, Tampa

In Tampa you’ll find the well-known Clearwater Beach which is a large, beautiful sand beach. This is great place to watch the sunset which we obviously did. The vibe is good, and there’s a lot of activities both day and night. In the area of Pier 60 you’ll find a few amusements, restaurants, and shopping.

We brought a pizza (BBQ chicken bacon from Papa Johns.. SO good!), and was simply just enjoying our dinner with the stunning sky behind us. We choose to park at Walgreens, in walking distance to the beach, with payment at a parking meter. It’s also possible to park right at the beach but of cause that will reflect on the price.

We choose to park at Walgreens, in walking distance to the beach, with payment at a parking meter. It’s also possible to park right at the beach but of cause that will reflect on the price.

Location:1 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767, United States

Walgreens payed parking: 401 Poinsettia Ave, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767, United States

3. Palm Beach

About 30 minutes’ drive north of Boca you’ll find Palm Beach which is what you associate with a classic beach in Florida. With the fairytale like chalk white sand and the palm trees alongside the boardwalk it’s not bad at all. The place is also characterized for the Worth Avenue Clock Tower, which may be recognized from movies.

The beautiful Worth Avenue Clock Tower

The beach isn’t that wide but very popular which makes it a bit crowded. It’s impossible to find free parking nearby. We parked right beside the beach which costs 6$ per hour and you’ll have to pay in advance for the time you want to stay.

Despite the waves that day was very big, the sun was shining and Ezrah slept peacefully in the shade. Even though the dip in the water was a short pleasure, the trip to the beach that day was enjoyable and for once we could sit back and close our eyes for a bit.

Location and parking: 423 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, FL 33480, USA

2. Cocoa Beach

Cocoa Beach is located east of Orlando and offers among other the possibility of a beach volley match.

At the pier it’s possible to buy an ice cream, snacks and souvenirs or eat at a restaurant.

The beach is big and is a great place to bring your children, because the water doesn’t get deep before you’re far out.

A kind woman came to us and asked if we wanted her to take our picture. She was even more dedicated than Martin and I together.

Also here we parked just a few minutes away, to save money. We parked at a Publix and walked to Cocoa Beach Pier in only 6 minutes.

Location: 401 Meade Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931, United States

Free parking at Publix: 5645 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931, United States

1. Naples Beach

In first place we have Naples Beach. First of all, the beach is peaceful which for us is very relaxing especially since little Ezze joined us. The sand is incredibly white and the water calm (at least the day we were there).

We didn’t go to the pier as we planned but I guess that would be a bit more busy. At the beach entrance there’re tall palm trees lined up which only makes it more appealing.

Ezrah had been in the water several times during our trip, but this day was definitely the biggest success.

We found a parking garage with free parking (only 2 hours though which we found out afterwards – luckily no ticket). The walk to the beach was a bit longer than expected but we got to enjoy the beautiful neighborhood in Naples, and both Martin and I was ready to move in right away.

We arrived through: 8th Ave S, Naples, FL 34102, United States

Other beaches worth mentioning

Tigertail Beach

In Marco Island you’ll find Tigertail Beach. The beach consists of an inner- and outer beach which offers two very different experiences. The first beach is surrounded by trees and reminds me a bit of a lagoon. If you on the other hand wants a bit more traditional beach experience, you should go to the outer beach. The outer beach is in some way similar to a little Danish beach in a cottage area.

Higgs Beach Memorial Pier

You can definitely find some amazing beaches in Key West. However not many of the beaches is available to the public. We only booked one night in Key West and therefore only got to visit one beach which was Hiigs Beach. The beach was fine but kinda small. The atmosphere was good though and also a good place to bring Ezrah.

A tip: If you drive all the way to Key West, a single night isn’t enough at all. We regretted not staying for longer, but all in our price range was already booked. The Keys is a wonderful area and is definitely recommendable (a bit pricy though, just to keep in mind).

Miami Beach

I probably can’t skip Miami Beach, and it definitely is worth mentioning too. Miami Beach is giant and is divided into South- Mid- and North Beach. We visited all three of them and the vibe is also a bit different on each of them.

South Beach is clearly the most popular. Here you’ll find lots of people even at night fall it still hums of joy and happy days. Mid-Beach is like South Beach also big, but from our point of view a bit more family friendly. North Beach is a bit more narrow and therefore it’ll be in the shadow of the buildings earlier in the day.