5 Best Beaches in Florida

On a gray, dark and rainy day like today I’m usually dreaming of our trips to the beaches in Florida. Bright blue skies, the warm sun on the skin, white sand between my toes, and the sound of splashing waves and seagulls in my ears. Sounds good? Maybe you will find your perfect destination after reading my round-up of the best beaches in Florida. Spring (and spring break) is around the corner and I’m sure it’s not too late to plan your first beach trip of the year!

1 – Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island will always be at the top of my best beaches in Florida list. Located across a toll bridge ($6) from Fort Myers Beach, the island has a very laid-back lifestyle and is the perfect getaway for families with small kids. You can bike almost everywhere, the beaches are long and wide, the water is shallow and warm, and there are always dolphins and pelicans to be spotted.

For lunch or dinner visit the Island Cow, for dessert head to the other end of the island and enjoy Sanibel Crunch ice-cream at Pinoccio’s. Please keep in mind that you can rent the majority of vacation homes On Sanibel (not condos) only on a month-to-month basis – island policy.

The driving time from Chattanooga is 10.5 hours.

2 – Rosemary Beach

This pretty small beach town is located in northern Florida at the Golf Coast, in-between Destin and Panama City. We stayed there in a beautiful house over Thanksgiving last year, with the beach in walking distance (parking is not available), and beautifully decorated Christmas palm trees. Amavida serves great coffee and there is also a Publix grocery store nearby.

From Chattanooga, it takes about 6 hours to drive to the northern part of the Florida Golf Coast, so it’s close enough for a long-weekend getaway. On your way there you could should stop in Birmingham, AL to grab a bite to eat or shop at Trader Joe’s. Don’t try too hard to find a decent restaurant between Birmingham and the coast; McDonald’s is as good as it gets.

3 – St. Augustine Beach On our way to Disney World in Orlando we stayed at this family-friendly hotel. It is right at the beach, there is a good seafood restaurant across the street and a playground right behind the dunes. Perfect!

St. Augustine itself, the Nation’s Oldest City, is very charming with a walkable historic downtown area with lots of shops and restaurants.

Driving time from Chattanooga is approx. 7.5 hours, depending on the traffic in Atlanta.

4 – Naples / Bonita Springs

Naples in Southern Florida might be known as the retirement capital of the United States, but it is also very family-friendly, has beautiful beaches and a charming downtown area.

Since ocean-front or beach access houses are expensive, especially if you don’t plan your trip months in advance, we stayed in Bonita Springs in this 3-bedroom house (owned by a German family and managed by a German realtor). It is only about a 15 minute car ride from the beach and it was perfect for us with a pool, a screened-in patio and conveniently located to restaurants and grocery stores.

Driving time from Chattanooga to Naples is 10.5 hours.

5 – Florida Keys

Key West and Miami Beach are a must-see! We did this trip a couple of years ago, before we had kids, and I can still remember the 3-hour-drive from Miami to Key West as if it was yesterday – absolutely breathtaking!

If you are in the area, plan for a little detour to Robert is Here – the best milkshakes you’ll ever have! You might even decide to come back for more.

We usually rent a house via VRBO or Airbnb. Always make sure to read the reviews and contact the owner directly to ask for availability (the online calendars are not always up-to-date) and the exact rate (including cleaning fees, deposit, tax and discounts).

Right now we are planning our LAST Florida vacation for spring break in March. Depending on the temperatures we might either be going to the Rosemary Beach / Destin area or further South to Tampa / Clearwater. Do you have any recommendations for the Tampa area? And please feel free to share your favorite Florida beach escapes in the comments below!