Whether you live in Florida or are planning to move there, you may have been dreaming about moving or owning a second home there. In fact, Americans actually seek out the beach to reduce stress. Imagine living on one!
Well, you can! But first, what are the best beaches in east Florida? If you visit Florida, where would you want to go to spend your time?
In this guide, we will walk you through the best beaches in Florida so that you know exactly where to stay, and possibly even buy a vacation home! The best part? These beaches are also areas hopping with restaurants, cafes, shops, and a friendly community that awaits.
Watercolor, Florida
You may not think of Watercolor, Florida as one of the best beaches in Florida, but it is beautiful - just as the name sounds.
The best part about Watercolor is that there is so much more to do in addition to the white, sandy beaches. If you head on over to Western Lake, you will enjoy the coastal dune lakes system in the area.
You can also check out the following in the area:
- The South Walton neighborhood
- Go on a fishing adventure
- Eat at the Black Bear Bread Co.
- Take an electric bike tour
- Get seafood at the Watercolor Grill
- Spend a day at Grayton Beach State Park
This town is north of Destin and is actually located in community gates to give you a great, safe feeling when you visit this area. And the best part? If you fall in love with this area, there is a home that you can own!
This home is a co-ownership space, meaning that you get to enjoy the home with six other individuals so that you are not all on your own for the annual operating expenses as well as the $3,085,000 cost of the home.
Instead, you can enjoy everything this home has to offer without the stress of finances. You can enjoy:
- A screened-in porch with a smart TV
- New HVAC and hurricane shutters on all windows
- Fenced-in patio with a fire pit
- Gray-stained hardwood flooring
- Spacious 2-car garage with a full driveway
- Outdoor shower
- 6 bikes that will be maintained year-round
- 6-seater street-legal golf cart
And there is so much more to that house than this!
If you own this home, you have access to everything in the area of Watercolor near this amazing beach town - whenever you want!
Key West
Key West is the southernmost point of the United States. It offers everything from beaches to delicious cuisine, nightlife to history, and a chance to take a picture at the most southern tip of the country!
Not only does Key West offer all of this, but its semi-remote location makes you feel like you are truly on vacation - away from it all! If you are visiting for a Florida beach vacation, you can either drive through Florida and down to the Keys or you can fly into the area if you are out of state!
Things to Do
One exciting adventure in Key West that you don't want to miss is renting a scooter to explore the beachside roads and the shops in town. If you aren't into scooters, you can rent a bike to do the same thing!
A few other things that you should do when you are here are:
- Visit the Hemingway Home
- Wander around Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
- Take a ferry to Dry Tortugas National Park
- Enjoy the beaches (Smathers Beach, South Beach, and Simonton Beach are some of the tops)
While there are so many things to do, the Keys are a tight-knit community with a small population that makes you feel like you truly belong in the town.
Places to Eat
Key West knows how to feed its people as well - from locals to tourists alike. While you are visiting (or if you decide to get a home here) you should try out:
- Banana Cafe
- La Grignote
- Seaside Cafe at the Mansion
- Moondog Cafe
Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is a well-known area of Florida and for good reason. Its beautiful beaches are for more than just tanning and swimming - this is also the perfect location for seashell collecting! If you are a nature lover and beach lover, this is the place for you to go.
You can experience the island by bike, or you can even kayak around it if you want to spend more time in the water on a hot summer day.
Once you are done with nature, you can head on over to Periwinkle Way, the road that is lined with restaurants and shops.
There are many dining options for you to choose from on Sanibel Island, all of which will impress you and have you wanting to come back for seconds. We recommend trying:
- Sanibel Fish House
- Keylime Bistro
- Doc Ford's Sanibel Rum Bar and Grill
- Sanibel's Best Homemade Ice Cream
This small island of 24 miles of beaches is the perfect place for a getaway, and an even better place to form a little community that you can visit time and time again.
Delray Beach
Delray Beach contrasts Sanibel Island in several ways. For starters, it is across the state of Florida on the east coast - making it one of the best beaches in east Florida.
It is also a lot bigger of a community than Sanibel Island is as well. Because of this, though, there are plenty of hotels near Delray Beach, Florida, so you won't have to worry about finding a place to stay!
But what makes this beach stand out from all the other hundreds of miles of beaches in Florida? Because Delray Beach has the perfect mix of beach and nature mixed with city vibes.
During the day, you can cruise down the coast to see some of the most beautiful beaches on Florida's east coast.
But if you head downtown after a long day at the beach, you will find yourself cruising on Atlantic Avenue where you'll find even more things to do. From shopping to dining, Atlantic Avenue truly has it all. It's also beautifully lined with palm and oak trees, which creates an ambiance that you would find in a small town.
While downtown, you will find more than 20 art galleries, a few museums to visit, delicious restaurants, Japanese Gardens, breweries, cute shops, and the Green Market.
You don't want to miss these stops to eat:
- Olio Bistro
- Carmela Coffee
- Sloan's Ice Cream
- Boheme Bistro
- 3rd and 3rd
- Delray Beach market
For other things to do, check out:
- Who's Karen Boutique
- Koko
- Headache Trading Co.
Boynton Beach
Not too far from Delray Beach, Boynton Beach boasts its own charm as one of Florida's best beaches.
You'll find cute restaurants and boutiques as well as beautiful beaches like Oceanfront Park and Jaycee Park. If you make it out of downtown, you will find more shopping experiences at Congress Avenue and Renaissance Commons. You may even want to check out Due South Brewing Company for a few tasty cold ones!
When you're not exploring the fun downtown area and surrounding areas, you'll definitely want to spend time out on the water at this beautiful beach area. You can go kayaking, canoeing, or paddleboarding at the two parks to soak in the rays while also taking in the feeling of the warm water.
If you want to try out something a bit different, you can head to the Everglades National Park (just an hour-long drive away) to paddle through a sawgrass marsh, spot alligators, and even take an airboat ride if you are feeling up for it.
Best Beaches: East Florida and Beyond
If you are thinking about taking a visit to Florida, you now have a list of some of the best beaches in the state!
From Watercolor to Sanibel Island and Delray Beach to Boynton Beach, there are so many for you to choose from! In addition to offering some of the best beaches in Florida, there are also so many things to do in these beach communities. When you visit Florida, this is where you will want to go!
If you fall in love with the area, you can contact us to become the proud owner of a property on one of the best beaches in Florida! Our properties are all collective ownership so that you can mitigate risk and have hassle-free ownership with your second home!
We can't wait to hear from you!
