Florida’s 13 best beaches

Palm fronds rustle gently in the breeze as waves kiss the shoreline, scattering sandpipers across the white-sand beach. As you relax in the dazzling sunshine, gulls and pelicans dive into the water nearby for afternoon snacks.

Welcome to Florida, where fabulous beach days are all but guaranteed – and one (or many) of its almost 200 gorgeous beaches will surely be a perfect fit. The Gulf Coast offers calm waters and white sand, while the Atlantic Coast's crashing waves are a surfer's paradise.

Different beaches appeal to little swimmers, beachcombers scanning for washed-up treasures, yogis starting their day with sunrise asanas and party people seeking lively beach-town vibes. Seek out sea turtles nesting in the sand, or grab a board and tackle some monster swells. Or just lie out (and zone out) for hours.

However you define fun in the sun, you’ll find something to love on our list of the 14 best beaches in Florida.

1. Dry Tortugas National Park

Best beach for total seclusion

Hop aboard a ferry (or seaplane) from Key West and cruise 70 miles of sparkling, emerald-green waters to the secluded paradise of Dry Tortugas National Park. Once there, mosey through Fort Jefferson, rich in military history, or head straight for its dreamy, powdery sand. Snorkel the shallow waters, exploring the coral reef or just cozy up with a good book and embrace peaceful solitude.

Planning tip: Choose your season carefully, as adverse weather can affect transport to Dry Tortugas. Avoid hurricane season (June to November) if you’d rather not risk last-minute changes.

2. Hollywood Beach

Best beach for partying

Since South Beach gets all the attention (and notoriety), I’ll nominate Hollywood Beach as Florida’s beach-party central. Stroll or bike its beachfront “Broadwalk,” and it won’t take long to feel the festive vibe. Among tiki bars, alfresco restaurants, t-shirt shops and ice cream parlors, skateboarders whiz between pedestrians as buskers juggle, sing and dance. Things are quiet in the morning, surfers invade by afternoon, and the energy peaks after dusk, when evening concerts rock the Bandshell, an outdoor music venue. This is quintessential Florida beach life.

Local tip: If you've always wanted to learn to surf, this is your chance, dude. Margaritaville Beach Resort has FlowRider, a safe, wave-controlled simulator.

3. Treasure Shores Park

Best beach for treasure hunting

Along a stretch of the Atlantic, the Treasure Coast earned its name for a reason: valuables continually wash up from the countless shipwrecks that lie offshore. Any beach along Hutchinson Island is ripe for harvesting tidal gifts, but my favorite is Treasure Shores Park near Sebastian. Just offshore is the resting place of a treasure-laden Spanish galleon that sank during a hurricane in 1715.

Detour: Visit the nearby McLarty Treasure Museum to view impressive artifacts recovered from the ocean's depths. Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum in Sebastian boasts a bounty of riches collected by this family of professional shipwreck salvagers. Rent metal detectors from the gift shop (which also sells actual treasures) and sift for your own fortune.

4. Sanibel Island

Best beach for shelling

The beaches of Sanibel Island – including Bowman’s Beach and Blind Pass Beach – are famous for the countless shells that Gulf currents deliver to their sands. You’ll soon find yourself assuming the “Sanibel stoop,” as you prospect for lightning whelks, prickly cockles and jingle shells – just three of the over 400 shell species you might find here.

Local tip: New to shelling? Book a tour with Captain Brian Holaway, a longtime guide and expert who’ll have you knowing your conchs from your whelks in no time.

5. Haulover Beach

Best beach for baring it all

Ready to let warm ocean breezes caress your skin without worrying about unsightly tan lines? While most naturist beaches are intentionally secluded, Haulover Beach, between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, has no reservations. It’s an easily accessible, well-loved, fully mainstream beach…just one without clothes. No matter your age or shape, you are free to strut your stuff at this judgment-free, family-friendly beach, where patrolling ambassadors ensure that fun remains “clean.”

Planning tip: Parking at Haulover Beach costs $7 on weekdays, $10 on weekends and holidays.

6. Playalinda Beach

Best beach for discreet naturism

If you prefer to show skin with a bit more discretion, the remote stretches of Playalinda Beach, inside Canaveral National Seashore, are more reserved. Although nudity is forbidden in Brevard County, the secluded stretch north of parking lot 13 is a de facto nude beach, even sanctioned by official signs.

Local tip: Bring in whatever you’ll need, including lots of water and sunblock, for the only amenities here are portable toilets in the parking lots. Canaveral National Seashore passes cost $25 per vehicle for a week, or $45 for a full year.

7. Cape San Blas

Best beach for stargazing

Rest and relax on quiet, beautiful sands during the day at Cape San Blas, on the Florida Panhandle – then enjoy incredible stargazing opportunities come night, since minimal light pollution makes for spectacular clear skies above this secluded stretch. When you’re done admiring the celestial beauty, seek out the local restaurants that lie just a short distance from the beach.

Detour: Known for wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing and scalloping, nearby St George Island and TH Stone Memorial St Joseph Peninsula State Park offer plenty of daytime adventures.

8. Frederick Douglass Park

Best beach for horseback riding

Almost everyone has envisioned themselves riding horseback through crashing waves, the sea breeze blowing wildly through their hair. So saddle up and head to Frederick Douglass Park in Fort Pierce, the only beach in South Florida where hooves can hit the sand. A guided 1.5-mile-long trail takes riders (including beginners) along stunning, secluded shores, where an abundance of sea life can be found in the sands.

9. Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge

Best beach for peaceful walks

Another quiet retreat, the unsigned Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge is located at the north end of Jupiter Island, just past Hobe Sound Beach (which is often packed with rowdy teenagers). Escape the racket and treat your feet to a gorgeous 2-mile beach stroll along the refuge’s deserted sandy shores.

Planning tip: The refuge charges $5 per vehicle for access, with all funds put toward maintaining this beautiful place. You can purchase a pass from the Refuge Beach parking lot booth or online.

10. Jupiter Dog Beach

Best beach for dogs

Dog lovers are in great company at Jupiter Dog Beach, where owners are as friendly as their pets. Here, dogs run leash-free along 2.5 miles of shell-covered sand, aqua-blue waters lapping their paws. The area is super clean, with free parking, plenty of poop bags, trash bins and washing stations.

Planning tip: Try to avoid the hottest time of the day, as prolonged exposure to the hot sand can burn the paws of your four-legged friend.

11. Lake Worth Beach

Best beach for families

Once a popular gathering spot for free-spirited hippies, Lake Worth Beach continues to bop to an alternative beat. Yet these days, its gorgeous strand is light on partying – and heavy on family vibes. Since they’ll be surrounded by shops, restaurants and ice cream huts, kids won’t get bored here – and there are plenty of washrooms and showers, too. From fishing at the spectacular pier to building fortresses in the sand or hitting the waves with a boogie board, there’s endless family fun on offer.

Planning tip: Mark your calendar for the annual Street Painting Festival in February, which attracts more than 600 artists.

12. Honeymoon Island

Best beach for a romantic getaway

Not far from bustling Tampa and Clearwater, Honeymoon Island offers an ideal retreat. A short drive over the Dunedin Causeway brings you to this barrier island, which has sugar-white dunes, hiking opportunities along Osprey Trail and abundant wildlife. Take the ferry to nearby Caladesi Island State Park, an unspoiled natural paradise where you can kayak through a mangrove forest before lying out on pristine beaches.

13. Caspersen Beach

Best beach for unique souvenirs

Known as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World,” the rugged coast of Caspersen Beach serves up a unique contrast to the typical sugar-white shores of the Gulf. Just south of Venice, this coastal gem is the perfect place for beachcombers to hunt for nautical souvenirs such as shark teeth, sand dollars, conch shells and fossils. Time your visit during low tide when these special items appear among the rocks and tide pools.