The Florida peninsula has over 1,100 miles (1760 klms) of beaches stretching along the Atlantic and Gulf Of Mexico shorelines. The Florida coastline has a beach to suit every visitor, no matter what your interest, be it shelling, birding, surfing, treasure hunting, people watching, snorkeling, Florida history or romantic getaway. You can rest assured that Florida has a beach that's perfect for you.
So pump up the beach ball, get ready to build an award-winning sand castle, put on your favorite bather and have some family fun on the beaches of your choice. Don't be surprised if a dolphin or two goes bobbing past just a few metres away as they cruise the shallow Gulf Of Mexico waters searching for their dinner.
The quality of the Florida beaches is so so good that to describe any of them as "the best" can easily do a disservice to the others. In the following descriptions of Florida regions and their beaches, is is probably best to talk of these beaches as being "most popular" for visitors to Florida.
Each beach is unique in its own way. Some Florida beaches are exposed to the ocean swells, some are on the ocean side of barrier islands while others lie on the leeward side of barrier islands. Some are famous for the abundance of shells, others for finding pre-historic sharks teeth. Some beach locations attract holiday makers looking for bright lights, glamor and action while others seek peace, quiet and tranquility.
** Favorite Florida Beach Destinations:
South East Coast:- Miami Beach : Key Biscayne : Fort Lauderdale
East Coast :- Cape Canaveral : Space Coast & Treasure Coast : Daytona Beach : Amelia Island
Florida Keys :- Bahia Honda at Marathon : Smathers at Key West
West Coast:- Naples : Marco, Captiva and Sanibel Islands : Clearwater & St Petersburg
Panhandle:- Panama City Beach : Destin & Fort Walton
** A Word Of Caution:
If you are going to spend any time in the water at any of the Florida beaches, it's a sensible precaution to brush up on your knowledge of "sea lice". The offending critters are actually microscopic jellyfish larvae. The most common cases involve the larvae becoming trapped between the bathing suit fabric and the skin. It is also common for the larvae to be attached to seaweed and transfer to the body on contact.
Avoid seaweed clumps in the water and walking through seaweed and flotsam deposited on the high tide line. Keep your children out of the seaweed clumps as a precaution. The sea lice season is reported to be the summer period March to August but the author has first hand experience with stings on the Gulf Coast in late October.
The part of the body that came in contact with the larvae quickly develops scores of raised red welts that cause extreme irritation and scratching that lasta at least a few days and possibly a week or longer. Some adults may feel tired and unwell and develop a fever. Children are more likely to develop a fever, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Hydrocortisone cream and oral antihistamines help to relieve the itching and most supermarkets and drugstores carry products specifically for treating the stings.
There is a lot of reference material on this subject available on the internet. Just use Google to do search for "florida sea lice".
Copyright (c) 2008 Terry Hely
Florida is world famous for its? fabulous coastline and spectacular beaches. But when visiting Florida which beaches are absolutely ?do not miss? fantastic? Well, with so many to choose from, any vacationer is spoilt for choice. Did you know that if you walked just one mile of Florida beachfront every day, it would take you two and a half years to get around the entire state!
So where does a vacationer start? Well how about the Panhandle area and heading south along the west Coast? The Panhandle part of the Florida is also known as the Emerald Coast. There are 10 beaches of note in the Pensacola region, most notably Perdido Key. This barrier island is part of the Gulf Island National Seashore and is just west of Pensacola. Dr Stephen P Leatherman, better known as Dr Beach, has consistently classed Perdido Key within the top 20 beaches in the US.
Just East of the Pensacola region is the famous resort area of Fort Walton and Destin. Twenty-four miles of white, powdery beaches and crystal blue waters add to the outstanding natural beauty of the area. In fact the beaches are so breathtaking that Southern Living Magazine ranked them "Best Beach in the South" and the "Top Family Destination." A perfect spot for a family friendly vacation.
How about heading a little further southeast to Panama City? The area is also known as the "Wreck Capital of the South," so is a great choice for divers. There are many historic wrecks in the offshore waters just waiting to be explored plus 27 miles of white sandy beaches for swimming, snorkeling, shelling, boating and fishing.
Let's now head down further south and explore the west coast, otherwise known as the Gulf Coast. An absolute must is Fort De Soto Park, which is part of the St Petersburg/
Clearwater area. Ranked as the Number 1 Beach in 2005 in the entire US by Dr Beach, the entire park area covers 900 acres with the area crowned by 7 miles of unspoilt beach.
When visiting the Gulf Coast, no trip is complete without a stop in the Sarasota and Bradenton area. With 21 beaches of note in the area, it was a close call but judges in the ?Great International White Sand Beach Challenge? announced in 1987 that Siesta Beach had the "finest and whitest sand in the world". This world famous sand is 99% quartz and is snow-white and feathery-soft.
Heading further south, any vacationer, especially a honeymooner, must stop at Lover's Key State Park, situated between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach. With 2 miles of pristine sand, teeming with wildlife and nature trails through the park, this really is a quiet spot to savor. Ranked 4th best beach in the Florida by the Travel Channel on the cable network, you can even get married here on the beach at sunset if you so wish.
And so we reach the furthest point south before heading into the Everglades ? Naples and Marco Island; also known as the Paradise Coast. If you want glamour head for Naples Municipal Beach and Pier. Fronted with multi-million dollar mansions, this is a piece of the highlife for free. If you are looking for something a little more secluded, visit Barefoot Beach Preserve by Bonita Springs. It's a little known 342-acre park with just over 1 mile of natural beach. It is tucked away in a million dollar gated community but is open daily to the public.
Both Terry Hely & Ic are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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