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[gtfovacations-blog]

Florida Beaches Locals Want to Keep Secret

While many of Florida’s beaches are packed with tourists, if you want sugar-sand shores, warm water perfect for swimming, and Instagram-worthy views without the crowds, follow the locals to these best Florida beaches off-the-beaten-path.

Pass-a-Grille Beach, St. Pete Beach

via visitstpeteclearwater.com When the elbowroom at its more famous neighbor, Clearwater Beach, becomes scarce, take advantage of the free Suncoast Beach Trolley and move right over to Pass-a-Grille. This laid-back island is more fishing village than luxury hideaway, which means plenty of mom-and-pop fish camps, adorable beach bungalows, and a handful of quaint inns with killer water views. While the water is as calm and translucent as Clearwater Beach, the beach is wider here, allowing you even more room to spread out and let the kids run wild. In fact, you’ll have four miles of windswept, undeveloped beaches to explore. Stroll quaint Eighth Avenue, with its coast-inspired galleries, shops, and restaurants. For amazing sunset views, visit the Hurricane Seafood Restaurant.

Santa Rosa Beach

via emeraldcoastfl.com One look at the kelly green water here and it’s clear how Florida’s Emerald Coast earned its moniker. But the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico is not all that makes this one of the best Florida beaches. The sugar-soft sand is not really sand; it’s a fine quartz that filters its way down from the Appalachian Mountains—this being its final stop before being swept out to sea. Another bonus: The warm, calm water is perfect for paddle boarding as well as swimming with younger kids. The area is packed with vacation rentals, boutique shops, and restaurants in charming seaside villages, each with their own distinct architecture and vibe. Visit in the spring during the Digital Graffiti Festival, when artists project their work on the stark white walls of the Bermuda-inspired Alys Beach community.

The Beaches at Caladesi Island State Park

Jerome LABOUYRIE/Shutterstock You’ll feel like you’ve fallen off the grid when you reach Caladesi Island, a barrier island reachable only by boat. Take the scenic 20-minute ferry ride from Dunedin, a fishing village less than hour’s drive north of Tampa, to explore Caladesi’s three miles of natural, picture-perfect Florida beaches. Upon arrival, pick up picnic supplies and beach chairs at the snack shack. From there walk your choice of nature trails to the beach, where you’ll be rewarded with views of an endless horizon and the only sound is of the occasional boater whizzing past. Collect seashells, hike the three-mile nature trail that winds through tropical mangrove forests or rent a kayak at the snack shack and explore three miles of paddling trails. It’s a slice of Old Florida that’s harder to find these days.

Playalinda Beach

Brian Lasenby/Shutterstock Sometimes the best thing about a beach is what you won’t find there: On 24-mile-long Playalinda Beach in Titusville on Florida’s East Central coast, there are no buildings nor motorized watersports. What you will find, however, is a picturesque sanctuary. A visit to this quiet stretch of Cape Canaveral National Seashore requires a drive through the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, home to bald eagles, manatees, and loggerhead turtles hiding in wetlands. This long swath of undeveloped shoreline is rarely crowded, but what sets this beach apart is its proximity to the refuge, so you can explore trails in the morning and bodysurf in the afternoon. Read the full article

[annamaephotography]

[mani-moonchild]

Today was needed ❣️ #MissedMySisters #TheLadyThatTookThisWasAllUpInTheWaterBeneathUs #SOtoHer #MuchAppreciated #St.PeteBeach #WaterWasColdAf #XiOPiRho