What's your favorite Florida beach?

 

Florida is famous for its beautiful beaches  Many people may not realize that Florida has a longer coastline along the Gulf of Mexico than the Atlantic Ocean. Of course when you visit beaches like this one in Key West the Gulf and the Atlantic merge as one beautiful setting. With 580 miles along the Atlantic Ocean and 770 miles along the Gulf of Mexico the state of Florida has a total of 1,350 miles of coastline! No matter where you are in Florida, there is a beach just a short drive away.

 

The  Canaveral National Seashore, including Merritt Island, is located midway on Florida’s east coast between Daytona Beach and Melbourne. The 100 Timucuan Mounds that are within it's boundaries are evidence of past generations of people that lived here. Canaveral National Seashore covers 57,000 acres and  the 24 mile stretch of undeveloped beach  is the longest stretch  on Florida's east coast. The refuge is  home to nineteen endangered species, most notably the southern bald eagle and the brown pelican. Porpoises, manatees, and whales are occasionally glimpsed offshore.

Blue Mountain Beach is located in the South Walton area of Florida’s panhandle, a 200-mile stretch of silky white sand beaches, towering dunes, pine forests and crystal blue waters. Beautiful Blue Mountain Beach has the distinction of being the highest point on the Gulf Coast, which in Florida is only 345 feet above sea level. The unique sand of the beaches in the Destin area is among the whitest and most homogenous of the world. The area celebrates the name "Florida Panhandle Pure & Simple" because of the clean and clear water, which appears vivid emerald-green due to its purity and the shallowness of the gulf.

Anclote Key is the largest of a collection of small islands, known as the Anclote Keys, found three miles offshore from Tarpon Springs and the mouth of the Anclote River. The islands were named Anclote, Spanish for anchor, due to the method Spanish sailing vessels would use to navigate the shallow channels in the area. The navigation was accomplished by attaching a line to a kedge anchor, dropping the anchor at a distance in the desired direction of travel, and then using the line to pull the boat to the anchor. Although the name Anclote appears on maps dating as far back as 1715, it wasn’t until the mid 1860s that the area was permanently settled.

Dog Island is located in the northwestern Florida Gulf coast just 3.5 miles off-shore from Carrabelle, Florida in Franklin County, Florida. The island’s location, its beauty, its uncrowded white sandy beaches, surf fishing, and several protected anchorages make Dog Island an appealing location for small boat sailors. Supplies should be purchased before leaving Carrabelle. Motoring or sailing on the Carrabelle River heading for Apalachicola Bay is very scenic.

Indian Key State Historic Site is an island within the Florida State Park system located just a few hundred yards southeast of U.S. 1 within the Florida Keys. Visitors can access Indian Key island by canoe or kayak.The island is very secluded and gives you the feel of going back in time! It is truly Floridian nature at its best!

St. George Island is a 22-mile barrier island with some of the most beautiful and serene beaches on the Gulf Coast. It is one of the last inhabited, yet unspoiled, barrier islands of Florida, with miles of uncrowded beaches for sunning and shelling, clear Gulf waters for swimming and excellent fishing, pristine marshes for wildlife viewing.

Located within Lee County, Sanibel is a barrier island – a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island. Sanibel Island has breathtaking white sand beaches and clear blue water and an abundance of colorful shells - "treasures from the sea."