Closest beach to Orlando?

Question

I am organizing a bus tour to Disney World but also want to offer a day trip to the beach somewhere. Where is the best "touristy" beach that is within a couple hours of Orlando? Details and websites would be appreciated. Thanks

Answer 1

playalinda in titusville is pretty close. plus you can see the space center :)

Answer 2

Daytona is 2 hours away

Tampa is 2 hours away



i would pick daytonaaaa

Answer 3

Actually, the closest beach to Orlando is Cocoa Beach. It's a 30-45 minute drive down 520. They have the biggest surf shop I have ever been in called Ron Jon's, they have white beaches and fairly decent waves. You can rent ocean kayaks and surfboards at Ron Jon's, you can also get surfing lessons from Ron Jon's. CB is a cute little town, there's not a whole lot of traffic, and there are lots of little shops to go to.

Animals and glass bottles are not allowed on the beach,  but there is free parking all down the coast, behind Ron Jon's they have free public showers to wash the sand off.

If you're avid surfers, head down to 13th street to surf with the locals.

When you're coming down 520, you can stop at the Cocoa Beach Chamber of Commerce Tourist Information Center, they'll be able to hook you up with all sorts of things to do

http://www.cocoabeachchamber.com/

Good luck!

EDIT: a heads up - there is definitely not "too many" crushed shells on CB's beach. It's obvious the person below me has never been there. There are no rocks, you can find seashells if you look, and it's definitely fine to walk barefoot across, not to mention, with the help of my hyperactive uncle, we have built HUGE sandcastles.

Cocoa Beach has some of the nicest beaches down the east coast.

I'm a local here, I would know.

EDIT: Cocoa Beach and Cocoa are two completely different places. Cocoa is the ghetto. Cocoa Beach is a town on the ocean.

Answer 4

Cocoa is closest, straight east.  

Answer 5

i would suggest cocoa beach   its close by and very beautiful and on the right day u could catch a ron jons surf competition   and i believe its the closest

Answer 6

I would suggest St Petes Beach down by Tampa......

St. Pete Beach is located in Pinellas County on the west coast of Florida in the US. We are on the Pinellas Peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico on the west and Tampa Bay on the east.

http://tampabaybeaches.com/stpeteBeach.p...

http://www.stpetebeach.org/sub/visitors....

Answer 7

Do Coca......nice........about an hour..........clean.........safe and take the toll way..........

Answer 8

yes, Cocoa Beach is pretty close and you can follow the signs going out of Orlando to the Ron Jon Surf shop, with free parking. Very nice and clean beach. and yea its about a 45 min drive.  

Answer 9

daytona beach.

its 2 hours east of orlando on the atlantic ocean.

its extremely touristy.

its the famous area where the daytona 500 is help each year.  

Answer 10

As a travel agent, I have to say that it kind of surprises (scares) me that someone would be setting up a bus tour to an area that they obviously know nothing about...let alone have not visited (which is aparent because anyone who has been to that area realizes just how much these beaches are advertised down there). Extremely ambitious...WDW (which can be very confusing- planning it is nothing like Disneyland)...a bus tour (planning for a large group to WDW(!!!) at that)...and a day trip to a beach!?! Lots of luck to you!!!

That said, here is the information you requested:

The"perfect" beach depends more on the marketed crowd than the distance. The majority of the beaches around WDW are touristy!! Many have "beach fees" (parking fees) that range from $2 on up.

Closest:At approx. 1hour drive time, Cocoa Beach is the closest beach to WDW distance wise. Part of that is toll roads/ toll bridges.

Depending on time of year, surf may be rough for children, sand has too many crushed shells to be good for "castles", in the fall-strong undertoe. Good beach for couples, seniors, those who want to "bake". Very quiet. Lots of free parking.

New Smyrna: Distance is between an hour and an hour and a half NE of WDW, located just south of Daytona Beach. This is a good family beach. Mixed crowds. Driving and parking is allowed on the beach, plenty of opportunites to see Sea Turtles (at appropriate times of year) coming ashore to lay eggs.

Daytona: Distance is between an hour and an hour and a half NE of WDW. Good beach for college crowds, and people in their 20's. Driving and parking is allowed on the beach.

Ormond Beach: Distance is an hour and a half NE of WDW, just north of Daytona Beach. Mixed crowds. Driving and parking is allowed on all but the northern most point of the beach.

Melbourne: Distance is an hour and a half SE of WDW. Mixed crowds. Good beach for surfing & shore fishing. Water may be a little too rough for kids.

Clearwater:Distance is an hour and a half NW of WDW. Home of "Pier 60" (park) and "Sunset at Pier 60" (music festival held at various times of year. Mixed crowds. Gulf waters are warmer and calmer.

St. Pete's: Distance is an hour and a half SW of WDW. Has a free parking lot. Since it is a barrier island, white sandy beaches. Lots of gift shops with unusual souveniers. Mixed crowds.Water is warm and extremely calm.

If you need help/advice...feel free to e me. Like I said, WDW can be very complicated (not just ticketing, itianery, booking...it's more timing of things to get the deals. It truly is not like planning the other Disney destinations. )

Answer 11

Daytona Beach is a dump.  The only beach close to Orlando that is worth visiting is Cocoa Beach.  If you don't mind a 2 hour drive then you want to visit Clearwater Beach - a much more beautiful beach but it's a miserable drive.

Answer 12

Cocoa is closest.

Beaches in area on Atlantic side are notorious rip tides.

Lifeguards are always plucking people from the water.

Go on gulf side water is a lot calmer.

St. Pete/Clearwater area.

Sarasota are farther.

http://floridasbeach.com/

http://www.cocoabeach.com/

http://www.longboatkey.org/

http://www.siestakeychamber.com/beaches....