Really Florida!

Beaches in the Florida Keys aren’t as plentiful as you might imagine — the Keys are islands, right?  Yes, they are islands, but special ones which don’t have many beaches.

However, there are some wonderful stretches of sea and sand in the Florida Keys.  If you’re not expecting the wide beaches of NE Florida or the Panhandle, you’ll likely be pleased.

Let’s take a look at some of the beaches in the Florida Keys.

First Stop:  Harry Harris Park

Tavernier, located in the Upper Keys, has a beach at mile marker (MM) 92.5.  The beach itself is located inside Harry Harris Park.  Now remember, the beaches in the Florida Keys are small, and this is definitely…small.  But it is a beach!  If you have youngsters, this is a great beach because of the protected swimming area; no surf, and no large fish to nibble their toes.

Anne’s Beach

While there are places to play on the sand in the Florida Middle Keys, most of them are private beaches for resorts.  If you want a public beach, Anne’s Beach at mile marker (MM) 78 (kind of between the Upper and Middle Keys).  It’s not a long or wide beach, and there’s little surf, due to the calming effect of the offshore reef.  Still, the water is warm and clear and the sun shines brightly.  Anne’s Beach on Upper Matecumbe also features picnic areas and covered pavillions.

The Beach at Bahia Honda

This is a glorious Florida Keys beach, and worth the trip to the Lower Keys to see it.  It has a good-sized beach area, with plenty of room for walking.  Swimming and snorkeling are great here, and Bahia Honda is just what you’d expect from a tropical island beach — a slice of paradise.

(The photo you see here is Bahia Honda.)

The Key West Beaches

Smather’s Beach is the most famous of the Key West beaches, as well as the largest — a half mile long.  Still, there is plenty to do here.  From parasailing to snorkeling to volleyball, there is plenty going on.  And if you like just kicking back and watching the world go by, there’s a beach chair waiting!

Other beaches in Key West, Florida include Higgs Memorial, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and Beach, as well as CB Harvey Rest Beach.

Here’s additional information on Key West beaches. 

Beach Trivia

 Well, I did warn you there there weren’t a lot of beaches in the Florida Keys, and here’s why.  The only living coral reef in the continental United States is offshore, and it protects the Keys from the wave action of the sometimes-storm Atlantic Ocean.

However, that wave action is what builds up beaches!  Add to it that the Keys are composed of limestone and coral, which aren’t the best beach-building materials, and you have few stretches of natural sand.

Still, most of the major resorts do have their own private beaches, so fear not; there just may be some sand closer than you think!

Here are the Florida vacation ideas that I’ve posted so far, and today here’s a new idea.  What does Florida have more of than almost any other state? If you guessed beaches, you’re right!

The Beach Is Calling

When people think of Florida, the top two things they think about are theme parks and beaches.  So, let’s check out the beach!

Actually, the Florida beaches were an attraction in their own right before the attractions showed up.  That’s what people came to Florida for — the sun, sand and sea.

Fast forward, and things have changed some.  A lot of beaches now have all kinds of “beach toys” concessions and rides, etc.  On the more popular beaches, you may see a lot of this.

Still, there are quieter beaches as well, where the sound of the surf is louder than most anything else.

Now I’m not your sunbathing type; I prefer to be either people-watching or looking for interesting shells, sealife, birds, etc. And there are beaches for both. For when you want to be alone with nature on a quiet beach. When you want to people-watch on a crowded beach. Or even when you just want to play with “beach toys” !

To add to your vacation ideas, here’s a list of some of the best beaches in Florida, for your perusal.  The list covers activity beaches, quiet beaches.  Beaches for snorkeling, surfing and families.

So go out and about — use these Florida vacation ideas (the beaches) as a place to start and explore.  Who knows what treasures you will uncover!

Do you need some Florida vacation ideas?  Maybe you’re curious about the state.  Maybe you’re a resident and want to explore…but don’t want to use a lot of gas doing it.  Maybe you’re visiting Florida for the first time and are eager to learn all you can.

You’ve got the time off — now what do you do?  In this and the next few posts, let’s explore Florida vacation ideas, from around the state.

Attractions are Everywhere (Almost)

Yes, Florida is a tourist state, and so we have lots and lots of attractions, large and small.  Of course you know about the big three (Disney, Universal and SeaWorld), but they’re in Orlando and if you’re not, it could be a long drive for you.

Not to worry, there are very few places in Florida that are more than two or three hours from some sort of destination, and most often times much closer. 

For example, St. Augustine in NE Florida is loaded with all sorts of places to see.  From the Fountain of Youth, through Ripley’s Museum; trolley tours and ghost tours.  Most all of it is in one area, so you can roam from one to the next.

The Nature Coast has Weeki Wachee Springs; Tampa has Busch Gardens.

Orlando…well, enough said there!  Enough attractions to sink a ship.

Spacecoast has Kennedy Space Center; West Palm Beach has Lion Country Safari.

Florida vacation ideas involving attractions are certainly one of the first things a visitor (and often a resident) considers.  And while there is the occasional “dud”, most attractions are worth visiting.

Here’s a listing of some Florida attractions, by regions of the state — that should get the vacation ideas flowing!

This is part 1 of Florida vacation ideas; keep on the lookout for parts 2 through 5!

Captiva Island is snuggled up against Sanibel, so it was a natural that we decided to stop by for a look.  Actually, I had heard so much about the lovely beach on Captiva, that I wanted to take a peek.

Wanted to - yes.  Got to - no.

These photos were taken from the truck while we were stuck in traffic.  There’s really only one main road traversing Captiva, and it’s two lane.  Since they were doing roadwork, one lane shut down for awhile.  And there we sat.

This photo is looking out towards the Gulf of Mexico.  The water was a turquoise blue and very calm; it would have been wonderful to swim in.  The sand looked soft and inviting, and the shelling was terrific, I imagine.

Alas, by the time we finally got to the beach parking area, there was none to be found.  When someone tells you that the parking at the Captiva beaches is limited…believe them!  There wouldn’t have been room for my tiny car to get a spot, much less David’s truck (which we call “the beast”).

Sadly, we had to turn around and go back the way we came in.  And of course we got stuck in traffic again, so I was able to get another photo or two of the Captiva beach that was so close, but too far away.

We did pass ‘Tween Waters Inn, which I had heard so much about.  It was certainly pretty, with the pastel-colored cottages.  I don’t know what the other side of the property looked like, but the front side did face out onto a busy road; I can’t imagine there was a whole lot of scenery, until the traffic died down.  But I’ll bet the sunsets are glorious!

One of these days I’ll go back to Captiva and this time I will make it onto the beach.  Even if I have to get there at 6 AM to get a parking spot!

I know, I meant to write more about Sanibel much sooner than this. But I’m now back to the blog, so how about some photos of my favorite Florida bird — the roseate spoonbill.

Roseates are that wonderful pink color that one usually associates with flamingoes.  Well, I think the flamingo copied it from the roseate!

David and I were over in Ding Darling on Sanibel Island this past April (oh boy am I ever late in posting these photos), and while we were on the wildlife drive, we saw a bunch of people pulled off to the side of the road and a crowd gathering.

Lo and behold, there were three…wait, now four roseates gathered!  They were apparently interested in lunch more than a get-together, but what was interesting is that they were pretty close.  Every time I’ve seen roseate spoonbills in the past, they were waaaaayyyy far in the distance.

Now these birds didn’t seem to care too much about the growing crowd; they just keept on preening their feathers and then leisurely stopping to poke around for underwater treasures (i.e. food).

I tried looking up some information on these lovely birds, and wouldn’t you know, Wikipedia doesn’t have much in the way of info.  I searched around some more and found a link to the Honolulu Zoo (of all places).  Not a ton of information, but it was a start!

I have a book on Florida wildlife that has a photo of a flock of roseates in a mangrove tree.  It was truly a breathtaking photo, but then I thought…don’t they look like ornaments on a Christmas tree?

OK, back to Ding Darling and Sanibel. 

If you’ve never been over to Sanibel Island, on Florida’s SW coast, the first time you go you’re stuck by how crowded it is.  It’s a small island, but a big tourist destination, and people are everywhere.

What most people (aside from maybe Sanibel residents) don’t know is that 60% of the island has been set aside for wildlife.  Ding Darling is large part of the 60%.

It’s hidden, though; you have to want to find it.  David used to go over to Sanibel all the time and he didn’t know it was there!  (Naturally, the map reader I am, knew where it was.)

Sanibel is a lovely island, but next time you’re there, take a step back from the beaches and restaurants and hotels and take a look at the real Florida — naturally.

The roseates are probably still waiting for you to drop by!

I must say, I didn’t know there was such a thing as a National Rip Current Awareness Week, but you learn something new every day here in Florida!

In all seriousness, rip currents aren’t anything to be joking about — it’s very scary to be caught in one, and it can kill you, if you don’t know how to handle it.

Since I think it’s worth repeating, here’s the full text of the public service advisory:

The week of June 1-7 is designated as National rip current awareness week. Over the past two decades, rip currents, which are narrow channels of water in the surf zone of the ocean, have caused more deaths in South Florida than hurricanes, lightning and tornadoes combined. In the United States, over 100 people are estimated to die
from these killer currents each year. In addition, lifeguards Rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the United States annually.

In Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Collier counties, an average of 3 to 7 people die from rip currents each year. In 2007, a total of seven people drowned at Southeast Florida beaches. So far in 2008, one drowning and several near drownings have occurred.

Tourists are often victims, but local residents are also at risk. In addition, other people suffer near drownings and are left with life-long debilitating effects. These deaths and injuries are preventable with knowledge of how a rip current works. Rip currents can be referred to as the fair weather killer because they can occur when the weather appears to be generally nice.

A rip current is a strong channel of water that extends from near the beach through the breaking waves to about 50 to 100 yards offshore. The seaward pull of the rip current makes people feel that they have to struggle directly toward the beach to reach safety.

The speed of the rip current can be 5 mph or about 8 feet per second, faster than an olympic swimmer. This can easily overpower even the strongest swimmer. Instead of trying to fight the current by swimming directly against it, the best means of escape is to swim across the narrow portion of the rip current, usually only a matter of a few yards, before swimming toward the beach at an angle away from the outgoing current.

The best advice to avoid becoming a rip current victim is to swim at beaches with lifeguards. The United States lifesaving association has calculated the chance that a person will drown while attending a beach protected by an affiliated lifeguards at 1 in 18 million.

During the past several years, very few drownings have occurred at beaches with lifeguards, and lifeguards routinely perform hundreds of rescues yearly at South Florida beaches alone. Ocean Rescue personnel can spot rip currents and warn you before you get into them. Color flags are posted from lifeguard stands which indicate the risk of rip currents. Always heed the advice of the beach patrol and ocean Rescue.

Even before you go to the beach, you can learn about the risk of rip currents each day by listening to NOAA Weather Radio and local media outlets. In addition, the National Weather Service in Miami issues daily surf zone forecasts, hazardous weather outlooks and special weather statements which alert the public of expected hazardous weather, including rip currents. This information can be obtained via NOAA Weather Radio or by visiting the National weather in Miami website at www.Weather.Gov/Miami and clicking on the current hazards for South Florida link.

Persons are urged to learn about rip currents and the danger they pose by visiting the National Weather Service rip current web site at www.Ripcurrents.NOAA.Gov.

Remember, break the grip of the rip!

I took a trip to Sanibel Island, Florida on Monday (along with side trips to Captiva and Lover’s Key). It’s been quite awhile since I’ve actually been to Sanibel, and it’s both changed and unchanged.

It’s changed because it’s a lot more built up. There are houses, clubs and inns everywhere. It’s hard to find the water at times!

It’s unchanged because when you do manage to get to the beach, it’s as lovely as I remember it. The Gulf is just as blue, the shells just as abundant, the sands just as soft.

I went to Lighthouse Beach, and there was ample parking available. There is a boardwalk over to the lighthouse and restrooms, and you can take a stroll over to the fishing pier.

You can also wander over to the beach side and take in the sun and sand and water.

The shells in this photo are from the beach itself — there are so many, all over the beach! Shells with small blemishes that I’d normally grab on a “regular” beach I passed up on Sanibel Island — there were too many that were even better.

The water near the pier area seemed a little cloudy for swimming, and it seems more people prefer the area around the point from the lighthouse, for going in the water.

I don’t know if this is usual, but I saw a fair amount of starfish on the beach, near the waters edge. They were ever-so-slowly making their way back into the waves. Pictured is just one of the many that I came across.

Now David and I did drive over to the other beaches on the island, and they seemed pretty packed, as far as parking goes. We couldn’t even get into the parking lot for one beach (limited parking is putting it very mildly).

So if you want to go shelling and seeing all kinds of sea life, try Lighthouse Beach. As you enter Sanibel Island, Florida from the causeway, take a left to get there.

Key West beaches aren’t that numerous — kind of funny, when you consider Key West is in Florida and is an island surrounded by water. You’d think there would be lots! Alas, it’s not so — but the ones they have are neat!

One of the best of the Key West beaches is Smathers Beach, where you can do just about anything. Feel like taking a parasail? Need to rent a chair and/or umbrella? Want to do some snorkeling? Maybe just plain people-watching — you can find it at Smathers.

Another one you might want to check out is Higgs Memorial Beach. This is another of the Key West Beaches where there is plenty to do and water toys to rent. And Higgs actually has some of the best snorkeling in Key West, although you do have to go out aways — the waters are shallow close to shore.

You can check out some more Key West beaches information, but meanwhile you might be wondering why this island doesn’t have much in the way of sand? For that answer, you have to look out to sea.

The only living coral reef in the continental United States lies offshore, and it’s that reef that prevents the beaches from getting a good foothold, like they do in more northern parts of the state. The reef prevents (mostly) the heavier surf from getting near the island — and the surf is what builds up the sand.

Now some (many?) of the Key West beaches are man-made — like the private beaches at the various resorts. And others are “nourished” from time to time with imported sand.

Still, if you’re in Key West, do take time to visit one or more of the beaches there. Smathers, Higgs, Fort Zachary Taylor and more await you!

Although South Florida beaches don’t tend to be really large, like those in the Panhandle and North Florida, they definitely do have their own flair. From quiet to crowded, here are some of the best Florida beaches in the southern portion of the state.

If you’re into a quiet beach, check out MacArthur Beach State Park. The two miles of beach tends to be very lightly populated — I’ve never seen more than a handful of people at a time. Beach comb, lie in the sun, snorkel the reef, swim in the ocean — you can do all these things here.

The beach at Blowing Rocks Preserve in the Jupiter area is rather interesting, as it’s one of the few rocky beaches in Florida. Well, it’s not really all that rocky, except by Florida standards. But one thing that’s kind of cool — it there is a storm out to sea, or if there’s a very strong wind from the northeast (like in Winter), the waves crash against some of the limestone formations and can send the spray up to 50 feet in the air!

If you like a more tropical-looking beach, check out the area around Boca Raton and Delray. The on-street parking is a little tough in this area, but you’ll see palm trees, hedge-like sea grape bushes, warm waters and soft sands.

One of the more interesting South Florida Beaches is the one in Ft. Lauderdale. This was a very popular Spring Break destination back in the 60’s and 70’s, but has come into its own as a nice all-around beach. A great place for people-watching, kicking back and basking in the sun, or renting some “beach toys” and enjoying them. You can rent just about anything, so not to worry if you forgot to bring something.

Of course, there’s always South Beach, which is part of Miami Beach. The South Beach area has quite an interesting history, though. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, it was known as a retirement area, or mostly elderly residents. It was actually considered more of a “poor” part of town! The 80’s started changing that, with the TV series Miami Vice, and now South Beach is a very wealthy spot. Anyway, it’s great for people-watching!

Today’s photos are of the beaches in the Panhandle. These beaches are quite different from what I’ve showed so far in North Florida and in South Florida.

The biggest difference is the quality of the beach sand — the texture and the color. In the Florida Panhandle, the beach has what is called “sugar sand”. It’s just like it sounds — the color and granularity of table sugar (just don’t try to eat it, whatever you do).

You can see in this first photo of Panama City Beach that the distance from the dune area to the water is quite large — a lot of sand to stretch out in! However, you won’t often find it quite so deserted as shown in the photo. Sorry about that!

Well, aside from the sand, is there anything else different about these places in the sun? Now that you mention it, there is:

The water.

First is the color. This part of the Panhandle is called the Emerald Coast, for a good reason — the water is often a green color, ranging from minty to a turquoise green. These pictures, unfortunately, didn’t capture that glorious color very well.

Next is the surf. While the beaches in the Panhandle tend to see more wave action than, say, the Keys, it’s still not what you would call prime surfing territory — for that, mosey on over to the North Florida beaches.

Instead, the surf is active, but rather mild — you won’t find towering waves, unless there’s a hurricane or tropical storm somewhere in the Gulf.

This second photo is showing a Destin, Florida beach, and gives you an idea of the average seas you could expect. Even so, isn’t it gorgeous?