Best Florida Beaches!

Sombrero Beach, Fl:
Marathon, Florida Keys
Marathon has one of the nicest Florida beaches in the Keys, Sombrero Beach. It's a whole two miles off of Highway One, for starters, so you don't get drive-by traffic as you do on some of the beach spots in the Upper Keys, or even on the main Key West Florida beaches. This gives it a more relaxing, remote and escapist feel than any other Florida beach. It's free, there's plenty of parking, and the facilities are new, spotless, and beautiful. The beach too is spotless and pleasant, and the swimming is good. The sand is deep and soft and invites you to dig in your toes and stay all day long. There are picnic benches, shade areas, a park next door, nice bathrooms, and beautiful views, since it's on the ocean side.

This Florida beach juts out so it's surrounded on two sides by water: the south side and the west side. The west side is great for catching the famous Florida Keys Sunsets. To get here, just take a left on Sombrero Beach Road at mile marker 50 and follow it to the end. This beach couldn't be any prettier, cleaner, or easier to get to. The two-mile drive off the Overseas Highway to the beach is a pleasant journey through a dreamland of mansions the neighborhood is as spotless and perfect-looking as the immaculate beach. Bring lunch, bring your dog, your kids, whatever you want for the beach...there is even a playground. The beach is long enough that you can go beach-walking up and down and not get bored or feel like you're walking the same patch of sand over and over. Sombrero Beach curls inward on itself, east to west, which in the morning and late afternoon makes for fantastic beach pictures when the sun is low.

Holiday Isle Beach, Fl:
Islamorada, Fla Keys
Holiday Isle Beach - "America's Caribbean Islands." Holiday Isle beach is located in the Holiday Isle complex, which includes hotels, restaurants , tiki bars , and a charter fishing fleet. Holiday Isle policy "You don't have to stay here to play here" means that the beach and pool facilities are open to the public. In addition to the beach and pool there are jet ski and boat rentals. There is also fishing and diving charters and a marina.

Holiday Isle opens its arms during March and April to spring-breakers and fun-seekers. Bikini competitions, drinking contests and the endless row of bars and nightclubs on Duval Street make this one of the craziest spring break party destinations in Florida. "Sandbar," the Florida beach area of Holiday Isle, is just minutes away from all the action. Easily accessible, the beach is also a popular anchorage for small boats, Jet Skis or canoes. Being closer to Havana than Miami, when spring break is over, Holiday Isle becomes a laid-back, tropical getaway for gay travelers. The action starts on Duval Street. Dance the night away at an Islamorada tiki bar or relax with a rum beverage at any of the numerous beachside bars.

Higgs Beach, Fl:
Key West, Fla Keys
Higgs Memorial Beach is in Key West, along the southern edge of the island. There are picnic tables and a pavilion, where according to the sign on the rails there is Yoga on the Beach on Saturdays. The paintings on the columns holding up roofs on each picnic table are colorful and whimsical and down-homey, a bit of real Key West. There's a bicycle path all along Higgs Beach, with racks for locking up here and there. The path winds along the edge of the beach and past a restaurant right on the beach, at the moment an Italian restaurant.

Tables in the enclosed fence area have beach views, so it makes a cool beachy spot for lunch or dinner. Walk a little further and you'll come to the White Street Pier, which has been renovated. White Street ends here at the  Florida beach, and gives out to an AIDS Memorial which serves as entrance to the pier.

The pier is one of the best spots in Key West for an evening stroll, especially in winter. It's windy and the waves are a little stronger in winter, and the sound of the small waves hitting the base of the pier in rhythmic slap slap slap bang is dramatic and inspiring. The pier opens out at the end and there is so much room you could have a concert here. Higgs Memorial Beach is the second largest Florida beach in Key West, and runs along Atlantic Boulevard.

Bahia Honda State Park Beach, Fl:
Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys has one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States. It's recently been recognized by travel magazines as one of the "Top Ten Beaches" and has been featured on dozens of magazine covers. What makes this Florida beach stand out from all the rest? You can sum it all up in one word: the view. The beach faces west and looks out over an old section of the Overseas Railway. That means great scenery and beautiful Florida Keys sunsets over the Atlantic Ocean plus the warm Keys waters and soft beach. Come for a day at the beach and stay until dusk for a fun day at the beach followed by one fabulous sunset you won't forget.