[nahm24]

I've been researching online but I think personal experience is the best! Am looking to relocate with my husband and mother. I want to find somewhere that has the warmest temperatures for ocean swimming year round, similar to Hawaii. I am looking at Miami and the Keys as places that I would be happiest however my husband's work would be in Orlando. Are any of the beaches that are close to Orlando warm enough to swim in around the calendar year? And I mean warm enough like Hawaii warm, not San Diego warm which even in July was too cold for me!

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by nahm24

I've been researching online but I think personal experience is the best! Am looking to relocate with my husband and mother. I want to find somewhere that has the warmest temperatures for ocean swimming year round, similar to Hawaii. I am looking at Miami and the Keys as places that I would be happiest however my husband's work would be in Orlando. Are any of the beaches that are close to Orlando warm enough to swim in around the calendar year? And I mean warm enough like Hawaii warm, not San Diego warm which even in July was too cold for me!

Not as warm as Hawaii, but warmer than San Diego. Melbourne would average about 68-70 in Jan. and the low 80's Aug and Sept. Miami would be your best bet. If you can handle 87 degree water in the summer....

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by nahm24

I've been researching online but I think personal experience is the best! Am looking to relocate with my husband and mother. I want to find somewhere that has the warmest temperatures for ocean swimming year round, similar to Hawaii. I am looking at Miami and the Keys as places that I would be happiest however my husband's work would be in Orlando. Are any of the beaches that are close to Orlando warm enough to swim in around the calendar year? And I mean warm enough like Hawaii warm, not San Diego warm which even in July was too cold for me!

The water in Miami Beach late summer is much warmer than Hawaii. It feels great if you are a chicken like me when it comes to cold water. Key West isn't known for beaches, it's better for boating. The ocean temperature in Miami can get into the high 80's.

[nahm24]

I am a chicken about cold anything! I currently live in Northern California where we have four very separate very distinct seasons and I absolutely hate three out of those four. I used to say the hotter the better but we do get temps up to 115 in the summertime and that can be a bit much. It's also far too dry for me. Hot or warm and humid are what I like best. The thing I live the most about Hawaii though is the consistency of temperature. The temp seems to be the same at 2am as 2pm in January and July, in the air and in the water. If only I could talk the husband into it!

[NowSoFlorida]

The ocean always feels cold to me, even when it's at it's warmest I have trouble getting in the water. Key West is the warmest area in Florida and would also have the warmest waters. There are no waves there and the water is pretty shallow so the sun warms it up more. On the west coast of Florida it's also more shallow. I would not go into the ocean in winter but if you are used to going into the water in the summer in the northeast then that's about what the water is like in south Florida in the winter.

Here is an ocean temperature chart link http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/satl.html

[Hawaii4evr]

The Gulf side in summer is warmer than the Atlantic side. Usually the Atlantic tops out at 85F in South FL, whereas it can be 87-88F in the Gulf. In winter, the opposite is true. Miami Beach usually has 73F in January, whereas somewhere like Naples Beach on the Gulf would be like 67F (not bad, but more like San Diego's ocean temps in July, as you said). Personally, I like Atlantic beaches better. There are waves (although not like CA or HI waves), the water there seems more clear. The Gulf waters off of Naples look pale blue, but also are kinda murky.

[Sweetbottoms]

I find the gulf side my nicer.. MUCH nicer.. Miami in itself is a dirty city and thr beaches ehile nice are nowhere near the gulf side. The gulf side is a much more laid back lifestyle in general where as over there it's much more go go go. Our waters ARE beautiful and warm most of the year we also have sugar sand (Naples) where as mostly the east coast is a gritty grayish sand. Our is pure white and very soft. The gulf also has a nice calm water, easy to swim in and relax too. I found the ocean too wavy and not able to just relax in.

I find our summers easier to deal with also. I went to Miami in Aug a few years back and found it much more oppressive than the gulf coast. I don't know if its the buildings or what but we seem to have much more of a sea breeze

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

I find the gulf side my nicer.. MUCH nicer.. Miami in itself is a dirty city and thr beaches ehile nice are nowhere near the gulf side. The gulf side is a much more laid back lifestyle in general where as over there it's much more go go go. Our waters ARE beautiful and warm most of the year we also have sugar sand (Naples) where as mostly the east coast is a gritty grayish sand. Our is pure white and very soft. The gulf also has a nice calm water, easy to swim in and relax too. I found the ocean too wavy and not able to just relax in.

I find our summers easier to deal with also. I went to Miami in Aug a few years back and found it much more oppressive than the gulf coast. I don't know if its the buildings or what but we seem to have much more of a sea breeze

That's why they have chocolate and vanilla, conservative and liberal, etc., etc. To me Naples is like Miami with all the color and life sucked out of it.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

I find the gulf side my nicer.. MUCH nicer.. Miami in itself is a dirty city and thr beaches ehile nice are nowhere near the gulf side. The gulf side is a much more laid back lifestyle in general where as over there it's much more go go go. Our waters ARE beautiful and warm most of the year we also have sugar sand (Naples) where as mostly the east coast is a gritty grayish sand. Our is pure white and very soft. The gulf also has a nice calm water, easy to swim in and relax too. I found the ocean too wavy and not able to just relax in.

I find our summers easier to deal with also. I went to Miami in Aug a few years back and found it much more oppressive than the gulf coast. I don't know if its the buildings or what but we seem to have much more of a sea breeze

There are going to be bigger waves and more wind because there is more ocean on the atlantic side. Miami a dirty city? That is funny in it self. Miami is probably the cleanest metro in the world with a population of over 5 million people. Not being a homer or exaggerating it is really hard to find such a large city be so clean. Water and air here are very good for a city of its size. Both sides have nice beaches. I find Miami's side have clearer water while the gulf side has nicer sand.

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

There are going to be bigger waves and more wind because there is more ocean on the atlantic side. Miami a dirty city? That is funny in it self. Miami is probably the cleanest metro in the world with a population of over 5 million people. Not being a homer or exaggerating it is really hard to find such a large city be so clean. Water and air here are very good for a city of its size. Both sides have nice beaches. I find Miami's side have clearer water while the gulf side has nicer sand.

Lol I could not disagree with you more. Just driving from Naples to Miami there is literally a visible brown-ish haze you can see in the distance. I've witnessed it several times ... Clean? I've never seen more homeless people in my life and I lived near and visited Boston frequently. The gulf coast as I stated is much more laid back and more of a real Florida lifestyle. Miami is a go go go just another city style all those the first 48 episodes are mostly Miami. We don't have those kinds of issues that occur daily over there