Visiting Disney - best direction to go within 2 hours to visit the ocean? (Tampa: hotels)

[AJohnston_STL]

Hey all,
25 years old and bringing my 23 year old wife and 2 1/2 year old son down to Disney in June. Where would be the best place to go hang out at the beach for a day? I've been told Daytona and I've been told Cocoa Beach. Which would you suggest? I've never been to the ocean!

Joey

[brinkofsunshine]

Cocoa Beach is fun but it's not very pretty in my opinion.. if you want to see beautiful beaches go to the Gulf, which is around 2 hours drive. St. Pete has some beautiful beaches. Fort DeSoto Beach is considered one of the best in America (it's my fav)

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I personally prefer the West coast of Florida, the water is warmer, there are more shells and its just a prettier place to be.
If your going to be at Disney, its just as close to go to the West coast and I think you will have a better experience.
I usually go further down the West coast to Fort Meyers and out to the islands of Sanibel and Captiva however I have always heard the beaches at Sarasota and Bradenton are wonderful.
I hope you enjoy your vacation here.

[FLABoyJ]

Head to the Gulf Coast. Clearwater Beach. St. Petersburg. Pinellas County. Beautiful.

[tedweiser]

Siesta Key is one of the prettiest beaches I've visited, and is just about 2 hours from Disney. Totally worth the trip, it is gorgeous.

[DavieJ89]

Originally Posted by AJohnston_STL

Hey all,
25 years old and bringing my 23 year old wife and 2 1/2 year old son down to Disney in June. Where would be the best place to go hang out at the beach for a day? I've been told Daytona and I've been told Cocoa Beach. Which would you suggest? I've never been to the ocean!

Joey

From Disney you can take the 417 Expressway to the 528 which will shoot you out directly to the beach, its a beautiful beach day today

Or, you can jump on I-4 and shoot straight down to Tampa for the West Coast beaches, its up to you

Disney is in a good location for beaches

[jdoty]

Cocoa Beach is touristy and can be crowded IMO. The beaches tend to be dirtier because of the crowds. If you're looking for something on the east coast, Canaveral National Seashore is probably the nicest of the east coast beaches, but it's remote. If you're looking for something closer to civilization, I'm a big fan of the beaches in Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, and Sebastian Inlet State Park. The water is a bit cooler than on the west coast (but still swimmable), but the beaches are clean, uncrowded, and there's actual waves. The west coast beaches are gorgeous, but I rarely see waves big enough to surf or boogie-board on. I'm probably a bit biased though since I live near there!

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by brinkofsunshine

Cocoa Beach is fun but it's not very pretty in my opinion.. if you want to see beautiful beaches go to the Gulf, which is around 2 hours drive. St. Pete has some beautiful beaches. Fort DeSoto Beach is considered one of the best in America (it's my fav)

But if you go West Coast you will not see the Atlantic Ocean, just the Gulf of Mexico .

Beauty is in the beholder. Atlantic beaches are beautiful, too. just in a different way. You can see several different types of beaches in Brevard County. You have the hard packed beaches of Cocoa Beach where it is hard enough sand for cars to drive on. They don't allow it in Cocoa Beach like they do in Daytona, though.

I suggest coming South to Brevard County. The sand is not the soft white sand of the Gulf coast, but is the only type sand some of the endangered sea turtles will nest in so we won't be trucking in the white stuff. Park department even offers night tours to watch turtles nest and lay eggs.
There is a greater possibility of bigger waves, but going to a park like Lori Wilson Park between the tides when the ocean is almost like a lake in June is where I take my little nieces and nephews when they come down. The bottom is smooth and doesn't drop off as fast as on some beaches. Lori Wilson has a pavilion, restrooms/changing area and a nature trail. On Sunday evenings you can even watch the cruise ships as they take off on their journey's.

If you want to see a different type of beach come a little bit further South to Indian Harbor Beach area and check out Canova Beach Park . If you go in June when the tides are out and the beach is at its widest the rocks will be exposed. They are lovely. You will be able to find more shells on the beach when you come south of Cocoa Beach. When you go farther south you lose the rocks in the water and on the waters edge and have the sandy beaches going into the water again. Indiatlantic, Melbourne Beach also have great access to the beaches. Sebastian Inlet is my idea of beach going.....you see the better surfers, it has the fishing pier, jetty, you can watch small boats go out into the ocean, and there is a tide pool on the river side where little ones can play in shallow water and sand without waves knocking them down(charge to get in) .

Melbourne area has all the major hotels right on the beach and sometimes can get really great deals. My nephew spent a few nights with his family of 5 at the Doubletree for less than $60 a night last June and is coming back this summer because they had so much fun. Kids want the beach instead of Disney this year.