Beaches in Tarpon Springs

The swimming beach at Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs, Florida

Tarpon Springs is famous for its historic sponge docks and Greek culture. But, the beaches in Tarpon Springs are also very nice, and are worth visiting! In fact, Tarpon Springs’ beach at Fred Howard Park is the northernmost beach in Pinellas County’s mainland. It marks the first of many beautiful beaches along Florida’s central Gulf … Read more

Neptune Beach

The beach at Neptune Beach, Florida, near Jacksonville

Neptune Beach is a small beach town in northeastern Florida. The city covers approximately 7 square miles and has fewer than 7,000 residents. The small city of Neptune Beach experienced steady growth for many years but has recently seen a decrease in its number of new residents. Location Neptune Beach is part of the Jacksonville … Read more

Bonita Springs

Bonita Beach in Bonita Springs, Florida

Bonita Springs is a small coastal city located in southwest Florida, on Florida’s gulf coast.  Because of its location in southwest Florida, Bonita Springs is especially popular among people who want to explore Florida’s beautiful beaches, coastline, nature and outdoors.  Bonita Springs is a sleepy town, but it’s a popular destination for tourists, snowbird residents … Read more

Marco Island

marco island, florida

Marco Island is a beautiful island and city in southwest Florida.  Marco Island is well known for its beautiful beaches and wealthy residents. It is a popular destination for vacationers, retirees and people who move to Florida from around the U.S.  The tight-knit island community has large and enthusiastic communities of golfers, sailors, and fishermen … Read more

Crab Island

Crab Island Destin Florida

Crab Island is a large underwater sandbar located north of the Destin Bridge in Destin, Florida.  The sandbar is located just east of Santa Rosa Island, and at the mouth of the Choctawhatchee Bay. Crab Island is located within the boundaries of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The sandbar is a beautiful spot, and is … Read more

Passage Key (Anna Maria)

Woman at Passage Key, Florida

Passage Key is an uninhabited island at the mouth of Tampa Bay.  The island is protected as a national wildlife refuge, and is closed to public access. Note: All of Passage Key closed to protect nesting wildlife. Trespassing on Passage Key is illegal. Visitors should remain well away from the beaches to avoid illegal trespassing.  … Read more

Islamorada Sandbars

islamorada sandbar, florida keys

The Islamorada sandbar is a shallow stretch of white sand, just offshore of Islamorada in the Florida Keys.  The Islamorada sandbar is an extremely popular place for boats to anchor and swim in the crystal clear water. Gatherings on the sandbar can be calm and relaxing, or wild parties, depending on the day and the … Read more

Boca Grande Key (Key West)

Boca grande key sandbar key west florida

Boca Grande is a small, uninhabited island in the Florida Keys.  Boca Grande Key is an extremely popular boating destination for people who live in Key West, and for visitors who visit the island with sandbar tours and captained boat charters. Note: Boca Grande Key should not be confused with the small residential community of … Read more

Sandbars in Key West

sandbar in key west, florida

Sandbars in Key West are hidden gems. The sand is like white sugar. The water is crystal clear.  When you’re all alone on a sandbar there isn’t any noise, except for the sound of the water. They’re like private desert islands.  You can often see fun and exciting marine life on sandbars, including dolphins, sharks, … Read more

Cocoa Beach

beaches in cocoa beach, floria

Cocoa Beach is one of the nicest beach towns in Florida. It’s an attractive city with many positive features, including beautiful public beaches and a historic beach boardwalk and pier.  Beaches in Cocoa Beach are among the most beautiful beaches in Florida. The sand is clean and the coastline offers some of the best surf … Read more

Destin

surfing in destin florida

Destin, Florida is a small beach town located in the Florida panhandle. It is an incredibly popular beach destination for tourists, and has been a popular destination for many decades.  Destin was once a quaint fishing village, but has grown into a busy tourist destination. More than 4.5 million people visit Destin annually, according to … Read more

The Best Sandbars in Florida

crab island, destin, florida

Sandbars in Florida are amazing! They often have crystal-clear water, powdery white sand, and are beautiful beyond words. While tourists crowd onto Florida’s beaches, Florida locals head to the sandbars. Sandbars in Florida are community gathering places. Although some sandbars can get crazy, they can also be a great place to meet like-minded friends and … Read more

Disappearing Island

disappearing island florida, near new smyrna beach and the ponce inlet

Disappearing Island is a large, popular sandbar in Florida’s Ponce Inlet, near New Smyrna Beach. Why is it called Disappearing Island? Disappearing Island got its name because it “disappears” at high tide, and is only visible during low tides. During high tide, the Disappearing Island sandbar is submerged underwater.  The water level and depth varies … Read more

Grayton Beach

Grayton Beach, Florida

Grayton Beach is a small beach town in the Florida Panhandle. Many people say that Grayton Beach is a reminder of how “Old Florida” used to be. Grayton Beach is known for its charming, eclectic community and beautiful nature. The beaches in Grayton Beach are among the best in Florida, and the area is surrounded … Read more

Indian Rocks Beach

Indian Rocks Beach, Florida

Indian Rocks Beach is a small beach town on Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast. Indian Rocks Beach located in Pinellas County, and is part of a larger, sprawling metropolitan area which includes both St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and many other communities. The population of Indian Rocks Beach is relatively small, and was 3,673 as of the … Read more

Nude Beaches in Key West

A woman on a topless nude beach in Key West, in the Florida Keys

Key West is a wild place. It’s a modern-day pirate town, known for crazy parties on Duval Street, quirkiness and adult-friendly entertainment. Key West celebrates individual freedom and permissive attitudes. Sometimes, it can feel like almost anything is allowed. With such a wild reputation, there must be nude beaches in Key West, right? Well, surprisingly, no!  … Read more

Beer Can Island (Tampa Bay)

Beer can island in tampa bay, also known as Pine Key

Tampa Bay has two islands with the name “Beer Can Island”. One “Beer Can Island” is located in the middle of Tampa Bay. It was recently renamed to “Pine Key”, and is the subject of this article. Click this link for the other “Beer Can Island”, located at the northern tip of Longboat Key, near … Read more

Beer Can Island (Longboat Key)

Aerial view of Beer Can Island and Longboat Key, Florida

The Tampa Bay area has two popular islands named “Beer Can Island”. One “Beer Can Island” is located near Sarasota, on the northern tip of Longboat Key. The history of this small island traces back for many decades. Historians say it was created in the 1930s as part of the Intracoastal Waterway dredging project, and … Read more

Sea Urchins

A man holds a sea urchin, taken from the sea.

Sea urchins are found in all of Florida’s coastal waters, including the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Sea urchins are echinoderms, and are part of the class Echinoidea. Habitat and Behavior Sea urchins are very versatile, and can be found in all of the world’s oceans. Sea urchins typically live on … Read more

The Best Beaches in Tampa

The beach at Egmont Key near Tampa

Many people ask about the best beaches in Tampa.  This question can be confusing because there are technically several beaches in Tampa, but they aren’t what most people expect.  Here’s how the Tampa city government website describes one popular beach in Tampa:  “Who needs to go to Clearwater to find a good beach when you … Read more