{"id":30240,"date":"2014-10-09T17:41:30","date_gmt":"2014-10-09T22:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=30240"},"modified":"2020-05-12T10:55:55","modified_gmt":"2020-05-12T15:55:55","slug":"7-beaches-floridians-dont-want-you-to-know-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/7-beaches-floridians-dont-want-you-to-know-about\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Florida beaches locals want to keep secret"},"content":{"rendered":"

Panama City Beach<\/a> is the go-to destination for spring break. Miami\u2019s South Beach<\/a> is a playground for the beautiful people. And Key West<\/a> has been lauded by everyone from Ernest Hemingway to Kenny Chesney. But with 663 miles of beaches, Florida still has something to offer travelers who prefer the shore less traveled. Here are seven secret Florida beaches we locals like to think of as our little secret.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Check out the 13 ultimate Florida beach bars. <\/a><\/p>\n

1)\u00a0Crandon Park<\/a><\/b><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

While tourists flock to Miami<\/a>\u2019s bustling South Beach, the locals quietly make their way to Crandon Park in nearby Key Biscayne. The 2-mile beach is family-friendly, with gentle Atlantic waves, a carousel and even an outdoor rollerskating rink.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0Bahia Honda State Park<\/a><\/b><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Key West<\/a> gets all the glory, but it\u2019s not the only island in the the Lower Florida Keys<\/a> that\u2019s worth writing home about. Travelers seeking a destination that\u2019s more family-friendly or romantic (read: quiet<\/i>) can experience the stunning views at they drive across the Overseas Highway from Miami<\/a> to Bahia Honda. The day\u2019s itinerary? Take a snorkeling excursion before watching the sunset.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0Amelia Island<\/a><\/b><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not exactly a state secret, but this barrier island flies under the radar compared to nearby Jacksonville Beach<\/a>. Take a kayak or paddle boarding excursion along Amelia Island\u2019s 13 miles of Atlantic coastline, then keep an eye out for dolphins and even wild horses during a sunset cruise to neighboring Cumberland Island, Georgia.<\/p>\n

4) Caladesi Island State Park<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In 2008, famed coastal researcher Stephen \u201cDr. Beach\u201d Leatherman christened Caladesi America\u2019s best beach<\/a>. But what keeps it uncrowded is that you have to take a ferry from Dunedin<\/a> to get there. It\u2019s worth it, though, for a Gulf of Mexico getaway where soft, white sand and wildlife meet modern amenities including a snack bar and gift shop.<\/p>\n

5)\u00a0Don Pedro Island State Park<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Don<\/a>

Don Pedro Island. Photo by Dalia Col\u00f3n.<\/p><\/div>\n

A little more than an hour\u2019s drive south of Sarasota<\/a> is Don Pedro Island, a sleepy 7-mile stretch of Gulf of Mexico beach that\u2019s accessible only by private boat or the public ferry. You can bring your car aboard, but golf carts are the vehicles du jour<\/i>.<\/p>\n

6)\u00a0Delray Beach<\/a><\/b><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

When Floridians want a beach town that\u2019s vibrant but not overrun, they head for this upscale destination between West Palm Beach<\/a> and Fort Lauderdale<\/a>. The beach is accessible from East Atlantic Avenue, whose boutiques, sidewalk cafes and ice cream parlors round out the natural lure of the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n

7)\u00a0St. George Island<\/a><\/b><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Nestled in Florida\u2019s panhandle, this barrier island is enveloped by the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola<\/a> Bay. By day, climb to the top of the 72-foot-high lighthouse for a panoramic view of the area. Then at night, hit the restaurant scene for seafood and live music.<\/p>\n

\"Orbitz,<\/a>\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Loaf like a local and these secret Florida beaches.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":78151,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[304],"class_list":["post-30240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-florida","tag-beach"],"acf":{"api_active":false,"api_title":"","api_excerpt":"","api_featured_image":false,"api_lob":"Hotels"},"posts_api_cpm_point":"","yoast_head":"\n7 Florida beaches locals want to keep secret | Orbitz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Loaf like a local at these secret Florida beaches.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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