{"id":28439,"date":"2019-09-30T10:40:44","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T10:40:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=28439"},"modified":"2021-10-28T17:22:18","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T17:22:18","slug":"7-of-the-best-beaches-near-orlando","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/7-of-the-best-beaches-near-orlando\/","title":{"rendered":"7 of the Best Beaches near Orlando"},"content":{"rendered":"

Orlando might be best known as a theme park lover\u2019s paradise<\/a>, but being right in the middle of Florida, you\u2019re never that far away from a beach. While most of Orlando\u2019s best beaches are on the east coast, where the sand meets the Atlantic Ocean, you can also reach the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico within a couple of hours. The choices can be overwhelming, so here are seven of the best beaches near Orlando.<\/p>\n

Cocoa Beach<\/h2>\n
\"Cocoa
Via Sun_Lover88\/Trover<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Visit<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re looking for an easy-access beach near Orlando, Cocoa Beach is the nearest. Nicknamed the \u2018Space Coast\u2019 for its proximity to the Kennedy Space Center, this is a Florida classic, home to waves that have produced world-famous surfers. There are lots of waterfront resorts and the water is warm and swimmable \u2013 so it\u2019s great for families<\/a> and watersports enthusiasts. Meanwhile, at the end of the huge Westgate Pier is beach-shack Riki-tiki Bar, where you can grab a pi\u00f1a colada after a day under the sun.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

Cocoa Beach is an hour from Orlando on Florida\u2019s east coast. It\u2019s an easy drive on route 528. There are parking meters all over town, as well as several paid parking lots.<\/p>\n

Vero Beach<\/h2>\n
\"Vero
Via Glenn Miller\/Trover<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Visit<\/h3>\n

Vero Beach is a quaint resort town southeast of Orlando on a barrier island at the Indian River and Atlantic Ocean. The outer beaches are of soft, white sand that meets gentle, turquoise waves. The town of Vero Beach has a nice collection of local cafes, breweries and seafood restaurants. There are plenty of local hotels and inns, or you can stay at Disney\u2019s Vero Beach resort hotel \u2013 there are no rides, but you get a Mickey Mouse-shaped pool instead.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

Vero Beach is a little less than two hours southeast of Orlando along I-95. There is a two-hour parking limit in the oceanside business district; and there are parking lots at South Beach Park on Ocean Dr and at Easter Lily Ln.<\/p>\n

New Smyrna Beach<\/h2>\n
\"New
Via Jillian West\/Trover<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Visit<\/h3>\n

New Smyrna is considered a \u2018locals\u2019 beach\u2019 because it\u2019s quieter than most of the other beaches near Orlando. The sand here is fine and packed down hard, so you can drive along it, set up a tent or even ride bikes into the surf. The town\u2019s historic Flagler Avenue, leading up to the beach, is lined with relaxed cafes and shopping.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

New Smyrna Beach is only an hour northeast of Orlando along the Atlantic Coast. There are paid beachfront parking lots<\/a> all along Atlantic Ave.<\/p>\n

Clearwater Beach<\/h2>\n
\"Clearwater
Via Trading Travelers \/Trover<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Visit<\/h3>\n

Clearwater has some of the best sunsets of any beach near Orlando thanks to its west-facing sands along the Gulf Coast. The water here is warm, the sand is powdery white and there are a seemingly endless number of watersports, family activities and beach bars for sunset cocktails.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

Clearwater Beach is around a two hours\u2019 drive southwest of Orlando. There is metered on-street parking, as well as a number of parking lots<\/a> around the city, most with around five-hour limits.<\/p>\n

Daytona Beach<\/h2>\n
\"Daytona
Via Geraldine Soh \/Trover<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Visit<\/h3>\n

While the town of Daytona might be best known for NASCAR racing, Daytona Beach is a lively stretch of sand that hosts concerts, food trucks, equipment rentals and a boardwalk with amusements and rides. And in keeping with the car theme, vehicles are allowed to drive on the beach too \u2013 beach racing has been popular here since the early 1900s.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

Daytona Beach is a very quick one-hour drive northeast from Orlando on I-4. There is plenty of free public parking around Daytona and you can even park on the beach itself. See the city\u2019s website<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n

Canaveral National Seashore<\/h2>\n
\"Canaveral
Via Michele McLaughlin Di Sanza \/Trover<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Visit<\/h3>\n

Just north of Kennedy Space Center you can watch NASA shuttles rocketing into space from this wild section of protected coastline. The area is a barrier island and a haven for wildlife, including at-risk species like sea turtles and bald eagles. There are miles of sandy sections to lay a beach towel with no one else in sight \u2013 or you can hike, fish and camp among backcountry lagoons and shoreline. The park remains open during NASA launches. Check the Kennedy Space Center website<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

The most accessible section is at Apollo Beach along Highway A1A south of New Smyrna, a 1.5-hour drive from Orlando. A vehicle permit must be purchased at the entrance.<\/p>\n

St Pete Beach<\/h2>\n
\"St.
Via Mags Onthemove \/Trover<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Visit<\/h3>\n

Combine glittering 1920s nostalgia with perfect white sand and beautiful sunsets, and you have St Pete Beach. The city is an excellent alternative to Miami for Art Deco architecture lovers, while the beach itself is a long strip of soft white sand lapping with warm Gulf of Mexico waters. There are plenty of watersports to try and, in the evening, numerous beachside cocktail bars to watch the sunset from.<\/p>\n

Getting There<\/h3>\n

St Petersburg is about a two-hour drive southwest of Orlando on the Pinellas peninsula. There\u2019s plenty of parking<\/a> \u2013 mainly paid \u2013 around St Pete Beach, or you can take the ferry from Tampa or Clearwater.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Forget about theme parks \u2013\u00a0check out Orlando’s beaches instead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":28399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1813,1782,1916,1776],"tags":[],"authors":[2264],"class_list":["post-28439","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beach","category-destinations","category-orlando","category-type-of-vacation","authors-expedia","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n7 of the Best Beaches near Orlando | Expedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Orlando is home to many beaches and choosing one can be overwhelming. Don't worry, we've got you covered. 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