Which Beach?

We are staying at Four Corners on the 27 and are looking to spend more time at the beach this year. So the question is, which is your favourite beach and why?

Many Thanks

Kevin

Kevin, our favourite beach is Treasure Island. The sand is golden and the atmosphere is fab[msnsmile2]

Thanks Jackie & Martin.
Can you give me an idea where the best place to park is?

Hi Kevin
Our favourite beach at the moment although there are plenty to choose from is St Pete`s beach. Head over to Tampa and follow the signs for St Pete`s. When you get there there is a Pulix supermarket on your right(great to grab a filled Sub and some cold drinks) and straight across the road is the beach with car parking and restrooms.
Have a great time.
Hannah.

We love St Petes too Hannah and Clearwater is lovely as well.[msnsmile]

Clearwater for us, we love the atmoshere[msnsmile]

Have to say Clearwater however we did like Daytonna as a beach place as it has lots going on and things to do.

The beaches of Boca Grande and Englewood are our favourite. Very much the real Florida with peace, quiet and lots of wildlife:)

For me it is any of the Gulf Beaches as the water is warm and the sand lovely and soft. However the boys all like Cocoa beach for the waves as they like to body board.

Hi Kevin,
we own on Four corner !! Our favorite is St. Pete too, we usually go to the little beach at Passe Grille ( no it's not a resturant ! ) and it's really quiet, apart from a beach snack bar and a lovely bar / grill across the road where you can sit up on the roof to watch the sunset ,there isn't much else there ! We spend part of the day there then head to the Pier ! great day out we usually go each time we visit.

St Pete's !!!!!! Lovely clear water and beautiful sandy beaches!!![msncool][msncool]

We love Clearwater. Miles of Golden sand and warm sea to paddle in.[msncool]

Have to agree with Stabard, any of the Gulf Coast beeches.
Our favorite is the Beech at Siesta Key down near Sarasota.
May not be good for a day trip as its about 3 hours drive from Orlando but if you fancied staying on the Gulf Coast for a couple of nights its an option for you

We're going to 4 corners in about three weeks and intend to spend the middle weekend on the gulf coast. St. Petes is looking fav. any suggestions for hotels? As ever, don't wanna spend the earth, but would like somewhere central and family friendy. How long's it gonna take me to drive down?

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Genie
Hi Kevin,
we own on Four corner !! Our favorite is St. Pete too, we usually go to the little beach at Passe Grille ( no it's not a resturant ! ) and it's really quiet, apart from a beach snack bar and a lovely bar / grill across the road where you can sit up on the roof to watch the sunset ,there isn't much else there ! We spend part of the day there then head to the Pier ! great day out we usually go each time we visit.
[/quote]

We have been here too Jean - I totally agree that it is fabulous. Lee and I had a wonderful meal there while watching the sun go down last September [msncool]

Hi, how far from Orlando (KIssimee) Is St Pete's/Treasure Island?
Thanks[msnsmile]

We drove over to St Pete`s a couple of times in May from Emerald Island and it took us no more than than 90 minutes.
Hannah.

We love Passe-a- Grille Beach at St Pete - Turn left at the Don Cesar (Pink Palace) and follow the signs. Its quite quite and there is a great restaurant just across the road from the beach. Also Siesta Key at Sarasota is lovely

Judy

We like Longboat Key at Sarasota but it is a bit far for a day! We stayed a couple of nights.
Joyce

Why not stay in a nice villa for a couple of days? I am sure that there are some that will rent for a short stay.

absolutely worth finding out about villas for a couple of nights or more - we saw some wonderful ones in the Sarasota area.
Joyce

Staying in a villa is definately the way to go. With so much more room to spread out, you won't want to stay in anything else[msnsmile2]

Before i was a villa owner, we did a trip from Orlando down to the gulf coast for 2 nights. I didn't know about villas on the coast.

The surroundings were beautiful, but the whole family in one room was a recipe for disaster.

I will go to the coast again , but I will not forgo the luxury and freedom a villa gives. Why not fill out an enquiry through one of the villa links above and just see what there is to offer.

The only problem you will have is which one to choose!

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by joyce roberts
absolutely worth finding out about villas for a couple of nights or more - we saw some wonderful ones in the Sarasota area.
Joyce
[/quote]

Have to agree - we ahve decided to go over to the Gulf for a week away from Olando in January and I was hard pushed to choose as all th homes were lovely :D - Can't wait to get there now.

Many Thanks everyone for the replies. Looking forward to some gret times on the beach.
Kevin

Hi Kevin
for us the beach at siesta key at sarasota is the best, white quartz sand and some lovely resterants (not chain) ones.our favorite is called Sugar and Spice its an armish resterant. and the pies are home baked and are to die for.
when we go we stay for 1 or 2 nights as it takes about 2 hours from hyw27 four corners area

I'm partial to the beaches on Boca Grande. Stay in a Villa in Rotonda, drive 15 minutes to Boca Grande to see the sunset over the golf then have dinner at South Beach Grill right on the water. Heaven!

St Pete's for us, beautiful sand and on the gulf of Mexico

We love treasure island BUT AT THE MOMENT they are making a new brige at ST JOHNS PASS doing away with the one that opens when the large ships go through so there is a lot of work going on in that area and it is going to take until YEAR 2011 AS WILL BE A DUAL CARRAGEWAY ,it does not effect the beach near MADERIA or the other way toward ST PETES so you can still walk onto the beachs, TREASURE ISLAND is going up market .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683

We tried the Atlantic this year and visited the State Park at Apollo Beach. I can't recommend it as a swimming beach, there is a very strong riptide and plenty of marine life in the surf. In addition, the sand is not sand, but tiny ground up shells. They stick everywhere, whatever you do, don't sit down at the waters edge![:O] However, it was very beautiful and there is a great visitors centre that was really interesting. We saw pelicans and eagles flying up and down the beach, not 5 feet over our heads and the dunes are quite different to anything on the Gulf coast. There are plenty of trails for walking but no conveniences whatsoever. Bring a picnic and a thermos! There were loads of people fishing off the beach. I understand they do very well because the beach slopes very steeply and then suddenly drops away. So when the tide is out, you can get quite large fish from the shore. The shoreline stretches over 6.5 miles and at the southern end they close the beaches when a shuttle launch is imminent. It makes a nice day trip and is only 90 minutes from Kissimmee.

We love the beach and went to Ponce Inlet at the very end of Daytona beach.
You can drive your car onto the beach and the sand is lovely.
This beach is very popular with the local surfers.
kim

We have friends who live in Sarasota and this year they took us to Siesta Key beach it was fabulous and the water was lovely and warm. I am not a beach person but will definitely go back there again next visit.

We have spent time in St.petes,and Clearwater which we love and sarasota and naples which are wonderful but the past two visits we just went to Cocoa Beach which is so easily accessable , just down Nova Road from Kissimmee ,Oh my husband just reminded me we also visited the wonderful beach at St. Augustine this year .I find now when I rent a super vila in Orlando and they are practically all super , I dont want to be away from it for longer than one night so a day trip to the beach does us fine .

Hi Kevin,

Like Olive we discovered St. Augustine this year and must agree the beaches are fabulous and not too far for a day trip from Orlando.

We also loved Daytona Beach - straight up the I-4 and just over an hour from Orlando. We packed a picnic in our coolbox and drove onto the beach. (Sand is hard-packed so don't need a 4 wheel-drive).

St.Pete's Beach won a recent poll for the best beach in Florida - we do love St.Pete's but you must watch out for the sting-rays. I believe the 'sting-ray shuffle season is May to October! but still worth a trip - again just over an hour from 4 Corners.

Enjoy whichever beach you choose,

Jeanette & family

Although I have not been there myself yet, a friend of mine highly recommends Clearwater.[msncool]

Our favourite beach out on the Gulf Coast is Sand Key Park. Again a State maintained park with plenty of facilities ie "proper toilets", showers, vending machines for drinks and snacks.

Set behind the beach are BBQ pit areas and grassy areas with children's playground equipment.

The beach is wide and sandy with monitored life guards and also "alcohol" checkers, just making sure you have nothing more than sodas in your cool box.

Sea is nice and warm and perfect for swimming.

Sand Key Park can be reached by driving out of Clearwater along the coastal road and it is just on the right hand side as you pass over the bridge.

Car Parking is metered and requires quarters.

Jane