Ponce Inlet is a calm ocean-front town at the tip of a barrier island. It has free parking, the tallest lighthouse in Florida (which you can tour) plus parks, a beach and places to eat fresh seafood.
Best Florida Beaches
Best Beaches in Florida
Florida Rambler’s full catalog of stories about our favorite Florida beaches, many of them hidden treasures where you can find solace and sun, surf and sand, or excellent fishing. Family beaches to play and hidden gems you can only reach by kayak.
Browse our beach stories below…
After damage from 3 hurricanes, Sanibel/Captiva near normal
Sanibel has bounced back from a series of hurricanes in 2022-24. The latest reopening: the beachfront bar and restaurant, the Mucky Duck on Captiva.
10 things to do in Naples to experience its natural beauty
Naples has among the most beautiful beaches in the US, but there’s more to see and do there, including shady boardwalks, gardens & kayak trails.
Spring Break 2027
This week and next week will see the biggest crowds at Florida’s major Spring Break destinations.
Honeymoon Island: Spectacular natural beach with charming Old Florida history
Honeymoon Island in Dunedin has a big, natural beach where you can get away from people, but also offers a cafe and bikes and kayaks to rent. Its history involves actual honeymooners drawn here during the Great Depression in a real estate scheme.
Anna Maria Island is a delightful Old Florida beach town
Visiting here, I found myself happy that places like Anna Maria Island survive — a low-rise beach town with quaint cottages and a spectacular beach. Daytrippers will be happy to learn they can skip the weekend traffic and parking hassles with an affordable ferry service from Bradenton.
Lovers Key State Park bounces bounces with beach, trails and visitor center ready for visitors
Lovers Key State Park is a treasure in Fort Myers Beach. You can kayak a mangrove-lined trail and stroll an unspoiled 2.5 mile beach. The park has recovered from Hurricane Milton and its devastating storm surge a year ago.
Stump Pass Beach State Park reopens 11 months after Hurricane Milton
Discover a less well-known string of islands — Gasparilla Island, Don Pedro Island and Manasota Key. Each holds a spectacular state park with top beaches.
Cayo Costa: A wild island with spectacular beach you can visit by boat
Cayo Costa, a wild island with nine miles of pristine beach, can be reached for day trips and there are two companies that offer cruises. The lucky few who visit can explore a slice of paradise.
Discover Hobe Sound’s ‘secret’ wild beach and wildlife refuge
Secret beaches are the stuff of vacation dreams. But I found one — more than 5 miles of wild, broad unspoiled sandy shore, lined with thick native vegetation and without a condo or T-shirt shop in sight.