Florida is widely recognized for its massive shorelines, and the state has more than 1,300 miles of coastline to choose from.
Despite the abundance of coastline, it can be quite difficult to locate a secluded spot to spend a day on the beach. Florida has a massive population of more than 22 million people, and it is noted that millions of visitors come to the state each year. Owing to that, almost every beach in the sunshine state can become quite congested.
Finding a parking spot near the beach can be difficult in several circumstances, and when you reach the beach, you discover that numerous other individuals were following the same concept. Note that even prior to social distancing; an overpopulated beach can be quite unpleasant, because being so close to random people may pose a serious threat to public health.
If you want a peaceful retreat with your own span of beach, head towards one of Florida’s lesser-known spots. Continue reading to learn about the top locations in Florida to tour if you strongly dislike crowds.
Best Non-Busy Beaches in Florida
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Captiva Island
Sanibel-Captiva is widely acknowledged for its beaches as well as shelling and is situated along the causeway from Fort Myers. Captiva Island is located in the latter part of a chain of islands, and the shores are primarily utilized by island hotel visitors.
Three public beaches with washrooms are available. A day at the beach could be quite expensive. Non-residents must pay a $9 toll on the causeway, and car parking at the beaches is $5 for each hour.
The Canaveral National Seashore is a well-placed 40-mile trail of uncultivated Atlantic Coast beach stretching north from the Kennedy Space Center to New Smyrna Beach. There are two entrances: one in New Smyrna Beach and one in Titusville.
Aside from that, there are around 193 parking spaces at the park’s northern end and 1,100 spaces at its southern end. Holiday weekends are popular, and parking lots can become congested. However, if you stroll away from the beach-accessible walking paths, you can come across some personal space.
During the week, you’ll nearly certainly have the beach to yourself. If you enjoy seaside hikes, the middle portion of the seashore is unoccupied and has no roads. Hiking into that region leaves you completely alone, with only the seabirds and the accidental coyote for company.
Gulf Islands National Seashore
The white sands of this national seashore in Gulf Breeze, Florida’s panhandle, are unrivaled in their beauty. The Gulf Islands National Seashore stretches for upwards of 26 miles from Pensacola to Navarre. There are two entry parks with car parks and restrooms.
Aside from that, it’s really just super clean sand as well as soft blue water. People park at random anywhere along the road and stake out their very own beachfront, with hardly any other people in sight.
Bahia Honda State Park
According to reports, visitors at Bahia Honda State Park, positioned on the Florida Keys (particularly Big Pine Key), south of Marathon as well as the Seven Mile Bridge, are primarily guests from the park camping areas. This is a nice location for young kids since the waves are calmed by offshore reefs and the water is small for a great range away from the shore.
Throughout winter, the Keys’ state parks are normally packed with RV campers. Campgrounds are scarce. You could, however, pay a premium and gain entry to the parks without making a campground booking. Coastlines at all of the Keys’ state parks are normally empty and quiet, even in the winter.
Melbourne Beach’s Sebastian Inlet State Park
Sebastian Inlet State Park in Melbourne Beach is situated north of Vero Beach and is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a stream as well as a bridge. The south beach is less congested than the north beach. There aren’t any washrooms or other constructions. There are no car parks along Highway A1A, so space is only available at pull-offs. The beach resort is accessible for free.
Satellite Beach
Note that this beach can be found south of Cocoa Beach. It contains six car parks, with the two sited in the north end, in South Patrick Shores, drawing the fewest visitors.
Even on summer Saturdays and Sundays, you could typically find a sand patch to yourself. Patrick Space Force Base, which has beaches accessible to the general public, is located within the same stretch of beach. Only a word of caution: these beaches aren’t particularly wide, and much of the beach vanishes throughout the high tide.
Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island is located just off the shorelines of Bradenton. The island is divided into three communities, with the least busy beaches located at the north end. Even on a holiday weekend, the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico are broad and white, and they are rarely crowded.
The majority of visitors here seem to be locals or tourists at the island’s guesthouses and bed and breakfasts. The issue here seems to be parking. There are no designated parking facilities near the beach.
Crandon Park
This is a Miami-Dade County park on Key Biscayne, near Miami’s southern tip. There is more than enough parking and nearly 2 miles of beach. This is one of the less busy beaches in the sunshine state, especially since the beach is rarely visited during weekdays.
Weekends can be crowded, however, this is a large park with plenty of beach space for everybody. Sunrise is a spectacular show of red and orange hues, encircled by the coconut palms that traverse the beach.
The Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach is situated on Treasure Island, a coastal town in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is primarily utilized by the locals.
The white sand beach is incredibly gorgeous, and the Gulf of Mexico waters are typically less choppy than the seashore on the state’s Atlantic coast. There are only two car parks, which fill up quickly on weekends. You can have the area to yourself throughout the week.
Joseph Peninsula State Park
This beach in Port St. Joe should be one of your favorites if you seek a less crowded beach in Florida. St. Joseph Peninsula State Park’s geographical position on the Florida panhandle helps to keep throngs of people at bay. Natural beauty is created by sugar-white sand as well as lofty sand dunes.
The famous Dr. Beach labeled it the best beach in the nation at one stage. The sole issue is that some of the park, such as the campgrounds, is still sealed as it recovers from Hurricane Michael in 2018. At the moment, just a tiny segment of the beach is accessible for day use. Park officials hope to restart the full facility in 2023.
The beaches in Florida are ranked among the finest in the globe. A good number of them are extremely popular, such as Miami’s South Beach, Daytona Beach on the Atlantic Coast, as well as Clearwater Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. Even some areas tend to be less crowded during the week.