• Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
    Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.You can use your Twitter or Facebook account to sign up, or register directly.

Best beach to visit in mid to late September

Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So just some advice from my peers here. It has been years since I went to the beach in Florida. I don't know why. But either way, what is the best beach that you recommend going to? Is it ones along the Atlantic such as Cocoa Beach or is it better going to the Gulf of Mexico side near Tampa and going to Clearwater Beach or something like that? Just things that are a drive away from Orlando is what I am looking at. I know Clearwater is further from Tampa than people think, but it is still just a couple of hours from where we will be staying.

What is the best, what crowds would be there on either one of a weekend or a weekday and what water is the warmest (I assume Clearwater?)

Also, crazy question but are there lawn chairs there already or not? My experience in going in the ocean is at Caribbean resorts that are all exclusive and they obviously provide them.

Thanks.
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Walt Disney1955 said:
So just some advice from my peers here. It has been years since I went to the beach in Florida. I don't know why. But either way, what is the best beach that you recommend going to? Is it ones along the Atlantic such as Cocoa Beach or is it better going to the Gulf of Mexico side near Tampa and going to Clearwater Beach or something like that? Just things that are a drive away from Orlando is what I am looking at. I know Clearwater is further from Tampa than people think, but it is still just a couple of hours from where we will be staying.

What is the best, what crowds would be there on either one of a weekend or a weekday and what water is the warmest (I assume Clearwater?)

Also, crazy question but are there lawn chairs there already or not? My experience in going in the ocean is at Caribbean resorts that are all exclusive and they obviously provide them.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
You can stop at Walmart on the way for chairs etc. Go to the gulf and if you want crowds, concessions, trash cans close choose Clearwater or head just a little north to Honeymoon Island state park by Dunedin. You pass through the town to take a short causeway to the beach. If you really want a full day get there early and take the ferry to Caladesi Island. You will need to walk a bunch there to get to the beach but it is pristine sand for a long way with very few people. Honeymoon is a drive up beach and can be rocky offshore but is pretty nice. The gulf is by far the warmest and calmest plus the sand is white not like that nasty brown sand you get on the Atlantic side.
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
JoeCamel said:
You can stop at Walmart on the way for chairs etc. Go to the gulf and if you want crowds, concessions, trash cans close choose Clearwater or head just a little north to Honeymoon Island state park by Dunedin. You pass through the town to take a short causeway to the beach. If you really want a full day get there early and take the ferry to Caladesi Island. You will need to walk a bunch there to get to the beach but it is pristine sand for a long way with very few people. Honeymoon is a drive up beach and can be rocky offshore but is pretty nice. The gulf is by far the warmest and calmest plus the sand is white not like that nasty brown sand you get on the Atlantic side.
Click to expand...

We have a couple of chairs we can pack with us, no big deal. I do think the Gulf is the most enticing. Walking into water that feels like a bathtub is unique, and I miss it. I am thinking Clearwater.

How would the crowds be on a weekday in September? And even on a weekend? I know Floridians have this way of thinking that summer sort of ends in September for them as well. Which is weird, because it is still hot then. I can remember buying swim shorts in November in Florida at Wal-Mart thinking there would be lots of them out. The manager had to actually call someone to bring some out from the back rooms. No one buys them at that time of year. Go figure. So is September sort of the month that locals just get sick of the beach and stop going or is there still lots of crowds?
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Walt Disney1955 said:
We have a couple of chairs we can pack with us, no big deal. I do think the Gulf is the most enticing. Walking into water that feels like a bathtub is unique, and I miss it. I am thinking Clearwater.

How would the crowds be on a weekday in September? And even on a weekend? I know Floridians have this way of thinking that summer sort of ends in September for them as well. Which is weird, because it is still hot then. I can remember buying swim shorts in November in Florida at Wal-Mart thinking there would be lots of them out. The manager had to actually call someone to bring some out from the back rooms. No one buys them at that time of year. Go figure. So is September sort of the month that locals just get sick of the beach and stop going or is there still lots of crowds?
Click to expand...
All summer the water has been sloshing around at bathtub temps and it tends to grow stuff that peaks in the fall. The heat gets to you after a long summer and bath water doesn't cool you so many locals don't choose the beach to recreate. There will be plenty of people on Clearwater as it is very popular and easy to access. If it is crowded and you can't find parking you can cross the small bridge to the south and go to Sand Key park which really is a continuation of Clearwater but less commercial.
The chain stores run seasonal offerings but if you want beach/swim stuff there are plenty of beach shops that have it year round.
Check the red tide report before you head out to your destination. If it is blooming where you want to go pick another beach that is clear.
 
Club Cooloholic

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
Walt Disney1955 said:
We have a couple of chairs we can pack with us, no big deal. I do think the Gulf is the most enticing. Walking into water that feels like a bathtub is unique, and I miss it. I am thinking Clearwater.

How would the crowds be on a weekday in September? And even on a weekend? I know Floridians have this way of thinking that summer sort of ends in September for them as well. Which is weird, because it is still hot then. I can remember buying swim shorts in November in Florida at Wal-Mart thinking there would be lots of them out. The manager had to actually call someone to bring some out from the back rooms. No one buys them at that time of year. Go figure. So is September sort of the month that locals just get sick of the beach and stop going or is there still lots of crowds?
Click to expand...
We have done Vero and Cocoa beach. Vero is very quiet. Remember if you like waves the Atlantic is the better option, but can't go wrong on gulf eitherm gulf will have more lodging options, we like Treasure Island on that side.
 
E

Eric Graham

Well-Known Member
We really enjoy Destin a lot on the Gulf. We've stayed at the Henderson Beach Resort, but there are many other wonderful places to stay. And The Back Porch is a scrumptious restaurant there. We've eaten there many a time.
 
E

Eric Graham

Well-Known Member
May be also a great idea to be at a beach with a lifeguard as well. They can often be your eyes for critters like sharks and rays Not to burst your bubble or scare you, but we were at a beach this summer where someone was bit on the foot by a shark about 200 feet from us in shallow water. I'm guessing it was a tiger shark.
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Club Cooloholic said:
We have done Vero and Cocoa beach. Vero is very quiet. Remember if you like waves the Atlantic is the better option, but can't go wrong on gulf eitherm gulf will have more lodging options, we like Treasure Island on that side.
Click to expand...

Sounds like Cocoa Beach with us. For one it is closer to Lake Buena Vista, just barely over an hour drive. And the pier looks nice and our kids would love the waves. So I am seeing some photos there, do you need to rent one of the umbrellas and/or chairs? Or is it wise to bring a beach chair with us? I am used to the Dominican/Cuba beaches at the resorts that have lounge chairs and umbrellas there already.

Thanks.
 
Club Cooloholic

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
Walt Disney1955 said:
Sounds like Cocoa Beach with us. For one it is closer to Lake Buena Vista, just barely over an hour drive. And the pier looks nice and our kids would love the waves. So I am seeing some photos there, do you need to rent one of the umbrellas and/or chairs? Or is it wise to bring a beach chair with us? I am used to the Dominican/Cuba beaches at the resorts that have lounge chairs and umbrellas there already.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I think we just brought towels to sit on, but if you can bring chairs easily I would do that. Some of the chairs might only be at resorts for guests to rent.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom