Best Beaches Near Orlando

If you’ve never been to Orlando before, you may be one of the many soon-to-be tourists who don’t realize that there actually aren’t any beaches in Orlando itself. In fact, it’s located in the middle of the state. The good news is that the water-lovers have three different options.

Visit Local Water Parks

There are numerous water parks within the Orlando area. Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are both located within the Walt Disney World Resort and have a wide range of unique attractions, water slides, wave pools, and more! Note that if you’re traveling during the cooler months of the year, only one of the two will be open.

Your other water park option is Wet ‘n’ Wild, which is an incredible water park that’s actually the oldest in the entire country. Any of these water parks can make a great choice for the family who wants to take in some sun and have fun in the water but doesn’t want to make the trek to the coasts.

 

Beaches Within 90 Min of Orlando

There are numerous beaches within an hour and a half of Disney World, including Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Canaveral National Seashore, and Melbourne Beach. You can take off for a day trip to any of these beaches, or book a room and stay overnight to add a unique stop to your Florida vacation.

 

Gulf Coast Beaches

If you want to head in the other direction, you can check out gulf coast beaches like Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Anna Maria Island. These options are around 2 hours, and you have the added benefit of visiting other parks in the Tampa area. Take a peek at Busch Gardens for a more laid-back, thrill-ride experience.