I love visiting white sand beaches because they are always different. You never know what you’ll see. I love the sound of waves coming in, and the feeling of warm sand between my toes.
White sand beaches are so relaxing to me. I love sitting on them and taking in all the nature around me – it’s completely calming.
Florida is among the few most popular places with white sand beaches that attract you from miles away.
White sanded beaches offer a great calm place for people who love to relax while enjoying beautiful nature. There are several white sand beaches in Florida, but only a few have enough soft powdery sand for comfortable and enjoyable walking.
Let’s unleash your inner beach bum!
13 White Sand Beaches in Florida
In this article, we shall share with you the 13 Best White Sand Beaches in Florida! They include;
1. Siesta Key Beach
Siesta Key Beach is one of the best white sand beaches in Florida. It is located just north of Venice, near Sarasota.
Siesta Key is the northernmost piece of land extending northward into Biscayne Bay. As such, it’s an important breeding ground for sea life. Hundreds of tropical fish come ashore each day to lay their eggs on the clean and soft sand.
In addition, there are more sea turtles on this particular beach than any other white sand beach in Florida. Because of this, there are no shells or different types of debris on the beach.
2. Clearwater beach
Clearwater Beach is another of the 13 best white sand Beaches in Florida! It is located just north of St. Petersburg (on the west coast of Florida) and is easily accessible by road or rail. It has some of the softest white sand I have ever felt.
The waves roll ashore and then run back out to sea, leaving a perfectly smooth and hard surface for walking and jogging. There are no rocks, no shells, no coral, no seaweeds, and no other debris on the beach.
The only thing that disturbs the peace here is the occasional jet skier or boater. Even then, they are kept at a safe distance. That makes Clearwater Beach one of the best beaches in the world for people who enjoy long romantic walks or runs.
3. Pensacola Beach
Pensacola Beach is one of Florida’s best white sand beaches and is located on the Gulf Coast barrier island of Santa Rosa. It is a large island (connected to the mainland by a causeway) that extends northward into Pensacola Bay.
The northern part of this island is a National Seashore and is very heavily visited. Therefore, much of this particular beach’s pristine and unspoiled nature has been destroyed.
But, the southern part of the island is much less developed and is a great place to go if you are looking for a peaceful and romantic getaway.
4. Navarre Beach
Navarre Beach is another white sand beach. It’s located just east of Pensacola at the far northwestern tip of the state. It features 12 miles of pristine white sand shoreline.
Most of the houses here are vacation homes owned by business owners from other cities who come here to escape the stress of their everyday lives. That makes Nevarre Beach one of the best places in Orlando to buy real estate. The peace and quiet here are tremendous!
5. Perdido Key
Perdido Key is located on a narrow strip of beach in the Northwest Panhandle of Florida, situated between Pensacola, Florida, and Orange Beach, Alabama.
There are no roads or houses or anything else on this island except for some fishermen’s cabins.
You can sail or boat to Perdido Key when the tides are right. Many people consider this one of the 13 best white sand beaches in Florida! It’s a great place to go if you want total and utter isolation.
Bring your fishing gear and go for a day or two if you like. There are no boats or jet skis, or other vessels of any kind.
6. Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach (on the northern coast of Florida) has some of the softest and smoothest white sand I have ever felt in my entire life. It’s part of a small city in the Florida Panhandle.
The waves roll ashore and then back out to sea, leaving a perfect surface for walking and jogging. This particular beach is heavily visited by both locals and tourists. But, the peace and quiet here are tremendous!
7. Destin Beach
Destin Beach is located in the town of Destin, which is on the northern coast of Florida. That means it is only a short drive (20-minutes) from the Florida Keys.
The Florida Keys are one of the most visited (and most densely populated) places on earth. But that doesn’t bother me. It’s an advantage because it makes finding a peaceful place to get away much easier.
8. Greyton Beach
Greyton Beach is located in Cape Canaveral in the County of Brevard, which is in the far northern part of Florida. It is almost directly north of the Kennedy Space Center. If you go here, you will have the most unspoiled and tranquil beach experience of your entire trip.
It’s hard to find a spot where you are not disturbed by something. But that doesn’t matter. Here, you can get away from it all and enjoy a truly tranquil and unplugged vacation.
9. Santa Rosa Beach
Santa Rosa Beach is located on the southern coast of Florida in the Town of Santa Rosa County. That means it is only a short drive (20-minutes) from Pensacola Beach, one of the 13 Best White Sand Beaches in Florida!
It has a fantastic beach with soft white sand, clear blue water, and hardly any other people, boats, or anything else that will disturb you.
10. St. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach is located on the northern coast of Florida in the city of St. Petersburg, which also has some of the softest and smoothest white sand I’ve ever felt. The waves roll ashore and then back out to sea, leaving a perfect surface for walking and jogging.
This particular beach is heavily visited by both locals and tourists. But, the peace and quiet here are tremendous! It’s hard to find a spot where you are not disturbed by something.
11. Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island is one of the largest islands in the Florida Keys. It is connected to the mainland by the longest bridge in Florida, which spans over the Manatee Creek.
That means you can get to Anna Maria Island by taking Highway 1 (also known as the “Turnpike”) north from the city of Orlando.
As you drive north on this highway, there are numerous exits. You will come to a sign that says “Pine Sol Resort” on it. Take the next exit, which will put you on Highway
12. Longboat Key
Longboat Key is a small unincorporated island located just east of Sarasota in the City of Sarasota, in the County of Manatee. It’s only about half a mile long and one-fourth mile wide.
That means it is very easy (and very quiet) to get around on foot. There are no cars here, no jet skis, no boats, no military bases, no tourists, no obnoxious and loud locals, no seagulls (they were all removed long ago), and no other sources of disturbance.
It’s truly a 100% unplugged and relaxing place.
13. Fort Myers Beach
Lastly, Fort Myers Beach is the other white sand beach located on the northern coast of Florida in Lee County.
It has a fantastic beach with soft white sand, clear blue water, and hardly any other people, boats, or anything else that will disturb you.
Hi, I’m Ryan Nelson! I live in the Hamptons, out on Long Island, near Ponquogue Beach. The beach is a place where I can find peace and serenity. It’s a place where I can sit and clear my head. The waves crashing on the shore somehow helps me to relax, while also reminding me that I am far from the stressors of daily life.
