10 Fantastic Beach Towns in Florida

Florida is known above all for its beaches, from the shell-laden shorelines along the Atlantic Ocean to the sugar-white coasts of the Florida Panhandle, and everything in between. With the sand comes fun beach towns!

1. Santa Rosa Beach and Grayton Beach State Park: Part of the historic 30A region of the Florida Panhandle, Grayton Beach is home to sugar sand and emerald waves. In nearby Santa Rosa Beach, visitors flock to Gulf-to-table seafood restaurants, local brew pubs, and unique shopping experiences.
2. Okaloosa Island and Beasley Park: Snuggled between Destin and Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island offers unparalleled public access to the beach - including at Beasley Park - as well as a series of boardwalk restaurants near the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier. Want to take a break from the Gulf of Mexico? Check out additional beaches along the Choctawhatchee Bay!
3. Flagler Beach and Gamble Rogers State Park: Known for the unique cinnamon color of the coquina sand, Flagler Beach has developed into a quaint coastal community. Fishing, dining, and shopping opportunities abound in a friendly, open-air atmosphere.
4. Pensacola Beach and Gulf Islands National Seashore: Though Gulf Islands National Seashore areas are spread across the Florida Panhandle and Mississippi, two of the largest stretches hug Pensacola Beach. With beautiful shoreline on both the Sound and the Gulf, Pensacola Beach is an excellent place to set out on a fishing adventure or look for native wildlife species.
5. Cape San Blas and T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park: Located on a long  peninsula near Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas is prized for its serenity and quiet. Enjoy scalloping, diving, and rubbing elbows with locals and campers at the small but delicious eateries.
6. Key West and Dry Tortugas National Park: There's no place quite like Key West, a beach community located hours from the mainland of Florida. Enjoy the small beaches on the island, or take the high-speed ferry to the breathtaking views of Dry Tortugas National Park.
7. St. Pete and Fort De Soto Beach: A bustling coastal city, St. Pete has art, dining, shopping and more, with easy access to the over 1,000 acres of protected shoreline within Fort De Soto Park.
8. Titusville and Canaveral National Seashore: Whether you're sunbathing along the Atlantic Coast or looking for manatees in the lagoons, visitors to Titusville and Canaveral National Seashore enjoy a range of nature exploration possibilities. For those looking for mainland attractions, the Kennedy Space Center is open year round.
9. Fernandina Beach and George Crady Bridge: Fernandina is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts yearning for its beaches and state parks, from the steep bluffs of Big Talbot to the windy peninsula of Amelia Island State Park. For a bird's eye view of the sand, visitors can take a saunter across the George Crady Bridge before returning to the city's unique array of bed and breakfasts, resorts, restaurants, and shops.
10. Dunedin and Honeymoon Island State Park: Serving as a center for island state parks, Dunedin offers nature exploration rentals, a local market, a community ballpark for spring training games, and a fine arts center. Just across the causeway, visitors look for shells and birds on Honeymoon Island.