Ninety minutes west of Orlando, and the reason a Florida holiday works. White quartz sand, water that stays flat and warm, and sunsets over the sea rather than behind you.
Most British visitors go east from Orlando to Cocoa or Daytona. That's the worse beach.
The Atlantic side is closer — 45 minutes — but the sand is brown-grey and the surf is choppy. The Gulf coast is ninety minutes and the sand is pure quartz, ground down from Appalachian rock: brilliant white, so fine it squeaks underfoot, and it never gets hot enough to burn your feet. The water is flat, shallow and around 28°C in season. Add sunsets over open water and it's a genuinely different holiday for forty-five minutes more driving.
Beaches, mostly. Plus a few things worth the drive.
Sarasota. Regularly voted the best beach in America — quartz sand that stays cool underfoot even at midday.
Wide, white and well-served, with a nightly sunset festival at Pier 60. The easiest Gulf choice with children.
Low-rise, no chain restaurants, and a free trolley the length of it. The quiet one, and our usual recommendation.
November to March, an hour north. The only place in the US you can legally snorkel with wild manatees.
The largest Dalí collection outside Spain, in a building worth seeing on its own. Good for a rainy afternoon.
The Gulf faces west. Every beach here does a proper sunset, which the Atlantic side simply can't.
A string of barrier islands. The further south, the quieter.
Widest choice of hotels, a pier, restaurants and a lifeguarded beach. Easiest with children.
Quieter than Clearwater, with the Dalí Museum and a city nearby. Good middle choice.
Sarasota's barrier island. The finest sand in America and a small village behind it.
Low-rise by ordinance, no chains, free trolley. Where we'd send couples and anyone wanting calm.
November to April, with the water warmest at either end of that window.
Winter is dry, mild and busy with American snowbirds — 22–24°C, which is pleasant rather than hot, and the sea is cooler. March to May and October give the best combination of warm air and warm water. Summer is 33°C with daily storms and inside hurricane season, peaking in September.
9h 30m to Tampa (TPA), or drive 90 minutes from Orlando.
Essential. The islands are strung along the coast and there's no useful public transport between them.
Electronic. Take the rental transponder or you'll get admin fees by post.
In at Orlando, home from Tampa. Same fare usually, and it removes the drive back.
We'll pair it with Orlando, pick the right island, and write the payment plan out in full.
It's closer to Orlando but the sand is brown-grey and the surf choppy. The Gulf is forty-five minutes further and considerably better.
Four or five. Long enough to unwind, and it's what turns a park trip into a holiday.
Around 28°C from May to October, cooler at 20–22°C in midwinter. Swimmable most of the year, warm in the shoulder months.
A natural algal bloom that occasionally affects Gulf beaches, mostly late summer and autumn. It can cause respiratory irritation and clears on its own.
Flights, accommodation and transfers as one package. Every one can be reshaped — different dates, different board, a different airport, or a stopover on the way.
Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.
Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.
12 nights · Apr–May, Sep–Oct · from £2,399pp
13 nights · Apr–May, Oct–Nov · from £2,299pp
13 nights · Nov–Apr · from £2,149pp
15 nights · Dec–Apr · from £2,399pp
11 nights · Nov–Apr · from £2,199pp
