Road Trip Planner: Florida's Best Beaches
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- Family
Day One:
Start your trip in Tampa with a visit to the Lowry Park Zoo. Meeting the manatees and sting rays (along with hundreds of other critters) will help get the kids in the mood for the beach. Overnight in the Tampa area.
Day Two:
Drive northwest about 45 minutes to Tarpon Springs, Florida's sponge capital. The local specialty is on display at Spongeorama, where kids can learn how sponges grow and how they're harvested. There's also a small aquarium in town, as well as a quaint downtown area and two public beaches. We like Sunset Beach, which has picnic tables and restrooms. Overnight in the Tarpon Springs area.
Day Three:
Drive south about 30 minutes down the coast to Clearwater Beach. Soft white sand and plenty of nearby restrooms and snack bars make it a perfect place for a full day on the beach, but you can combine your swimming and sandcastle-building with a two-hour pirate cruise with Captain Memo. Overnight in the Clearwater area.
Day Four:
Drive south about 1.5 hours to Venice Beach, where kids can do a little beachcombing. The beaches here are famous for their shark's teeth and other fossils, as well as shells. Our favorite beach for families is North Jetty Park, where facilities include playgrounds, a volleyball court and a concession stand. Overnight in the Venice beach area.
Day Five:
Drive southeast about 2.5 hours to Everglades City, the gateway to Everglades National Park. You can take a narrated boat tour of the Ten Thousand Islands, or go canoeing or biking. Overnight in the Everglades City area.
Day Six:
Drive northwest about an hour and 45 minutes to Sanibel Island, one of the best places in the state to collect seashells. Try Old Lighthouse Beach, which boasts a historic wooden lighthouse (not open to the public) and a wildlife refuge. Kids may also enjoy the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. Overnight on Sanibel Island.
Day Seven:
Drive north about 2.5 hours to Fort De Soto State Park, which has pristine beaches and a historic fort to explore. Once you're done playing, it's only about an hour's drive back to Tampa.
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