Beaches in Orlando
Orlando is known for its sunshine and theme parks, but what people may not understand is where Orlando is located. When you think of Florida, you tend to think of places like Miami, where there is plenty of ocean exposure and the feel is generally tropical. Orlando is in the interior of Florida and doesn’t have any ocean beach access. That being said, some of Florida’s best beaches are near Orlando. If you are looking to have a beach day during your Orlando vacation, try one of these amazing options.
Alan Shepard Beach Park at Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach is probably the closest beach to Orlando and provides guests with an exciting beach to visit. The beach near Orlando also sits near the famous space ship launching site of Cape Canaveral, but will provide guests with a safe environment, all kinds of stores, and a great view of the ocean. Cocoa Beach is the location for the famous surf shops of Ron Jon and Cocoa Beach Surf Co. and features a famous surf location. Along the beachfront is a myriad of different small shops and restaurants to help elevate your beach experience. If you are looking for great beaches near Orlando with some shops to peruse during your day, Cocoa Beach is a perfect option.
Daytona Beach
Famous Daytona Beach lies only an hour outside of Orlando and provides another great option among beaches close to Orlando. The beach remains one of the only beaches left where you can drive onto the sand and is a great family beach. The beach is patrolled by lifeguards and features many shops to keep you both safe and entertained. With over 23 miles of beaches near Orlando and 11 of those miles open to vehicles, you will have a unique beach experience at this iconic beach.
New Smyrna Beach
This quiet beach features 13 miles of white sand beaches and lies just over an hour outside of Orlando. This beach has offshore ledges that create excellent wave breaks perfect for surfing or just enjoying the ocean waves. National Surfing Championships are hosted at this beach several times a year and offers a great competition that you can enjoy if you visit during the right time of year. The Championships also attracted many surf shops to the area and you will have your pick of different beachfront shops to visit.
