Fort Lauderdale Beach

Fort Lauderdale beach is definitely a huge place to relax. The downside is the $10 minimum to park on the weekends. The plus side are the tons of picnic tables and volley ball nets that are set up right around where we laid out our towels. Across the street was Bahia Mar and right next to us were the last condos in the area. You will get plenty of sun at the beach no matter what. We bet it could get really much more louded and crowded on a busier day. We went on a chili day that scared off most of the locals and tourists alike. Our result was a perfectly clean and empty beach since most of the folks where dodging the cold!


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Sunny Isles Beach - Weekend

If you didn't know Sunny Isles Beach exists then you are missing out on a hidden little pocket of sun bathing beauty. But actually getting to this beach is a real pain in the ass! There is a parking lot across the street on AIA but the minimum for the meeter was $10. You have to find the public access walkways between the resorts just to make your way onto the sand. If you happen to be staying at the resorts then you have no worries, the beach is yours. We bet only the resort guests and local Sunny Isles folks actually go through the trouble of using this beach. If you can make it there you'll probably enjoy the quiet, especially on a weekday!


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Deerfield Beach - Memorial Day Weekend

Since it's Hip Hop weekend down in South Beach on Memorial Day weekend, you have to travel elsewhere to take your family (or significant other) for a quieter time in the sun. Deerfield Beach has a lifeguard on duty, a fishing pier, clear waters and unique rock formations closer to the shore. It was still extremely busy on a weekend like this. Scuba divers were seen in and out of this water and one claimed to have seen some turtles while we saw schools of minnows swimming close to the shore around 2pm. There are no high rises to block your sun either, must be nice on a weekday!



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Ft. Myers Beach - Behind Smuggler's Cove

This was back in January, when the rest of the US was suffering from freezing winter temperatures, you can trek down to Ft. Myers Beach on the west coast of Florida along with all of the other snow birds! The sand here is amazingly as soft as baby powder. There are amazing sea shells, sand dollars and other marine life to observe. The many retirees and families that own the condos in this part of Ft. Myers lends a family atmosphere. It's a very nice hideaway. It was cloudy in the afternoon in the photos but the beach was still beautiful.



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Key Biscayne - Lighthouse - Weekend

Another weekend take of the beaches at Bill Bags Cape State Park, this time at the southern-most tip directly next to the lighthouse. On the weekends its really crowded with mostly the locals who live in South Florida. The park that proceeds the beach is full of family parties, volleyball, bar-b-q cookouts, music, etc. The park opens at 8am so we imagine you have to be here bright and early to get a good spot. This is totally a family beach. The water is sometimes calm and shallow at this end, but no lifeguard is on duty. The view from the lighthouse is worth the climb up the winding steps.



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