As a Floridian, it’s your job to promote tourism in exchange for not having to pay state income taxes.  They put the oath in your welcome packet when you move into the state.  The oath starts out, “Thou shall respect The Mouse…”

Needless to say, I took a risk when I told you that Disney World sucks in the summer.

But, I am here to redeem myself and Florida by inviting you, officially, to visit Florida at the absolute best time of year.

Right now.

The best time to visit Florida is in the fall.

And do you know what makes Florida such a great place to visit in the fall?  The fact that no one visits Florida in the fall. Basically.

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Old Orchard Beach is located in Southern Maine and is one of the most popular destination for local “stay-cationers”. It’s also a great vacation destination for people visiting the Pine Tree State.

Old Orchard Beach, pic by jennratonmort

Miles of white sandy beaches along the cool Atlantic ocean are lined with bed and breakfasts, motels, inns, bars, restaurants, and shopping. The focal point of the area is the OOB Pier (you’ve gotta get the pier fries!), and the beachfront Palace Playland amusement park.

Palace Playland, photo by chris knight

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Mother and son on the beach in Maui, HI.

Photo by Whit Honea

Sanibel Island is a great place for a unique beach vacation in southwest Florida.

Getting to Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island is about a three hour drive south of Tampa.  It’s only 45 minutes away from Southwest Florida International Airport, which is accessible by non-stop flights fom major cities all over the United States (look for airport code RSW).  To get onto the island, you’ll need to cross a causeway road and pay a $6.00 toll.

Sanibel Island’s Famous Sea Shells

Sanbiel Island is best known for the ample supply of sea shells.  Of course, all of Florida beaches have sea shells.  What makes Sanibel Island beaches unique is that it lies east to west instead of north and south.  This makes the island act as a scoop in the Gulf of Mexico.  Travelers come from all over the world to hunt for unique sea shells on the beaches of Sanibel Island.

Sanibel Island Beach Permits

The only free beach parking on Sanibel Island is along the causeway getting to the island.  All other beaches will require a beach permit or a $2 per hour for parking.  If you’re planning to stay on Sanibel Island for several days and visit multiple beaches, it’s a good idea to do some advanced planning and figure out which permit will give you the most beach bang for your buck.  Beach permits must be purchased at the Sanibel Police Station.  This site gives a great breakdown of what permit is needed for which beaches.

Sanibel Island Romance

Sanibel Island is a frequent favorite among the travel industry’s “most romantic” lists.  Spend a weekend on one of the beaches and you’re likely to see a beach wedding or a couple strolling hand in hand.  The turquoise water and remote feel of a tropical island make it a perfect place to escape for a romantic vacation.

If you’re looking to enjoy the quieter side of Florida, you can’t go wrong with a vacation to Sanibel Island.

San Diego Skyline from Coronado

Living in San Diego, a true coastal town, makes it an ideal place to explore marine life and all its glory. But just like those who live near the Rocky Mountains or those who live in the majestic redwood forests of Northern California, I imagine the amazing becomes a bit ordinary. We forget all that there is to offer. Sometimes it takes something a little unusual to jolt you back to reality. Like a wayward whale spending some time checking out San Diego Bay when he should be heading north with all the other whales. And while we are used to seeing whales at Sea World, whales hanging out in the bay is quite another thing altogether.  This time of year is usually the time when Gray whales are heading north from their warm Mexican vacations to back to chillier waters of Alaska and whales are not uncommon in the coastal waters. December and January are actually the best times to whale watch because you have some whales still making their way south and some whales returning north so you get double whale action to check out.

There are many boat companies that offer excursions out to see whales and dolphins. One of the most popular is Hornblower Cruises who offer whale watching tours (and excellent dinner cruises, but that’s another post). A three and a half hour tour (great, now I’ll be singing the Gilligan’s Island theme song all night) will run you $30 and is narrated by an experienced captain.

Whale in San Diego

Of course, if you happen to be here when a whale is exploring the bay then just plop down along Coronado island, looking back towards the San Diego skyline and keep an eye out for a big fin. But chances are, you’ll need to book a tour if you really expect to see anything so cool as a whale up close.

Photo Credits: Whale Tail: Tomcio77 and San Diego Skyline: Grady’s Kitchen.

If you live in central Florida, you know that it is not 90 degrees for 12 months out of the year.  However, if you live anywhere else in the world, you’ll mistakenly assume that the “Welcome To The Sunshine State” signs are sincere and equates to tropical paradise even in the dead of winter.

You have only to visit Florida’s famed Daytona Beach between October and March to realize the error of your thinking.

While even northern tourists will find it much too cold to swim in the Atlantic during the colder months, the beach is still a great place to find fun and relaxation.

How can you possibly enjoy coastal Daytona Beach with all of your clothes on?

Take A Walk Along Daytona Beach

Take a walk.

Sure, it sounds cliche.  But kick off your shoes, roll up your pants, and stroll along the edge where the tide changes its mind over and over again and you’ll soon understand how long walks on the beach became a romance movie staple.

It feels good.  It’s relaxing.  It’s cheap and easy entertainment for the kids that makes for very impressive pictures to take home.  Time flies by and before you know it’s time for everyone to head to bed, the sun and wind having sapped your children’s will to argue.

If you get tired of staring at the endless stretch of white sand, rolling waves and disturbingly unaware birds, Daytona Beach pier and boardwalk area offers slightly more commercial attractions as well.

A small amusement park provides the opportunity to have yourself shot into the air at a freakishly fast speed via The Slingshot for $25 per person, per ride.  A two story strip mall (it is still Florida) offers tourist style shopping and Starbucks as well as several themed restaurants.

But perhaps the most unique experience at Daytona Beach that can be enjoyed year round is the sea chairs ride out over the pier and the water.

Daytona Beach Sea Chairs

It’s an old, rustic attraction that scares the crap out of some people.  But if you’re a fan of nostalgia and old fashioned charm, a tour along the skyline trolley is a true can’t miss.

And if you ride in December, for Pete’s sake, bring a jacket!

All pictures taken by Britt Reints.

If you had a list of the top beach experts in the U.S., Dr. Beach aka Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman would come in first every single year. In this Q&A, he answers questions about his work, and reveals his choice for the best beach in the U.S., alongwith helpful tips for beach vacations including safety issues.

Dr. Leatherman is professor of environmental studies at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami and director of FIU’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, where he founded the founded the National Healthy Beaches Campaign. His true claim to fame, though,  comes from his annual list of the top 10 beaches in America (2008 list), which he has released every year since 1991 during the Memorial Day weekend, marking the start of the beach season. This list is the single most popular, and authoritative, annual listing of the best beaches in the United States.

Question: After reading your rather fascinating profile, I understand your first impromptu list of the best beaches in the U.S. came out in 1989 in a travel magazine, and it was an instant hit, so from 1991 onwards, you have been releasing the list every year based on 50 criteria. How and when did people actually start calling you Dr. Beach?
Ans: The Dr. Beach moniker came from the students at the U. of Maryland who took my first-year class on “Waves and Beaches” and could never remember my name. This started around 1995 because of a local TV show that came to my class, and the Washington, DC TV audience heard the students (class size of 250+) ask my questions as Dr. Beach.

Question: I confess I’m way out of my depth when judging a beach based on criteria like the ones you have, but seems to me that most of them would remain roughly the same in successive years, if not over a longer period. Hanalei Beach was 4th last year, its on 2nd place this year. Coopers Beach was in 3rd place last year, and its 4th this year. So far, so good. But then, I see that Siesta Beach jumped from 10th place last year to 3rd place this year. Why was this?
Ans: Beaches are changing over time. Hurricanes and winter storms can cause considerable beach damage. Some beaches are gradually experiencing beach erosion so that over time they slide down in the ratings. Some beaches periodically get hit by red tides as does those beaches along the Sarasota coast (e.g., Siesta Key). Also, the level of environmental management and facilities maintenance varies over time.

Question: Related question – You exclude any beaches which come in first place from the subsequent rankings. If you include all the 17 beaches which have come in first since 1991 on your list, could you just say, off the top of your head, which is the best beach in the U.S.?
Ans: I would still give Kapalua Bay Beach on Maui the overall top rating.

Question: Due to your expertise, you get a lot of commercial requests, I think. You mention one request – Where did the 14,000 tons of sand which was found instead of a shipment of cognac come from? What was that all about? And where did the sand come from?
Ans: The bottles of Cognac were switched for the container load of sand in the port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The sand in the container did not match Tampa or the local French beaches.

Question: Speaking of your expertise, you also mention that your principal focus over the past 20 years has been studying beach erosion and storm impacts. I take it that also includes rising sea levels and climate change. You even co-authored a book about the causes and effects of Hurricanes and the future, and one on Global Warming and another one on Sea Level Rise (not to mention being the on-screen host and co-producer of ‘Vanishing Lands’. Any thoughts on how all this ties up together? I mean, have you seen any evidence of climate change permanently impacting the quality of the beaches?
Ans: Global warming and rising sea level is the underlying reason for the general erosion problems that we have along our coasts, especially beach erosion and loss of tidal wetlands. Some people tried to relate this trend to more storminess, but there is no general increase in storminess on all coasts.

Question: About your books – You’ve written 16 books (I hope that’s correct), including America’s Best Beaches and the ones mentioned above. Any plans for another book, or an updated edition?
Ans: I just finished a nice book for the public on Hurricanes by Voyaguer Press–it is almost a coffee table book with beautiful color photos.

Question: Let’s say a family with kids wants to take a beach vacation. Aside from consulting your list, what advice would you have for them? What should a lay person look for in a beach vacation?
Ans: Safety is very important so watch out for the big waves and dangerous rip currents. Shark attacks are so rare that you have a better chance of winning the lottery.

Question: And one more about the environment, considering your involvement with the National Healthy Beaches Campaign. How do we balance our attraction for beaches, and the attendant commercialization (beachfront resorts, trash, ecoli contamination, etc.) against the needs of nature, like leatherback sea turtles? Is there anything an environmentally conscious person should consider before deciding on a beach destination?
Ans: We are continuing to build the National Healthy Beaches Campaign in order to provide this exact type of advice to beach goers in terms of safety and environmental quality. Otherwise, it is hard for people to know what to expect and how to help.

Photo copyrights – DrBeach.Org

A summer’s day in Pt. Lobos, CA.  Notice the jackets and long pants, we stopped for hot chocolate after the fog floated in late that afternoon.