Nothing beats a Florida beach vacation.
Sun, sea and sand. Some serious tanning. The occasional swim. Happy kids. A sizzling BBQ. Balmy evenings and glorious sunsets.
But which beach is the best beach? Here's a top three of fabulous Florida beaches, all great vacation destinations.

Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach boasts of over 27 miles of fine white sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. It's a great place to vacation. Just lie on the beach, taking in the rays, and venturing out for the occasional swim. Or try one of many sports such as parasailing, jet skiing, snorkeling, windsurfing or diving.

There's a beach to suit any taste, from the trendy City and Bahama beaches, to the relatively undeveloped and unspoilt St Andrews State Recreation Area beach to the south. In the evening the main resort comes alive - you can eat at a great value seafood restaurant, drink at a lively bar, then dance at a hot club.

Bathtub Beach, North Hutchinson Island
A very popular beach, and deservedly so, since a small reef (created not by coral, but by sand-eating worms!) about 100 feet offshore creates a lagoon of shallow warmer water, perfect for swimming. Behind the beach there is a wooden boardwalk, which leads to the nearby dune and river trails.

If you fancy a break from all those exhausting beach activities, visit the nearby Elliot museum, set-up in the early 1900s. Favorites at the museum include a 1920s dining room, an old-time country store, and a large collection of vintage and veteran cars.

Another nearby attraction is the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center, which is very child-friendly - the little ones will love the 'touch' pool.

Caspersen Beach, Venice
Caspersen Beach is the most natural and undeveloped beach of all Venice's beaches. It's located at the southern end of Harbor drive, about a mile south of Venice fishing pier. The parking's free, and is connected to the beach by a pleasant boardwalk, which meanders through native foliage.

The beach itself is very beautiful, and stretches for more than a mile and a half of soft sand. It's a great place for a swim - the beach is a designated Blue Wave beach, but many folk forget the swimming, and concentrate on searching for fossilized shark teeth. These fossils come from huge 50 foot sharks, which cruised the waters here a couple of geological eras ago. Caspersen beach is a good place to find these fossils, because it hasn't been replenished and covered with sand from other areas, unlike many of the beaches along this stretch of shoreline.

In early summer, May thru to July, watch out for Turtles' nests - these are often marked out with stakes so you can give them a wide berth. If you're there in the morning, see if you can spot the tell-tale turtle 'tramlines' which run up the beach from the seawater's edge.

There's also a beautiful little nature trail which wanders through the dunes, and sea-oats, finally connecting to the Venetian Waterway Trail.

So which beach to choose?
It all depends on your mood. If you're loving the non-stop party vibe, pick Panama City beach. If you want a family day out at the beach, Bathtub is super-kid friendly. But if relaxing is your aim, chill out at Caspersen.

By: Andy Woodspot

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Andy Woodspot loves travelling, meeting people and hanging out at the beach. Discover Andy's other favorite beaches at Best Beaches