Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

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corysold
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Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by corysold »

We are taking a trip to Disney from Illinois in August. My kids have never seen the beach/ocean, so I wanted to try and stop on the way vs. taking a half day while at Disney.

We are stopping in Nashville night one. So my thoughts were to either stop in Tallahassee or Jacksonville night two, wake up and spend some time at a beach and be in Orlando by 4:00 for check in.

Tallahassee would be an hour shorter drive on day 2, but it looks like the beach options might not be as abundant around there? Jacksonville would be an extra hour on day 2, but would have more beach options and a shorter drive into Orlando the next day.

Any thoughts or options I'm missing?
Gill
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by Gill »

Is Jacksonville along your route? It doesn't seem it would be. You could stop along the Gulf coast in Alabama or Mississippi and see the Gulf of Mexico.
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bob60014
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by bob60014 »

Go down to Cape Canaveral and get a two-fer, maybe three. Beach, history and maybe see a takeoff. Plus it's only an hour from Orlando. My kids loved it.
niceguy7376
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by niceguy7376 »

Once you reach Ocala on I-75, you take the Turnpike to go to Orlando rather than proceed to Tampa on I-75.
Taking I-75 to Clearwater would be the best way to go to a beach that is also very good/famous.

It will be an 1.5 hr drive to Orlando from there (depending on work commute times).

Another option is to go the other end of Florida (Clearwater on west, Daytona beach on Right and Orlando in middle of I-4) into Daytona beach.

These two would be better choices than others. Miami (much farther down south from Orlando) or Panama City (too far of deviation) are other good choices.
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corysold
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by corysold »

Gill wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:44 am Is Jacksonville along your route? It doesn't seem it would be. You could stop along the Gulf coast in Alabama or Mississippi and see the Gulf of Mexico.
Gill
Not exactly, but not too far off. From Nashville it looks like it is either 7.5 hours to Tallahassee or 8.5 to Jacksonville. But we make up that hour the next day by being closer to Orlando.

I guess my question is, how many nice beach option are there between Tallahassee and Orlando? It looks like a lot of wildlife areas and marshland on the map, but I'm not familiar with that area.
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galawdawg
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by galawdawg »

You might consider a stop at a Florida panhandle beach on the way down. Destin is a very nice beach locale.

As was mentioned, you might think about skipping the quick beach stop on the way to Orlando and instead take a day trip (or two) to Cape Canaveral. Bonus points if you can schedule it for a launch day: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/laun ... 20Launches
an_asker
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by an_asker »

corysold wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:52 am
Gill wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:44 am Is Jacksonville along your route? It doesn't seem it would be. You could stop along the Gulf coast in Alabama or Mississippi and see the Gulf of Mexico.
Gill
Not exactly, but not too far off. From Nashville it looks like it is either 7.5 hours to Tallahassee or 8.5 to Jacksonville. But we make up that hour the next day by being closer to Orlando.

I guess my question is, how many nice beach option are there between Tallahassee and Orlando? It looks like a lot of wildlife areas and marshland on the map, but I'm not familiar with that area.
There is no beach in Tallahassee. The closest would be in the panhandle or at Jacksonville. In fact, the beach is arguably closer to Orlando than the Tallahassee.

That said, in response to those who added in the panhandle option, I think they are two different beach experiences (though this might only be the result of my experience). The panhandle area has the better sand, but the Atlantic coast definitely has better wave action.

Depending on how much time you have, maybe you can stay overnight in the panhandle area (Destin or Panama City), then visit Orlando.
jcpct
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by jcpct »

We spent Christmas week at Cape Canaveral Beach and it was fabulous. Very clean area and very quiet (because of Covid). The trip from the beach to the airport is super-easy. I highly recommend.
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galving
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by galving »

an_asker wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 9:00 am
corysold wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:52 am
Gill wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:44 am Is Jacksonville along your route? It doesn't seem it would be. You could stop along the Gulf coast in Alabama or Mississippi and see the Gulf of Mexico.
Gill
Not exactly, but not too far off. From Nashville it looks like it is either 7.5 hours to Tallahassee or 8.5 to Jacksonville. But we make up that hour the next day by being closer to Orlando.

I guess my question is, how many nice beach option are there between Tallahassee and Orlando? It looks like a lot of wildlife areas and marshland on the map, but I'm not familiar with that area.
There is no beach in Tallahassee. The closest would be in the panhandle or at Jacksonville. In fact, the beach is arguably closer to Orlando than the Tallahassee.

That said, in response to those who added in the panhandle option, I think they are two different beach experiences (though this might only be the result of my experience). The panhandle area has the better sand, but the Atlantic coast definitely has better wave action.

Depending on how much time you have, maybe you can stay overnight in the panhandle area (Destin or Panama City), then visit Orlando.
Agreed.
If you're keen on the Ocean head East and consider St. Augustine, and then come back towards Orlando.
Alternative is to hit the panhandle, and I'd definitely recommend Destin versus Panama City.
3feetpete
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by 3feetpete »

Either coast is an easy day trip from Orlando. Why not wait until you’re there and choose the best weather day to go to the beach and take a day off from walking and standing in lines as well.
is50xenough
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by is50xenough »

Make the trek to east coast. Stop in st Augustine and see pirate museum for something unique. Hit beach near there.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by neilpilot »

Apollo Beach in the Canaveral National Seashore.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by Vanguard Fan 1367 »

My Google Maps shows 11 hours 2 minutes to Orlando going to Jacksonville. Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Ormand Beach, Daytona Beach all have great beaches going from Jacksonville to Disney World via I 95 then I 4.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by Vanguard Fan 1367 »

My Google Maps shows 11 hours 2 minutes from Nashville to Orlando going through Jacksonville. Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Ormand Beach, Daytona Beach all have great beaches going from Jacksonville to Disney World via I 95 then I 4.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by gerntz »

3feetpete wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:59 am Either coast is an easy day trip from Orlando. Why not wait until you’re there and choose the best weather day to go to the beach and take a day off from walking and standing in lines as well.
Agree. But the best beach in the world to me is Daytona - one hour from Orlando. You can even drive & park your car on it. $15-20 charge last I knew. So wide & gentle slope.

Get up in morning & go before it's blazing in afternoon. 9-1 would be great. Drive home in the worst heat.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by gerntz »

gerntz wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:19 pm
3feetpete wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 10:59 am Either coast is an easy day trip from Orlando. Why not wait until you’re there and choose the best weather day to go to the beach and take a day off from walking and standing in lines as well.
Agree. But the best beach in the world to me is Daytona - one hour from Orlando. You can even drive & park your car on it - be careful of the tide! $15-20 charge last I knew. So wide & gentle slope. May even want to pick the day based in the tides schedule - out is good.

Get up in morning & go before it's blazing in afternoon. 9-1 would be great. Drive home in the worst heat.
howard71
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by howard71 »

You can take a side trip to the Tampa Bay area, about 1.5 - 2 hours from Orlando/Disney depending on where you are staying.

If you want a commercialized beach experience then Clearwater Beach would be a good choice. Rated #1 for families in a lot of polls but not really my kind of thing due to crowds, condos, and having a hard time parking.

If you want to see something pristine and unspoiled take the ferry to Caladesi Island from Honeymoon Island in Dunedin. It's about 15 minutes from my house and my first choice for those who want a Florida beach experience although most people make me cringe by preferring Clearwater due to the fame and hype.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by RXfiles »

+1 for gulf coast over Jacksonville. Stop in Pensacola, Panama city, destin, Fort Walton, Navarre, Perdido, gulf shores or orange Beach. The gulf coast is way prettier, clearer water, whiter and softer sand, the water is warmer. Pretty much every positive goes to gulf coast in my eyes unless you get way south on the east coast of Florida. Navy family member here. Spent time in Pensacola and Jacksonville.
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corysold
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by corysold »

Thank you for all of the suggestions. All noted and will be looked into.

I thought about the idea of taking an afternoon and doing a day trip, but with the price of Disney tickets, I feel like we want to get our money's worth at the parks. This is a once in a quite a while trip for us. Sunday will be a bit of an off day, not much travel, but we can't check into our lodging until 4:00. So it gives us a good long morning to go to the beach. As I said, my kids have never seen the beach/ocean, so anything other than red tide or garbage infested works just great. Plus we have 6 kids, so as little extra time in the car the better.

It seems like Nashville to Jacksonville on Saturday, then hit one of the beaches nearby in the morning, back to the hotel to clean up a bit and head to Orlando early afternoon makes the most sense at this point. But I will certainly look into all of these suggestions more and if it turns out there is a rocket launch during our stay, that will make all this moot and we will do a day trip to see that!
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by howard71 »

corysold wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:56 pm Thank you for all of the suggestions. All noted and will be looked into.

I thought about the idea of taking an afternoon and doing a day trip, but with the price of Disney tickets, I feel like we want to get our money's worth at the parks. This is a once in a quite a while trip for us. Sunday will be a bit of an off day, not much travel, but we can't check into our lodging until 4:00. So it gives us a good long morning to go to the beach. As I said, my kids have never seen the beach/ocean, so anything other than red tide or garbage infested works just great. Plus we have 6 kids, so as little extra time in the car the better.

It seems like Nashville to Jacksonville on Saturday, then hit one of the beaches nearby in the morning, back to the hotel to clean up a bit and head to Orlando early afternoon makes the most sense at this point. But I will certainly look into all of these suggestions more and if it turns out there is a rocket launch during our stay, that will make all this moot and we will do a day trip to see that!
Any beach in Jacksonville is going to take you way off the beaten path from I-95, probably in city traffic. I lived there for a year and can't even remember how you get to a beach. I think you'll have better opportunities as you go farther south, as early as Saint Augustine but just about anywhere before you take the right turn from I-95 onto I-4. Just veer over to highway 1 after Jacksonville and you'll have lots of beaches to choose form that you can even see from your car.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by galawdawg »

So a long drive from Nashville to Jacksonville (through Atlanta traffic) followed by a quick morning on the beach with the kids on the way to the Orlando theme parks? Coming from Illinois?? Clark, is that you? Sounds like a Griswold family vacation! 8-)
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by Vanguard Fan 1367 »

galawdawg wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:37 pm So a long drive from Nashville to Jacksonville (through Atlanta traffic) followed by a quick morning on the beach with the kids on the way to the Orlando theme parks? Coming from Illinois?? Clark, is that you? Sounds like a Griswold family vacation! 8-)

Makes me think of "I need a vacation to recover from my vacation." :happy
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by Watty »

corysold wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:41 am We are taking a trip to Disney from Illinois in August.
....
Any thoughts or options I'm missing?
You might want to hit the beach on the way back so that if anyone gets a killer sunburn it will not impact your time at Disney World.

Be obsessive with using sunblock during the entire vacation even when you are not at the beach. Check the date on your bottles of sunblock since it does get old and less effective.

Florida can be miserably hot in August and it may be too hot to really enjoy spending a lot of time at the beach.

Stopping at a hotel on a beach late in the afternoon then staying on the beach until after sunset might be a better choice than planning to spend an entire day, including the hottest part of midday, on the beach. Getting out on the beach early then leaving when it gets hot is another option to consider.

The heat and sun can be hard on people especially kids. Keep everyone well hydrated.

It might seem obvious but keep in mind that the sunsets on the beaches of the east coast of Florida are not all that great since the sun will set in the west, which is usually the parking lot.

A waterpark might be more enjoyable.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by MarkBarb »

What does "beach" mean to you guys? If it is sitting on white sand looking out over pretty blue water, the Gulf is probably a better option. If it means body surfing and playing in the waves, you'll probably have more fun on the Atlantic side.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by vested1 »

Rent a beachfront condo in New Smyrna Beach for one night, south of Daytona and less crowded/expensive. Downtown is quirky and fun. You can drive on the beach for $20 if that's your thing. If you go don't miss JB's Fish Camp for lunch or dinner.
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corysold
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by corysold »

galawdawg wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 4:37 pm So a long drive from Nashville to Jacksonville (through Atlanta traffic) followed by a quick morning on the beach with the kids on the way to the Orlando theme parks? Coming from Illinois?? Clark, is that you? Sounds like a Griswold family vacation! 8-)
Believe me, I’ve thought the same thing.

Thanks for the help. This is our first real family vacation and my kids have never seen the beach. I don’t need fancy. Don’t need cabanas. I need them to be able to walk on sand and stick their feet in the ocean. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by acegolfer »

corysold wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:56 pm Thank you for all of the suggestions. All noted and will be looked into.

I thought about the idea of taking an afternoon and doing a day trip, but with the price of Disney tickets, I feel like we want to get our money's worth at the parks. This is a once in a quite a while trip for us. Sunday will be a bit of an off day, not much travel, but we can't check into our lodging until 4:00. So it gives us a good long morning to go to the beach. As I said, my kids have never seen the beach/ocean, so anything other than red tide or garbage infested works just great. Plus we have 6 kids, so as little extra time in the car the better.

It seems like Nashville to Jacksonville on Saturday, then hit one of the beaches nearby in the morning, back to the hotel to clean up a bit and head to Orlando early afternoon makes the most sense at this point. But I will certainly look into all of these suggestions more and if it turns out there is a rocket launch during our stay, that will make all this moot and we will do a day trip to see that!
As others wrote, Jacksonville is off route. But if you already decided on Jacksonville, visit St. Augustine. Lots of things for family to see/learn.
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Brianmcg321
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by Brianmcg321 »

I would stop in New Smyrna Beach. It’s only 1.5 hrs further than Jacksonville.

Very nice beaches and very family friendly.
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by surfinagin »

Cocoa Beach is only 1HR from Disney World.
Rather than depend on good weather on your planned day, you could easily visit Cocoa any time during your stay in FL.
No expert on all the FL beach options, but that worked well with my family years ago. Cocoa Beach is nice.
tnr
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Re: Options for day trip to beach on the way to Orlando

Post by tnr »

Have been to several beaches on the Atlantic side, Ponte Vedra, St. Aug, and Daytona. If I was traveling with young kids, I’d probably choose St. Aug. The beach area is not as crowded as Daytona but still has plenty of hotels / restaurants. The historic city is only 5 miles or so away.
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