Planning a Jan trip into Orlando airport. We are going to visit the manatees at Crystal River then would ike to spend a couple days on a beach. My ideal would be a cottage right on beach without any high rises, condos etc. We know the weather may not be warm enough to be on the beach but we will be happy to just relax with a nice view. A beach long enough to walk on with shells would be heaven!

Does this exist within a couple hours of Orlando?

Anna Maria Island would fit the bill.

South of Melbourne Beach and North of Sebastian Inlet.

On the flip side, Indian Rocks Beach.

Yeah, you have many options 2 hours from Orlando.

You need to decide if you want to go East or West though, and then I could give you a few good places.

+1 for Anna Maria Island and Indian Rocks, but honestly there are numerous places.

What stump said.

I prefer the Gulf coast. Many options between St. Pete Beach and Clearwater, including Indian Rocks mentioned above.