Florida beach- like Maui?
 

Hi all,

My husband and I are looking for a beach town within 3 hours of Gainesville, FL (where we live) and are looking for 3 days on the beach at the end of April. My husband likes the waves on the ocean side(though he might be willing to compromise if I found the perfect place on the gulf side).

We honeymooned in Maui and loved the feeling of walking out from our hotel onto the lovely open beach, and also being able to easily walk to touristy spots with shops and restaurants. We aren't bar people, but like to be a part of the energy of people now and then.

Does this sound like Cocoa Beach? Looking through other posts here, that's one option that's come up. I'd really appreciate any suggestions you might have! Thank you!

I think it would take quite a bit of alcohol consumption for anyone to confuse Cocoa Beach with Maui.

Perhaps I should clarify that I don't expect to find Maui in Cocoa Beach, or any other FL town. But, we did enjoy Maui greatly, and hoped listing what we enjoyed about it might help with ideas for someplace we might enjoy in FL. Thank you...

Neo- Can you tell me what about Cocoa Beach you think wouldn't fit the bill? Thanks :)

I've never been to Maui, but I have been to Cocoa Beach. Yes, the beach is white and wide, and yes there are usually some waves. But if the general "atmosphere" of the two areas are the same, particularly in regards to restaurants and shops, I'm certainly still not rushing to get to Maui.

Maybe someone who has been to both can make a better comparison.

I have been to both, although Maui was YEARS ago (Cocoa Beach was today ;-) )

If you "loved the feeling of walking out from our hotel onto the lovely open beach, and also being able to easily walk to touristy spots with shops and restaurants." then Cocoa Beach could work for you. It does have a nice beach (gulf coast beaches are prettier, however) and if you stay near the Cocoa Beach Pier, you can easily walk to restaurants and touristy spots. So in that sense, there are similarities, but I wouldn't call it like Maui.

Alright...thank you both for your feedback. We may lean towards Cocoa Beach then. If anyone has other suggestions for beach towns we may like, with a nice beach and restaurant/shop areas to walk around in, I'd love to hear...

321go, thanks for the tip about being near the pier. I'll remember that.

But I thought it had to be within 3 hours of Gainesville?

I don't think you could make that trip (or reach any Atlantic beach for that matter) in less than 4 hours...unless you fly.

How about St. Pete Beach? Lots of beachfront hotel rooms, beautiful walking beach, shops/bars/restaurants all within walking distance.

No matter where you go in Florida, you will not be able to replicate the natural beauty, scent, and aura of Maui. But Florida still has alot to offer!

We have been to Cocoa many times. I can't imagine that there is any comparision to Maui(I've never been). While Cocoa is nice it's not great. It used to be alot worse with alot of rock close to shore and tar but they have cleaned it up. I think the beaches in the panhandle--Destin, P.City,etc. are much nicer at least they were before the hurricanes, we haven't been there for a couple of years. Anyway, if I had a choice of Maui or Cocoa. Maui would win hands down!!!

Just to avoid any confusion, Cocoa and Cocoa Beach are two different cities. Cocoa is on the Indian River; Cocoa Beach is on the ocean.

Ya, I meant Cocoa Beach.

Gainesville to Cocoa Beach is about 2 1/2 hours. Joan, you must be thinking of somewhere other than Gainsville.

Thanks everyone. I guess we will go for Cocoa Beach then. I had considered St. Pete beach, but I think my husband's preference for waves pushes us to the other coast, unless it would be a huge difference in quality.

And yes, I think it should be about 2 1/2 hours to Cocoa Beach- 3 hours tops. Now I just need to find a nice place beachfront to stay :) If you have suggestions, I'd love to hear. Thanks for your help!

We have enjoyed stays at the Inn at Cocoa Beach and the Doubletree. Eat at Coconuts on the beach!

i also live in Gainesville, and have lived in Hawaii, and don't think Cocoa Beach is what you want. Have you considered Amelia Island? That's 2 hours from Gainesville. Crescent Beach and St. Augustine Beach are about 1-1/2 hours away. I think all three of those are beter choices than Cocoa Beach.

If you talk him into the Gulf side, stay on Longboat Key, FL, where we stay at least once a year. It's 3 hours away, you can stay on the beach, and also be within walking distance of the shopping on St. Armand's.

Oops about the distance! I was thinking (brain malfunction) that Gainesville was on the west coast, as opposed to where it really is, on the interior.

Have a great trip!

If you can drive somewhat further, go to Sanibel Island on the Gulf Coast near Ft. Myers. The island has a very tropical feel with miles of beach and lots of beachfront hotels, nothing high rise.

Hmmm...I just got home today from an Orlando trip with a group of high school students. We spent a day at Cocoa Beach and while it wasn't bad, it would not be my first choice of Florida beach. Maybe I am just spoiled, because my parents started taking us to Naples every summer when I was a preteen and we continued to vacation there for over 20 years, but I would not come close to describing Cocoa Beach as having white sand. It was more golden with black flecks in it that stuck to you and required scrubbing to get off. I know we were there during Spring Break time, but the beach seemed very crowded and dirty, with lots of cigarette butts and beer bottle tops. There were also a ton of jelly fish. I think this was just a freak occurrence, because it even made the news, but the day we were there, you literally saw a beached jelly fish about every 25 yards down the beach. There were waves, however, and quite a few surfers.

Betsy, yes, sadly you were there during the worst possible time - the beach gets crowded if you're near Minuteman causeway or the Pier during Spring Break. Normally the police are very, very strict about enforcing the litter laws (drop a cigarette butt on the ground, and you'll be forking over $100), but they (and the cleaning crews) have a hard time keeping up with the number of Spring Break visitors who think nothing of tossing cigarette butts on the beach. Those are the visitors who we wish wouldn't come back.

During that time of year, most people who live near the beach go to the quieter and cleaner areas (pretty much north of the Pier or south of Minuteman causeway).

You're right about the jellyfish; they're a rarity. Sorry the trip wasn't enjoyable.

321go, it wasn't that the trip was bad. The kids had a great time digging in the sand, jumping waves, riding boogie boards, etc. I will say that the section of beach we were on had nice restroom/shower facilities (we were right behind Ron Jon's Surf Shop). I just don't think Cocoa Beach is my personal favorite type of beach. However, it worked well for our school trip. Even though we did have one student get stung by a jellyfish, the kids all said they had a great time. Some of them enjoyed the day at the beach even more than the day at Universal Islands of Adventure.