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The Best Beaches in Florida (Atlantic Coast)

Florida’s Atlantic coast runs from the Art Deco sand of South Beach up through the Space Coast surf at Cocoa to the wide hard-pack of Daytona and the historic shore at St. Augustine. Parking is the whole game here: expect metered streets, paid garages, and a few beaches where you can still drive right onto the sand for a fee.

9 beaches mapped · Summer 2026 · updated June 19, 2026

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Top beaches & swimming spots

  1. South Beach

    South Beach

    Miami’s iconic stretch of pastel lifeguard stands and wide sand below the Art Deco district, the beach itself is free, but parking is metered or in pricey garages, so come early or take the bus.

    Public beachFree
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  2. Fort Lauderdale Beach

    Central Beach

    The classic palm-lined promenade along A1A with a wavy white wall and easy ocean access, open sand for everyone, but the metered lots and garages fill on weekends.

    Public beachFree
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  3. Hollywood Beach

    Hollywood

    Best known for its brick Broadwalk lined with cafés and bike rentals, a calm, family-friendly beach where the trick is snagging a metered spot or garage off the Broadwalk.

    Family beachFree
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  4. Cocoa Beach

    Cocoa Beach

    The Space Coast’s surf capital and home of the Cocoa Beach Pier, consistent, beginner-friendly waves and a mix of free and paid lots that go early on a good swell.

    Surf spotFree
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  5. Daytona Beach

    Daytona Beach

    The “World’s Most Famous Beach”: miles of hard-packed sand you can still drive and park on for a seasonal fee, anchored by the landmark Boardwalk and pier.

    Public beachTicketed
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  6. New Smyrna Beach

    New Smyrna Beach

    A laid-back surf town with reliable breaks near the inlet, you can drive onto much of the sand for a fee, while the free side-street spots disappear fast in summer.

    Surf spotTicketed
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  7. St. Augustine Beach

    Anastasia Island

    Wide, gently sloping sand on Anastasia Island near the historic city, a relaxed family beach with a fishing pier whose lot tends to fill by midday in season.

    Family beachFree
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  8. Jacksonville Beach

    Jacksonville Beach

    A broad, walkable beach town anchored by its fishing pier and downtown core, open sand with free street parking that thins out near the pier and paid lots close by.

    Public beachFree
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  9. Delray Beach

    Delray Beach

    A tidy, award-winning municipal beach steps from Atlantic Avenue’s shops and restaurants, clean sand and lifeguards, with metered A1A lots that fill fast on weekends.

    Family beachTicketed
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Florida (Atlantic Coast) beaches: FAQ

Which Florida Atlantic beach is best for surfing?
Cocoa Beach and New Smyrna Beach are the Atlantic-coast standouts, Cocoa for beginner-friendly Space Coast waves by the pier, New Smyrna for more consistent breaks near the inlet. Both can fill early, so check the live map first.
Which Florida beaches let you drive and park on the sand?
Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach allow beach driving and parking on much of their hard-packed sand for a seasonal fee, where conditions and tides permit. Most other Atlantic beaches use metered streets and paid garages instead.
Is parking free at South Beach and Fort Lauderdale Beach?
The beaches are free to enter, but parking is not. Both rely on metered streets and paid garages that fill on weekends. Arrive early, use a garage, or take transit to skip the circling.

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