Sign In

The Best Beach Detours From Orlando

A Floridian for more than half my life, the salt life runs through my veins. But before moving closer to the coast in Florida, I spent several years living inland, in Orlando. Every Friday after work, I’d turn my car east along what’s perhaps the most delightfully named toll road in all of Florida–the Beachline Expressway–to make for my then-boyfriend's family’s oceanfront beach apartment in south Cocoa Beach, less than an hour away but a world apart. We’d spend lazy mornings strolling the shoreline with the sandpipers at sunrise, watch pelicans ride the thermals over the rooftops of condos, and catch mellow waves in the surf.

For visitors to Orlando, working in a detour to the beach can be just the salve after a theme park-heavy itinerary in Central Florida. And when it comes to the best beaches near Orlando, you’ve got options. My advice? Head east for the best beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, where there’s usually more motion in the ocean than what awaits on the state’s west coast along the sugar-fine strands of the Gulf of Mexico, which have an appeal all their own. Read on for some of the best beaches near Orlando (defined as within three hours of the swamp-adjacent theme park city).

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Cocoa Beach

Besides getting a second mention in this article, my ex would love that I’m sharing what he used to say about Cocoa Beach, along Florida’s Space Coast: “It’s like Huntington Beach, California 50 years ago,” he’d quip. And he wasn’t wrong. The no-frills, authentic surf town where professional surfer Kelly Slater came up charging the waves has a great little beach bar scene. Make time for Coconuts on the Beach, which does a mean pina colada, as well as the even mellower Beach Shack just next door.

A 60-mile drive east of downtown Orlando, Cocoa Beach also has a historic pier with a tiki bar at its tip that’s a prime perch for spotting rocket launches from nearby Cape Canaveral, just north.

Wheelchair-accessible ramps can be found at nearly all the beach access points here, including Jetty Park Beach & Pier, a popular surf spot just north of Port Canaveral that’s great for watching massive cruise ships coming in and out of port. And while there’s not much in the way of luxury hotels in Cocoa Beach, you can’t beat staying at Beach Place Guesthouses, where all accommodations have full kitchens—there are also loaner surfboards and a talking African parrot to greet you.

Playalinda Beach, Canaveral National Seashore

Have your heart set on spending a day lounging on a truly pristine and undeveloped stretch of sand? There’s no better beach day trip from Orlando than Playalinda Beach along Canaveral National Seashore. Roughly 60 miles east of Orlando, it’s a nature lover’s dream and an important habitat for nesting sea turtles, in particular loggerheads and green turtles. The protected shoreline at Playalinda Beach is also a naturalist haven, with a clothing-optional stretch in the area around the beach entrance at parking lot 13 if you want to sunbathe textile-free.

Surfers like Playalinda’s sandy bottom beach break, with gentle peelers rolling ashore—the beach is also a prime spot to get a view of rocket launches staged to the south at Cape Canaveral. In nearby Titusville, the rooftop Space Bar is another coveted spot to catch a rocket launch. Whatever you do, don’t miss the lively local bar scene at Playalinda Brewing Company.

New Smyrna Beach

Also just about an hour’s drive from Orlando (roughly 55 miles to the northeast), New Smyrna Beach is another quintessential East Coast Florida beach community known for its surf-obsessed residents and golden sands. Interestingly, you can drive your car on dedicated stretches of the beach here (love it or loathe it), a tradition that dates back to the early days of automobiles and racing in the area.

For a hideaway spot to stay on the Indian River, the hospitality and hearty southern breakfasts at Black Dolphin Inn stand apart, with just 14 rooms decorated with fine art and vintage furnishings. Old school Florida fish camp flair and lively sunset happy hours (plus kayak rentals) await at JB’s Fish Camp, which has been around since the '80s and has tables set on a dock above Indian River from which you can often spot frolicking dolphins and manatees.

Vilano Beach

About 108 miles northeast of Orlando and a less touristy alternative to staying in the heart of nearby St. Augustine, Vilano Beach is another favorite coastal town Floridians like to keep close to the chest. Stay steps from the sand in a charming vacation rental from Beach Babes Rentals, such as the Hula Hut or Coral Sea Casa, which is pet-friendly and has a private path through the dunes to the beach. Feast on smoked fish dip and mahi mahi sandwiches overlooking the Tolomato River at Beaches at Vilano and drive into nearby St. Augustine to catch sunset at the 17th century Castillo de San Marcos, where you can tour the historic city’s other fascinating sites like the Oldest Wooden School House and Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

Melbourne Beach

Just south of Cocoa Beach and about 75 miles from Orlando, Melbourne Beach has a more residential vibe as well as gorgeous oceanfront beach parks like the seagrape-lined Spessard Holland North Beach Park and Bonsteel Park (both with ADA-accessible dune crossovers).

Stay beachside at Port D’Hiver, a gorgeous little boutique bed and breakfast right across from the ocean with a collection of rooms spread between the main house, a carriage house, and two satellite cabana properties. Or you can base close to nightlife but still within easy reach of the beach just across the bridge in downtown Melbourne, where the brick streets are lined with galleries, bars, and cafes. Plus, the stylish Hotel Melby has a scene-y rooftop restaurant (The Landing Rooftop) serving up all-day brunch and sweeping river and ocean views.

Vero Beach

Roughly 100 miles southeast of Orlando on Florida’s Treasure Coast (named for the loot from Spanish galleons recovered offshore), seek out Vero Beach for more of a tropical feel than the northern beaches and water that’s a few shades more sapphire, too. The oceanfront hotels here skew more upscale as well, from the family-friendly Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa, with spacious suites, and Latin-inspired Costa d’Este Resort & Spa to The Historic Driftwood Resort, composed in part of flotsam and jetsam and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Vero Beach’s compact downtown, home to a weekly farmer’s market and lined with cute cafes (The Lemon Tree, known for its benedicts and lemon blueberry pancakes, is a brunch favorite) and shops, makes it easy to park your car and get around by bike or on foot during your stay.

Pop into the rustic Riverside Cafe for oysters and yellowfin tuna nachos overlooking the Indian River Lagoon then rent a standup paddleboard or kayak from Paddles by the Sea for a self-guided dolphin-spotting tour in the calm waters.

Anna Maria Island

It takes longer to get from Orlando to Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches, which are closer to Tampa. But it’s worth the trek to Anna Maria Island (137 miles west of Orlando) to enjoy postcard perfect white sand beaches lapped by waters that often rival the Caribbean’s in clarity and hue.

Newly opened during the summer of 2023, the adorable Mello On Beach brings a Palm Springs aesthetic to Florida with color-pop, retro furnishings and a boomerang-shaped outdoor pool with oversized floaties. The property is set just back from the dunes and has one, two and three-bedroom apartments, all with full kitchens and private patios that make it easy to settle in and get comfortable. And the outdoor game area is perfect for a game of corn hole or jenga with the family with gulf views.

Anna Maria Island’s appeal comes in its classic Florida small town vibes that are refreshingly free of any chain hotels or shops. Plan a lazy breakfast at Ginny’s and Jane E’s, a gift shop-meets-cafe known for its sticky buns and creme brulee French toast. Then stroll the Anna Maria City pier to learn about Gulf Coast wildlife at the marine science center.

Indian Shores

Located between the busier Gulf Coast beachside burgs of St. Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach, Indian Shores (123 miles west of Orlando) feels a bit like a Florida secret, with retro motels lining the beach, gentle waters lapping it and a shoreline you’ll often share with more wading birds than humans.

Stay right across from the beach along the Intracoastal Waterway at Legacy Vacation Resorts, a hideaway Certified B Corporation property with an outdoor grilling deck overlooking the water, a swimming pool and modern studios, one and two-bedroom apartments, all with full kitchens.

On a stroll down Indian Shores’ spectacular sugar-fine beach, keep an eye out for the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, tucked away behind a tangle of tropical foliage just back from the sand. Rescued native Florida birds like pelicans, raptors and owls convalesce here before eventually being released back into the wild.

Florida-based travel writer Terry Ward has been writing about travel since 2001 and has covered camping on the sea ice in Arctic Canada and snorkeling with orcas in Norway, among other topics, for Condé Nast Traveler. A graduate of the University of Florida, she’s fluent in French and Spanish and ... Read more

Contributing Writer

More from Condé Nast Traveler

• News & Advice

  The Most Exciting Hotel Openings of Spring 2025

  By Todd Plummer
• Inspiration

  13 US Cities That Are Surprisingly Affordable to Visit

  By Jamie Spain
• News & Advice

  The Michelin Guide Is Taking a Closer Look at Florida and the Greater South

  By Susan B. Barnes
• Family Travel

  9 Destinations Where a (Relatively) Cheap Family Vacation Is Possible

  By Juliet Izon
• News & Advice

  Can Americans Travel to Cuba?

  By Tony Perrottet
• Inspiration

  Off Season Spain: fashion designer Charo Ruiz on Ibiza's winter charm

  By María Casbas

• Pinterest
• Facebook
• Snapchat
• Instagram
• X

© 2025 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Condé Nast Traveler may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices

Select international site

United States LargeChevron

• India
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• Middle East
• Germany