Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    Lost Cakes of the South

    These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden

    7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020

    ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture

    50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime

    Curl up with a classic!
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. travel
  3. 10 Florida Beaches So Beautiful You'll Think You're in the Caribbean

10 Florida Beaches So Beautiful You'll Think You're in the Caribbean

By Kara Franker
April 03, 2019
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Marka/Getty Images
There’s something about the turquoise water and ivory sand beaches in the Caribbean that makes the destination a true paradise. But you don’t have to splurge on flights and go abroad to find your own heavenly abode. We’ve rounded up some of the best beaches in Florida that make you feel like you’ve sailed farther south. Think pearly sand and waves in shades of sapphire, teal and azure.
Start Slideshow

1 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Bahia Honda

Credit: ideeone/Getty Images

Perhaps one of the most Caribbean-style beaches in the mainland United States, Bahia Honda State Park has it all: crystal-clear water, white sand beaches, and plenty of breezy palm trees. The island is located about three-fourths of the way down the Florida Keys at Mile Marker 37 on Big Pine Key. The water is so transparent that the snorkeling here is second to none. And be sure to check out what’s left of Henry Flagler’s historic Overseas Railroad—a great spot for sunset photos.

1 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Captiva Island

Credit: Robert A. Dennis/Getty Images

Funky, quirky Captiva Island has a distinct artsy vibe—exactly the kind you might expect to find in the Caribbean—and the beaches are pure perfection. Legend has it that renegade pirate Jose Gaspar built a prison on “Isle de los Captivas” in the early 1800’s where he kept prisoners “captive” for ransom. Today, you’ll wish you had the lock and key to throw away so you can stay in this island haven forever.

2 of 10

3 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Dry Tortugas

Credit: Marco Simoni/Getty Images  

Located almost 70 miles west of Key West, Dry Tortugas National Park is the gateway to the western Caribbean. Only accessible by boat or seaplane, the park is a collection of seven remote islands, as well as one of the largest 19th century forts in the country. Early on, Spanish explorers used this high-traffic shipping channel through the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The fort was built between 1846 and 1875 to protect the shipping routes. Today, it’s a marvel with decorative brickwork and 2,000 arches.

3 of 10

Advertisement

4 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Caladesi Island

Credit: Photo by Kara Franker

An unspoiled paradise, Caladesi Island is located in the blue-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, just north of Clearwater. Only accessible by boat, set sail on the daily ferry and leave the hustle and bustle of the mainland behind. Before it was a state park, the island was the childhood home of author Myrtle Scharrer Betz. The only child ever born on the island, the author was the daughter of 1880’s homesteader Henry Scharrer, and she placed a deed restriction on the property in 1946 to ensure that no unnecessary alterations could be made to the 157 acres. Thanks to her, the island is pristine to this day.

4 of 10

5 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Cayo Costa Island

Credit: Purestock/Getty Images

A former fishing ground for the Calusa Indians, Cayo Costa Island offers a rich history and nine miles of undeveloped shoreline and sugar sand beaches. Dating back nearly 4,000 years, several Native American shell mounds are located on archipelago, which means “Key by the Coast.” Now a Florida state park, the island is only accessible by boat, and it’s completely off the electrical grid. Interestingly, there are about two dozen private homes on the island, three of which you can find on VRBO. The state park also has campsites and rustic cabins available for vacation rentals, the perfect opportunity to unplug and recharge.

5 of 10

6 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Keewaydin Island

Credit: DENNIS AXER/Getty Images

A barrier island located off the coast of Marco Island and Naples, Keewaydin Island is a hidden gem. It’s a hotspot on the weekends for in-the-know locals, but most beach connoisseurs don’t even know this pristine seven-mile stretch of sand exists. There are no roads, cars, or bridges, so you’re going to need a boat. Wildlife abounds, especially loggerhead sea turtles, wild boars, and bobcats. It’s also home to the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America.

6 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Fort De Soto

Credit: Arthur Morris/Getty Images

Five offshore islands collectively make up picturesque Fort De Soto Park, located near St. Petersburg on Florida’s west coast. While the beaches tend to get crowded on the weekends, during the weekday and off-seasons, large swaths of immaculate sand are wide open with hardly another soul in sight. However, you will see plenty of sand dollars, shore birds, and dolphins in this unique location where the Gulf of Mexico meets Tampa Bay.

7 of 10

8 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Sanibel Island

Credit: Chuck Haney/Getty Images

Certainly by now, almost everyone knows that Sanibel Island is the undisputed shelling capital of North America. Every collector’s dream, you don’t have to go all the way to the Caribbean to discover hundreds of colorful sea shells. On 15 miles of beaches that wrap around this isle in the Gulf of Mexico, there are more than 250 different kinds of shells. It’s such a popular pastime, that the act of bending at the waste to retrieve a shell is referred to as the “Sanibel Stoop.”

8 of 10

9 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Key Biscayne

Credit: Marka/Getty Images

This flawless beach just off the coast of Miami isn’t a secret. In fact, the picturesque island setting in Crandon Park has provided many the backdrop for modeling photo shoots, TV commercials and magazines. The key is to go on a weekday—no crowds. Just a sprawling pearly sand beach and hundreds of palm trees for shade. Back in the day, Key Biscayne was a coconut plantation, and it’s still home to hundreds of towering palms and lush tropical flora. Hang a hammock between two breezy beauties and you’ll instantly lock in that laid-back Caribbean vibe.

9 of 10

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 10

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Honeymoon Island

Credit: lug1/Getty Images

An all-natural escape in the heart of the Tampa Bay area, Honeymoon Island is one of Florida’s most famous state parks. It’s completely pristine with white sand and jade water—definitely Caribbean-esque. The ideal time to visit is on a less busy weekday, where you can plop down in the sand and witness a spectacular sunset on the beach along with a lively crowd of pelicans, osprey, eagles, and great horned owls. It’s no wonder the birds love this island, too!

10 of 10

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Kara Franker

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 10 Bahia Honda
2 of 10 Captiva Island
3 of 10 Dry Tortugas
4 of 10 Caladesi Island
5 of 10 Cayo Costa Island
6 of 10 Keewaydin Island
7 of 10 Fort De Soto
8 of 10 Sanibel Island
9 of 10 Key Biscayne
10 of 10 Honeymoon Island

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Southern Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Southern Living
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

View image

10 Florida Beaches So Beautiful You'll Think You're in the Caribbean
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.