Florida Town Named Best Small Beach Town In America

According to the folks at "Travel & Leisure", the best small beach town in 2023 is an idyllic spot on the Gulf of Mexico that barely escaped total destruction from Hurricane Ian last year.  Don't get me wrong, the damage was devastating, just as it was for many of our west coast treasures in the Sunshine State like Sanibel and Captiva.

But year-round residents and business owners are resilient and determined, so today Gasparilla Island and its main town that we celebrate today, Boca Grande, still boast crystal clear waters, a beautiful bike path, and much more.  Some have said it's like stepping back in time.

Anyone who has spent time there will tell you the beaches are immaculate, and the water is sparkling, and loaded with sea life.  One of the big draws of Boca Grande is game fishing for tarpon in the deep-water pass.

If fishing isn’t your thing, there are two lighthouses with a museum and state park at the south end of the island, as well as a scenic bike path that will take you from one end of the island to the other.  If it’s too hot for a bike ride, rent a golf cart and have at it on the bike trail.

That depends how much solitude you like, and how much heat you can take.  It’s busiest from Thanksgiving through spring break, when northerners are looking for an escape from the snow.  Then they roll into tarpon season which lasts through July.

If you want true peace and quiet, plan your visit in August or September, when many businesses are closed.  But that includes some hotels, too, so make sure you take care of making accommodations before you arrive during the late summer.

Get more ideas on what to do and where to stay in Boca Grande from “Travel and Leisure”.

It's a Florida pastime, even if it's illegal. Many tourists and locals will crack open a cold one on the beach, even though it's against the law. But there are a handful of beaches in Florida, including the Tampa Bay area, where you can drink alcohol without a hefty fine.

While it is illegal to drink on a lot of Tampa Bay area beaches, many get away with it daily. Popular beaches like Clearwater, Honeymoon, Bellaire, Indian Rocks Beach, and Fort De Soto Park have all banned alcohol. Even though they have the stereotype as the "spring break beach", no beach in the Miami area allows public drinking. But like we said, it's not uncommon to see a group of people with coolers of beer, or even beverages from the beachfront restaurants. Keep in mind that officers do keep watch on the beach. If you get caught, it could mean at least a $250 fine and possibly spend up tp 90 days in jail. Seems like a harsh punishment, but it's there to protect the people and environment.

Remember different beaches have different rules but one thing remains the same. No glass is allowed on any beach in Florida. Even if the beach allows alcohol, you'll have to pour any glass drinks into a different container. It's really for the best, in case you were to break a bottle, it would be impossible to pick up all of the pieces. Eventually, someone will cut themselves on it.

There's another golden rule when it comes to day drinking on the beach. Don't forget to down some water in between alcoholic beverages. It's hot here and there's nothing worse than a dehydration headache and a nasty hangover. And ALWAYS remember to have a designated driver!

They don't call it Mad Beach for nothing! Not only can you bring alcohol on the beach (but no glass), there are also a lot of great bars and breweries to check out around the area.

Alcohol beverages are allowed on the sand at beachfront hotels, but this is limited to hotel guests. 

Alcohol beverages are allowed but not in glass containers. However, no alcohol is allowed on the beach between the 8500 block and the 9900 block of Treasure Island Beach between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Redington Beach is one of the few beaches that allows alcohol no ordinances against glass bottles. Although it is still strongly discouraged to bring glass on the beach.

This beach is widely known to be a party spot. However, PCB has a spring break law where no alcohol is allowed on the beach during the month of March. Thanks to TikTok challenges, you also can't dig holes deeper than 2 feet. A few months ago, it was a popular challenge on social media to dig the deepest hole you can at the beach. This led to lots of people falling into said holes, and now, the new law.

Not only does Siesta beach have some of the softest sand and clearest waters. But you can also sip on a High Noon as you enjoy the gorgeous views.

Head to the other coast to sip some beer and catch some waves all at the same beach. But be careful in the water, Cocoa beach and the New Smyrna beach are known to have some of the most shark attacks in the U.S.