5 great beaches to visit near Orlando

Orlando, FL is home to some of the nation’s best theme parks, epic hotels, and countless activities for all types of travelers. But when you’re ready to hop off the roller coasters and onto Florida’s famous beaches there are plenty of options to choose from nearby. (Orlando itself is landlocked, after all.) Here are the best beaches within driving distance from the city.

First on our list is the lovely New Smyrna Town Beach, a popular yet laid-back beach that is frequented by Orlando locals. It's about 50 minutes to an hour away from Downtown Orlando’s Central Business District.

Some must-see attractions nearby include Smyrna Dunes Park, the perfect boardwalk for a scenic sunset hike; the Canal Street Historic District, the city’s main street filled with restaurants, pubs, and eclectic boutiques; and Flagler Avenue Park, where visitors will find tasty food trucks and souvenir shops.

Cocoa Beach is the perfect place to spend the day sunbathing with a great beach read or learning how to surf with Cocoa Beach Surf School. Adventure seekers can see Florida’s wildlife up close and personal on a manatee and dolphin mangrove tour. The beach also looks absolutely magical at night, which you can see for yourself on a bioluminescent kayak tour.

Before heading back to Orlando, stop by the Cocoa Beach Pier for some fun and grub. Seafood lovers will adore the selection at Keith’s Oyster Bar for perfectly charbroiled oysters and waterfront views.

This 23-mile-long white sand beach is a taste of paradise, with parasailing, surfing, paddle boarding, beach volleyball, and more on tap. Those looking to partake in Daytona’s party scene will want to visit sometime between March and April when spring breakers flock to the boardwalk. NASCAR fans will want to stop by the Living Legends of Auto Racing Museum or plan a trip in February to watch these legends in action at the Daytona 500. Adrenaline lovers looking to take it up a notch can even hop in the driver’s seat for their own NASCAR experience. No matter when you visit, you’re sure to have a blast at the iconic Daytona Beach.

Travelers' Choice Award–winning Canaveral National Seashore is the prime destination to spot wildlife like dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, and various species of birds. Much like Cocoa Beach, the Canaveral National Seashore offers bioluminescent clear kayak boat tours, many of which venture to nearby Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Be sure to leave time in your itinerary for a visit to nearby Kennedy Space Center, where you can stroll through the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, hang out in a garden full of rockets, see the Atlantis space shuttle up close, and experience a shuttle launch simulation.

A Traveler's Choice Award winner as one the best beaches in the U.S., Clearwater Beach is well worth the two-hour drive for a day of fun in the sun. Explore the beach by embarking on a dolphin-watching tour or romantic sunset charter cruise. Or, remain on dry land at Pier 60, where travelers can snag souvenirs from local merchants, take photographs, and listen to live music. Kids will love making scaly, furry, and feathered friends at Alligator & Wildlife Discovery Center, which rescues “pet surrenders and orphaned native wildlife that cannot be safely returned to the wild.”

Traveling with a four-legged family member? Make a trip to nearby Honeymoon Island State Park where fido can enjoy the dog beach and hike by your side on one of the park’s many trails.