# Better beach???  Clearwater OR Cocoa Beach



## taben

My hubby and I want to go to the beach one day when we are down there in May...Never been to either Clearwater or Cocoa Beach...WHICH IS THE BEST ONE???

Yeah, can do all kinds of research online but would rather get your input...I see that Clearwater's beach is very clean and there's a lot of shopping in crazy little souvy shops along the pier which we love.  Cocoa Beach just for some reason isn't doing it for me from what I have seen online and read about....of course you either want the Gulf Coast or the ocean.  Just want a clean, nice beach we both can go to and enjoy the surroundings and have a very laid back day with lunch on the beach at one of those low key seafood restaurants.  

I have been looking at tour companies and one called Gator Tours, they will pick you up at the Disney resort and take you to Clearwater or Cocoa Beach...for the Clearwater tour, you can either opt to have the buffet which will total $150 for two w/buffett or $110 for just the transportation.  Don't know what it would cost for just transportation to Cocoa Beach.  I know it is closer to Disney than the Tampa area....so, looking for advice, tips, anything you can input to help make our decision easier.  LOL  It will be just two adults who like to have a lazy day at the beach.

Thank you a bunch!


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## goofy4tink

I actually prefer Cocoa Beach, but I like the Atlantic beaches. Having said that...Clearwater Beach is a beautiful beach...perhaps a bit more relaxing with easier food options.
Cocoa Beach is about an hour away, Clearwater is about 90 mins to two hours depending on traffic...but at least 90 mins.
Getting to Cocoa Beach is going to be tougher. Have you considered renting a car for the day? Or perhaps picking up a car the day before? It's really a very easy drive and then you could poke around a bit.


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## okeydokey

Clearwater all the way.  The Gulf Coast beaches are just gorgeous.


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## WEDWDW

I have taken the Gator Tours excursion to Clearwater Beach.It was fun,but I never could find a nice Bathhouse to change into my swimsuit at.

I ended up changing in the TINY bathroom at the Snack bar by the Pier.NOT FUN!

If you go,take the Dolphin Tour.It was so exciting.

There is a "bus" that you can ride up and down the Beach,but it seemed hard to "catch".

There is a nice little seafood restaurant I ate at right in the area by the Pier where they let you out at.

I was glad I went,but will probably not do it again.

Also,they do not pick up at every WDW resort.I had to go to All-Star Music to be picked up and then was taken to a shopping center by Downtown Disney and "combined" with other Guests there.


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## Tara922c

I haven't been to Clearwater, but I have been to Cocoa beach. I wasn't too impressed with Cocoa. I was expecting crystal clear blue waters like in Destin, FL, or Miami. Cocoa Beach really reminded me of Texas beaches, like Galveston, but a little cleaner. I enjoyed Cocoa, but wished I would have went to Clearwater Beach. I have friends who went, and said it was really nice.


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## aquaticmom

I have been to both, ate at both, and stayed in condo's at both. My vote is for Clearwater hands down. Clearwater beach is absolutley breathtakingly beautiful at sunset, they have a sunset festival on the pier every night with various artist (weather permitting) the sand is white, the beach is wide with beautiful palm trees lining the sidewalks. Cocoa Beach is your typical Atlantic beach.


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## kathy884

Clearwater Beach all the way for me.  I think it's the best bet for a beach day trip from Orlando.  It's a farther drive, but worth it in my opinon.  It's a big wide beach with soft sand and lots of activity going on.


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## CR Resort Fan 4 Life

I would highly recommend Clearwater Beach.


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## jessrose18

Clearwater beach is so nice compared to Cocoa.  We specifically went to Pass-a-Grill beach which is a few miles down from Clearwater, great clear water and wonderful sand.  I would go back there in a heartbeat.


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## vicb

I have done both too.  Cocoa is great IF you want to tour the Space Center.  Also liked visiting Ron Jon surf shop.  We stayed in Cocoa one day then moved down coast to Melbourne.  Downtown Cocoa Beach was sort of yucky, we walked out of a restaurant that was supposed to be "really good" but was seamy, drunk learing guys!  Melbourne was quieter.  Both beaches nice but narrow.

The Clearwater beach itself is wider and nicer than the Atlantic side.  We found the dining to be better in Clearwater Beach.  There is a bit of a blue collar feel there too meaning motorcycles and tons of people smoking.  If you stay north of the pier it is a bit nicer than south.  The pier at night is really fun.  We did a day at Busch Gardens.


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## fla4fun

I prefer the Gulf beaches.  I actually prefer Sand Key, just south of Clearwater Beach, to Clearwater Beach.  There are also some other little communities, like Indian Rocks Beach, Madeira Beach, and Treasure Island farther south that are nice.  If you have a car, I highly recommend Fort DeSoto Park, which is south of St. Petersburg Beach.  It's a park made up of islands, with cycling and kayaking, and great beaches.  You will also find better shells along the Gulf beaches than the Atlantic, because the surf is gentler.

Cocoa Beach is nice, if you get away from the pier area.  There are a couple parks a little farther south right along the beach that are nice.


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## stargazertechie

Clearwater- hands down. FI and I went to Cocoa over spring break last year, and then to clearwater for NYE 2009/2010 and I'm IN LOVE with Clearwater. The sand is like walking on foam, it's pristine, and amazing. 

Cocoa beach is hyper commercialized, dirty, and  just... eew


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## clandrum

I have been to Cocoa beach and was not impressed. So for our next trip I decided to go to Siesta Key beach on the Gulf side. It was featured on the travel channels top 10 beaches. It is about 2 hours away but very easy to get to. They also have a Ron Jon shop there. We love it and have gone twice since. The beach is supper white sand so even when it is 100 degrees out the sand is still cool. We just rented a car from the Dolphin. Here are some pics if your interested.




















Great shelling!


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## Sandy Fisher

Totally agree with those "voting" for Clearwater.  I absolutely love the Gulf beaches.  We've been to Cocoa Beach (not as a destination but we were staying nearby) and we've been to beaches on the Gulf.
Can't beat that gorgeous white sand and blue and green water.      Of course our favorite is the Destin and Ft. Walton area and that's too far to drive for a day if you're staying in the Disney area.


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## winterman

The big difference between the beaches is the wave action. The Atlantic side waves are much stronger - I have sometimes needed my DH to 'pull' me up onto the beach. On the gulf side the waves are much calmer.


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## RabFlmom

OK as a Floridian here is my take.  If you want lake water go to the gulf side if you want a little wave action go to the Atlantic side.  The only time the gulf gets real waves is when there is a storm.  If you want smoother bottoms with shallow water go to the gulf side.  You usually can walk out for quite a ways in water below your knees.  The bottom of the ocean varies and can drop off to over your head within feet of the beach or be shallow for a while with waves hitting you neck high, etc.  

Sand on the Atlantic side will not be the white sugar sand it will be the tan, a little shelly sand of the Atlantic.  It is the only sand that a few types of Sea turtles will nest in and we will never bring in the white sand to Improve the feel for tourists.  When we refurb and widen the beaches we replace it with the same kind of sand.  

For this May if you want warmer water the Gulf side might be warmer.  It has been cold for so long it will take longer for Atlantic to warm up this year so figure 70s in June for water temp and not hitting high 70s till maybe July.  

Clearwater is a beautiful area.  A lot more crowded and touristy than the Brevard County beaches.  Ours are kept more natural because of the turtles that will start nesting in May.  They will be doing some sand refurbishment on Atlantic side in the south  Melbourne areas for a couple months but will finish up when it is time for turtles to nest.


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## eddiemcgarrigle

Clearwater was very nice, Cocao not so much but it does have it's perks.  On a very warm day, the breeze coming off the Atlantic is lovely, watching little dots on the horizon turn into huge liners and there is also Ron Jon's.

I can't remember if it was Cocao or Daytona where I was able to walk out into the sea until it was at waist height before rising again to splash around my ankles.  Great area for letting the kids play.


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## POB14

fla4fun said:


> If you have a car, I highly recommend Fort DeSoto Park, which is south of St. Petersburg Beach.  It's a park made up of islands, with cycling and kayaking, and great beaches.



Shh . . . don't tell anybody . . . we love going to DeSoto; it's much less crowded than Clearwater and the morning shelling is fantastic.

For the rest of you - don't go near Ft. DeSoto Park; it's ugly and stinky and you'll catch H1N1.


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## DisneyBamaFan

In May, you need to go to the Gulf (Atlantic not warm enough yet). We have family in both cities (Treasure Island and Cocoa). We love them both. Better waves, bars and eye "candy" at Cocoa, better family environment at Clearwater. Also, watching a shuttle take-off from cocoa Beach is awesome!


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## Mookie Blaylock

Clearwater:
Pros: Soft white sands, very small waves, great restaruants nearby(Frency's     Rockawayhttp://www.frenchysonline.com/ is nice), Great Marina with many tour optionshttp://www.clearwater-fl.com/gov/depts/marine_aviation/ma_facilities/Marina/pdf/Marina_Tenant_Websites.pdf, Clearwater Aquarium http://www.seewinter.com/

Cons: Farther away, small waves.

Cocoa Beach:
Pros:Closer, Bigger Waves, Ron Jon's,
Cons: Sand feels dirty compared to Gulf, Bigger Waves


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## doclegler

CLEARWATER!! 
We've done both coasts, and the gulf is definitely much nicer. The water is so clean and clear and the white sand is pristine. There are so many fun things to do on the gulf too...Memo's Pirate Cruise and Caladesi Island just to name a few.  My kids love the area, and we just keep going back now. 
Cocoa just feels dirty to us. The sand isn't a nice, and the water seems dirty. Its just not what you imagine when you think beach.
Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!


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## Area 4

Clearwater.

To me it's like asking my son, where do you want to go? Magic Kingdom or the run down McDonald's playground?


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## DisneyMim

I love Clearwater and any of the beaches south, Indian Rocks is wonderful.  If you haven't been to either coast maybe you could do one now and one at another time and see for yourself which you like better.  Cocoa is nice, its just that prefer Clearwater.  

Have Fun!!


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## pixarmom

This is great news, because we are going to Clearwater for a few days before Disney!  I appreciate all the specific suggestions for the Clearwater Beach area!  Any suggestions for fun kids' activities when the whether is a little cooler than usual?


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## Disbound

Clearwater Beach all the way! I went to Cocoa Beach a few years ago and all I really remember that was there other than the beach was Ron Jon's. We spent a week in Belleair Beach (next door to Clearwater)  last year and are going back again in April!  Part of the trip will be Disney, the other part beach.  fla4fun suggested all really great places to go.  Clearwater beach is actually a very long (about 20 miles) key that goes runs down along the coast.  John's Pass is another fun place to go.  There is also a cool bird sanctuary you can go to for free. You can get to all of these places by the trolley.  The best part about Clearwater side is watching the sun set over the ocean every night! Just beautiful!  If you are looking to find a deal on dining, go to www.restaurant.com and type in Clearwater's zip code 
(33767).  This will list many restaurants in the area that  you can purchase gift cards to for a fraction of the price. It's free to sign up and you don't have to purchase anything if you don't want to.  If you have the time before your trip, scope out the places you'd like to go then wait until the end of the month when the gift certificates are 80% off.  In other words, you get a $50 for about $10. You print them right off on your computer. We used them a lot last year and not once did a restaurant even question them, they are very used to them being used.  Many Orlando restaurants are there too if you have a car and want to venture off property for a meal.  Hope you have a great time whatever you decide!


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## capecoddisneyfamily

What is the difference between St Pete Beach and Clearwater Beach?


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## kmvand1

Disbound said:


> Clearwater Beach all the way! I went to Cocoa Beach a few years ago and all I really remember that was there other than the beach was Ron Jon's. We spent a week in Belleair Beach (next door to Clearwater)  last year and are going back again in April!  Part of the trip will be Disney, the other part beach.  fla4fun suggested all really great places to go.  Clearwater beach is actually a very long (about 20 miles) key that goes runs down along the coast.  John's Pass is another fun place to go.  There is also a cool bird sanctuary you can go to for free. You can get to all of these places by the trolley.  The best part about Clearwater side is watching the sun set over the ocean every night! Just beautiful!  If you are looking to find a deal on dining, go to www.restaurant.com and type in Clearwater's zip code
> (33767).  This will list many restaurants in the area that  you can purchase gift cards to for a fraction of the price. It's free to sign up and you don't have to purchase anything if you don't want to.  If you have the time before your trip, scope out the places you'd like to go then wait until the end of the month when the gift certificates are 80% off.  In other words, you get a $50 for about $10. You print them right off on your computer. We used them a lot last year and not once did a restaurant even question them, they are very used to them being used.  Many Orlando restaurants are there too if you have a car and want to venture off property for a meal.  Hope you have a great time whatever you decide!



Love John's Pass - my kids used to call it Saint John' Pass for some reason!  We have been to Reddington Beach which is very close to Clearwater but a little more private.  The Doubletree is wonderful!  Also, up across from the Sea Wake in Clearwater is a restaurant, Gondolier's which is excellent as well.


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## Brian_WDW74

I've moved this thread to the Orlando Hotels and Attractions board.


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## Disbound

That is funny!  I often say St. John's Pass by mistake too!  We spent a fun afternoon just walking around the boardwalk and watching the dolphins, shopping a bit and enjoying a great meal. 
 I did mean to say though that Clearwater Beach is part of Sand Key which goes down the whole coast. The cities/towns that others have mentioned are all part of Sand Key.  The shelling is really fun.  There is a boat that you can take over to collect shells for the day which leaves from Pass-a-grill every couple of hours. You can stay for a few hours or all day, same price, it was around $20.  I went and the beach was just full of sand dollars, and other really cool shells.   They recommend going after a big storm as some of the larger conch shells just wash up.  You are also provided with snorkel gear if you want it.
As for the St Pete Beach question, I've never been there.  I'd suggest googling Clearwater, St Pete and there are many sites there to research where to go.


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## sjanus

Another vote for the Clearwater, Gulf side....whiter sand, bluer waters.  However, can't beat the distance to Cocoa for a quick day at the beach.  We actually stayed in Indian Shores on the Gulf side, nice beach, very natural looking.  We are staying at Clearwater Sheraton Sand Key, for a few days in May during our trip down.  We also booked a townhome in Clearwater for 18 days in February when we are down.  So looking forward to information about things to do as well!  

If you are visiting the Space Center, Cocoa Beach is right there, and Canaveral Beach just up from the pier....we like that area the best.  We also love to eat at the Atlantic Grill on the pier...great specials, great food, great view!  

Do one this time, the other next time, as people vary in their preferences.  The ocean is rougher in Cocoa, surfers are fun to watch! We've experienced the sunrise in Cocoa Beach and the sunset in Indian Shores, both beautiful and breathtaking! It's a long story, but we did this all in one day. 

Sandy


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## Chaoticsweetness

Just speaking as a Clearwater local; Clearwater beach is a wonderful place to go & enjoy your whole day.  From morning all the way into 2am.  The sunsets are wonderful, people who work down there are so FRIENDLY & the nightlife is awesome!

I've been to Cocoa beach, it was nice.  Didn't really compare to Clearwater Beach though.


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## kathy884

I only went to St. Pete's beach once because I liked Clearwater so much better and always go there.  And it's a few years back, so I don't remember that many details.  I thought I'd post anyway since I haven't seen other posts on the subject.  St. Pete's was definately quieter and less crowded.  It was long but a much shorter strech of sand before you got to the water.  There were a few small beach stores and snack places.  I didn't see a big pier like Clearwater has or lots of resturants like Clearwater has.  I like lots of people at a beach though and lots of activity, so Clearwater was much more my style.


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## giginator

Clearwater hands down, have been to both and will never go back to cocoa beach.


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## capecoddisneyfamily

kathy884 said:


> I only went to St. Pete's beach once because I liked Clearwater so much better and always go there.  And it's a few years back, so I don't remember that many details.  I thought I'd post anyway since I haven't seen other posts on the subject.  St. Pete's was definately quieter and less crowded.  It was long but a much shorter strech of sand before you got to the water.  There were a few small beach stores and snack places.  I didn't see a big pier like Clearwater has or lots of resturants like Clearwater has.  I like lots of people at a beach though and lots of activity, so Clearwater was much more my style.



Thank you, we like the action vs. quiet also


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## kjpotter

We are planning a day trip on a Saturday or Sunday in June.  We'll have 6 kids ages 12 to 1.  None have ever been to an ocean or beach.  Eating/shopping isn't really a priority.  We just want to experience a beach and have fun in the water.

Which beach would you pick?


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## lzbee

Clearwater is definitely MUCH better, but more crowded!


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