Looking for ideas for fun weekend getaways for couples?
Then why not come visit Florida?
Florida is great for road trips. Our state is narrow enough and lined with enough coastal towns and just-off-the-coast islands that you could hit many spots on a short or extended weekend getaway.
If you don’t live close enough to drive your own car, then you can find plenty of last-minute cheap flights and then rent one.
Or you could bypass a road trip around the state altogether and just stick to one coastal town or, of course, just to my town, the epicenter of theme parks, Orlando. (But in this post I will only look at a few handpicked coastal beach towns).
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The purpose of my post is to give you some ideas for romantic and fun weekend getaways for couples if you are not familiar with Florida. Or if you are, to perhaps give you some new ideas.
Many of the places in this post are on my wishlist, while a few I have visited more than once. There are just too many to get to. The average Floridian has hit a handful, but still has plenty more to explore.
This is not meant to serve as a comprehensive travel guide, RelationshipBrew.com is a relationship blog after all; therefore, I will start with a short list of beach town gems, hand-picked from different regions of the state. Then later continue to add new places to the list (for example, Key West, Tampa, Jacksonville, etc).
There’s a reason Florida usually lands at the #1 spot of surveys for the most visited states in the US (here is a survey of 8,000 respondents on simplemost.com- see where your state finished).
Many people get tired of the bone-crushing cold and seek some liquid sunshine and breath-taking ocean and gulf views along our 8,436 miles of ocean and gulf coastline.
Ironically though, Florida is not for everyone. We will explore for whom it makes the most sense to choose our beach towns for fun weekend getaways for couples.
Yes, Florida is home to many beach town paradises.
But let’s find out what you can do here, so you can decide to come to visit Florida on a quick romantic weekend getaway.
Here is just part of the list, but I’m just trying to focus on what makes Florida stand out.
Please feel free to leave a comment to suggest some additions to the list.
It’s hot most of the year– like you didn’t know that. But when it’s not hot, no place is better to be. November to March are the coolest months in Florida, but also the more south you travel the warmer it gets. Compare the two cities below:
Average Temperatures in Destin, Florida (Northwest Panhandle Coast)
Average Temperatures in Sarasota, Florida (Southwest Coast)
Did you notice the big difference?
In the winter months from November – March, it typically gets around 10° cooler in the northwestern coastal city of Destin than in the southwestern coastal city of Sarasota.
In other words, if you want to experience warmth and sunshine, then choose your month wisely. And the same thing goes for if you want to avoid sun blistering heat.
Different Cities to Visit, But Not That Different
Unlike some other popular tourist states, there is not quite as much entertainment diversity, *at least when looking at our beach towns.
Take, for example, California. If you’ve been there, then you’d know that Northern California (the entire San Francisco bay area and all the wine regions close by) is extremely different than Southern California (Los Angeles and San Diego). And even Los Angeles and San Diego are extremely different.
While each Florida coastal town displays its own vibe and identity, for the most part, the entertainment offerings are fairly similar, unlike the vast difference in California.
Let’s go look at a list of coastal towns that you might want to visit in Florida…
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Panaramic View of Bowman's Beach Park on Sanibel Island, FL.
*UPDATE*- Due to Hurricane Ian in Sept 2022, you will want to check the condition of both Sanibel and Captiva Islands. You can [Click Here] for more information.
Living in Central Florida gives us pretty quick access to any part of the state.
Cities all around us and beaches up and down both coasts on either side of us.
During the pandemic year of 2020, I finally got back to Sanibel and Captiva Island, located on the southwestern Gulf coast side (located next to Ft Myers). I highly suggest you drive along the gulf coast because you will find some of the most scenic Florida road trips here, from Naples up to Clearwater.
They’re located next to each other and are accessible by car via the Sanibel Causeway (charges tolls to cross).
The two main attractions for us were the numerous serene blue-green shallow beaches and the sunset dolphin Captiva Cruise (South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island). Our favorite beach was Bowman’s Beach, pictured above.
But, of course, we also came for the fresh seafood and key lime pies.
If you bring your dog, you will find many pet-friendly restaurants to bring them along, as well as the beaches.
Sanibel Island GPS Coordinates (26.4490° N, 82.0223° W)
Captiva Island GPS Coordinates (26.5276° N, 82.1948° W)
Sanibel and Captiva Island Highlights
You’ll find plenty of fun outdoor activities and breathtaking Gulf views plus plenty of seafood restaurants, local bars, and boutique shops.
Here are some of the activities you’ll find on Sanibel and Captiva Island.
View Towards Pier 60 at Clearwater Beach, FL
Most Floridians would say the best coast is the west coast.
Luckily for me, Clearwater sits only a 1 1/2 drive away from Orlando. And along with some great popular restaurants like Crabby’s Dockside and Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, the beach close to Pier 60 are spacious, with clean, light greenish blue water. All up and down the beach you will find plenty of top-rate hotels if you’re staying on the beach for a quick getaway or just coming over from Orlando for the day.
When my girlfriend and I went this past summer we swung by Dunedin, just north, and imbibed a refreshing cocktail at the Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar, located at the cozy boutique Fenway Hotel.
Much like other Florida beach towns, you can enjoy many watersports activities, dolphin-spotting or fishing excursions, as well as visit some native Floridian sea friend up close and personal at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Clearwater, Florida GPS Coordinates: (27.9659° N, 82.8001° W)
Sarasota, Florida GPS Coordinates: (27.3364° N, 82.5307° W)
Stunning Florida Oasis- Sarasota
I finally recently got to visit the beaches of Sarasota/Bradenton.
And I’d say that this was my best overall Florida beach experience to date.
Here’s what stood out to me and why you should visit the beaches on Longboat Key and Ana Maria Island.
The best beach by far I visited was Bean Point Beach on Ana Maria Island. I’ve thought about this Florida paradise every day since I left. If you want a “time-stands-still” experience, go to Bean Point Beach.
(*Note: you will have to park on a nearby neighborhood street. Look for the street signs that permit legal street parking. Also, there are no restroom or shower facilities here).
Next time I go I will also make sure to visit Siesta Key, which I have heard from locals has many of the valued features in my above list.
And just like Clearwater Beach, Sarasota is close to a lot of action, not just to Orlando and our theme parks, but also to Tampa and St. Pete. And while we’re on the topic of theme parks, mega roller coaster park Busch Gardens Tampa is only about 60 miles.
Siesta Key Beach won the #1 spot in 2020 for Trip Advisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award for best beaches in the US and #11 in the world. Snorkeling at Point of Rocks, stunning sunsets, snorkeling, and Siesta Village’s shops, live music, local artists displays and seafood restaurants make Siesta Key Beach a hidden Florida gem.
If you’re considering hitting up theme parks, doing a city escape to Tampa and hitting up one of the most pristine beach areas of Florida you might consider planning a long romantic couples getaway trip to stunning Sarasota.
Not to mention, Venice, Florida will only take you about a 1/2 hour to drive south from Siesta Key, which is known as one of the US coastal towns with, you guessed it, more breathtaking sunsets and blueish-green water beaches.
Sarasota, Florida GPS Coordinates: (27.3364° N, 82.5307° W)
Take in the colonial Spanish architecture and history of St Augustine
Here’s another popular spot I have to drive up to. St. Augustine lays less than an hour south of Jacksonville and about 1 1/2 northeast of Orlando on the Atlantic Coast.
This Florida gem lays claim to the oldest city in the US and is known for its historic colonial Spanish architectural sites such as the Castillo de San Marcos (pictured above) and Fort Matanzas National Monument.
Take in other historical attractions like The Fountain of Youth Spring House to learn about Ponce de Leon’s quest to discover an actual fountain of youth and how he claimed Florida for Spain.
Besides history, you, of course, will encounter your share of pristine white sandy beaches. Check out Anastasia State Park and North Beach Park.
For golf fans, St Augustine is home to the World of Golf Hall of Fame (check out hours and ticket info)
If you’re a fan of cocktails then stop by the St Augustine Distillery for free tours and tastings of vodka and bourbon.
And just like our other Florida coastal towns, you will find plenty of local shops, restaurants, cocktail bars, and even some good breweries and taprooms.
In fact, take their popular beer, wine, cocktail, chocolate, food walking tours. (Get walking tour info here).
St Augustine, Florida GPS Coordinates: (29.9012° N, 81.3124° W)
Florida's "Emerald Coast" in the Panhandle
Few places on the Florida coast will take your breath away more than the “Emerald Coast” located in the northwest part of the state along the panhandle. And this is where you will find calm and pristine Destin.
Destin is quite the hike from me in Orlando (6 hours). New Orleans is closer at about 4.5 hours.
As far as beach towns go, few will offer a cozier couples getaway than the sugar-white sandy beaches with warm emerald green bathing water of Destin, Florida.
You’ll find plenty of public beaches, such as the popular Henderson Beach State Park
Destin offers a variety of outdoor activities with scenic views. Take advantage of the fishing excursions, snorkeling, and scuba diving adventures, surfing, shelling, paddling, and biking along streets lined with shops and local restaurants.
For that local dining feel, make sure to check out Destin’s gulf-to-table seafood restaurants for the freshest caught fish, which helps support the small business owners of this gulf coast small-town gem.
Destin, Florida GPS Coordinates: (30.3935° N, 86.4958° W)
If white sandy beaches, water sports and water activities, as well as beachfront dining and plenty of natural-setting wildlife tours then make Florida your next romantic couples weekend getaway.
Check for deals while they last. Lock-in the great rates you find especially the deals that offer free cancellation and modifications. Then you’d have nothing to lose.
Click here for current deals with Cheapoair for flights and hotels in the cities mentioned in this post.
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