With over
482 miles of coastline, the Sunshine State offers plenty to choose from when it
comes to beaches. At the last count, they numbered 241. To find the best beach
towns in Florida a recent report ranked all of them based on several criteria.
As a result, Englewood in Southwest Florida ranked
in 14th place in a listing headed by Panama City.
Finding the best beach towns in Florida
Stacker, a data-based media outlet, recently looked at all the metros with beaches in the Sunshine State to rank them in order of “good beach towns”. The criteria included activities for children, warm weather and the length of the beach season.
Stacker also used information from the Environmental Protection Agency, which monitors most Florida beaches. In addition, factors such as beach-related businesses and median home prices entered the equation to find the top 25 beach towns in Florida.
Englewood one of the best
The beach town, located on the Gulf Coast in Southwest Florida, featured in the 14th position. The town has five beaches, stretching 11.7 miles along the coastline. They include some of the most beautiful in the state. Visit Florida describes Englewood’s beaches as “uncrowded, pure and wide, with excellent facilities”.
According to Stacker, the beach-going season in Englewood lasts for 364 days, so virtually all year. During the summer, the average temperature sits at 82 degrees. Homebuyers in the area can expect to pay a median of US$393,761.
Top five beach towns
Florida’s Panhandle and Atlantic Coast beaches dominate the top five listings. Panama City, in the former, takes the top position, with Fort Walton Beach in third.
On the other side of the state, Naples and Daytona Beach, known for their white Atlantic sands, stand in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Both are near Jacksonville, one of the current hotspots for property in Florida.
Popularity of beach vacations
Although North Americans are keen to travel abroad again after the pandemic, high inflation has led many to reconsider the staycation. Driving to a destination saves money on airfares and brings down the cost of a holiday.
The recent Memorial Day weekend showed this trend clearly. Some 2 million more people travelled during the 3-day break than in 2022.
In 2023, beach vacations are highly popular. According to a recent survey, 57% of North Americans plan to spend their holiday on the coast. As a result, Florida will be one of the nation’s favourite holiday spots this year.
(Source: Stacker)
