7 Of America's Top 100 Secret Beaches Are Located In Florida

FLORIDA — The point of a hidden beach is that few people know about it, but a new list of those gems shines a spotlight on some less-visited spots. The Family Destinations Guide has a new list of the top 100 secret beaches in America, which includes seven in Florida.

The travel planning company surveyed 3,000 U.S. families to determine the hidden beaches they’d most like to visit in 2023.

In Florida, the picks are:

No. 2 Shell Key Preserve: Located in Pinellas County, the beach at Shell Key Preserve is a secluded stretch of pristine white sand, bordered by clear turquoise waters and lush vegetation. The beach has no development or buildings. Visitors can swim, sunbathe, or simply stroll along the shore. The beach is also a nesting ground for sea turtles, making it an important conservation area.

No. 6 Lovers Key State Park: Located near Fort Myers, this popular state park is popular because it is located near Naples and Cape Coral as well. Once a collection of secluded barrier islands reachable only by boat, Lovers Key has become a romantic destination for beachside weddings. The land was donated to the people of Florida so that its beaches and mangrove forests can be preserved for all to enjoy.

No. 9 Dry Tortugas National Park: Almost 70 miles west of Key West, this 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the park is known as the home of Fort Jefferson, blue waters, coral reefs and marine life, and the vast assortment of bird life that frequents the area.

No. 10 Boneyard Beach: The spot is a favorite Jacksonville retreat with 3 miles of shoreline along the Nassau Sound. The beach is tucked into Big Talbot Island State Park within the bounds of the federally protected area of the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve. Its shoreline boasts 30-foot bluffs and a beach peppered with massive driftwood trees that recall images of an elephant graveyard.

No. 13 Navarre Beach: This compact beach community just east of Pensacola offers 12 miles of pristine white shoreline. Situated between Gulf Islands National Seashore and Navarre Beach Marine Park, its beaches are named among the best in the nation regularly.

No. 17 Crescent Beach: The beaches of St. Johns County are home to several species of endangered or threatened sea turtles. From May 1 to Oct. 31, vehicular beach access gates close at 7:30 p.m. and reopen at 8 a.m. to allow nesting sea turtles to have a safe beach throughout the night. Crescent Beach is tucked between the traditional tourist attractions of St. Augustine and Matanzas Inlet to the south.

No. 23 Caladesi Island: This untouched beach and state park is one of the few untouched islands along the Gulf Coast. Caladesi Island State Park is accessible only by boat, but visitors can stroll along the island’s pristine beaches or take a kayak trip through the bayside mangrove forest. Take a nature trail walk to the historic Scharrer Homestead through the island’s interior.

The top secret beach in the poll is Awahua Beach, located off Hawaii’s island of Molokai. It’s known for crystal clear turquoise waters and soft, white sand.

Hawaii has three of the top five secret beaches — No. 3 Lanikai Beach, off the coast of Oahu, and No. 4 Kauapea Beach, on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii.

Also among the top five picks are Shell Key Preserve beach in Florida (No. 2) and Sedge Island beach in New Jersey (No. 5).

Florida had the most secret beaches to visit with nine, California had eight and Hawaii had five.

Not all the beaches front oceans. The list included beaches in landlocked states such as Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.