What side of Florida has the best water?

Wondering which beach in Florida has the clearest water? The following areas are more likely to have clear water on any given day: northwest Florida beaches in and around Panama City Beach, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Pensacola; southwest Florida beaches on Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key and Siesta Key.



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Along the barrier island in the Florida Panhandle, you will find Pensacola beach and some of the best beaches, white sand beaches, with the clearest water in Florida. Enjoy the warm water and Florida sun in this west coast paradise.

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It all comes down to preference. No, really. While the Gulf tends to have more lush sands, richer areas for beachcombing and clearer waters, the Atlantic has tons of activity, with hard-packed sands built for jogging and active waves for surfers.

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What is the cleanest body of water in Florida? Surveys for the clearest water in Florida consistently rate Northwest Florida's Emerald Coast as Number One. This esteemed title of clarity includes Destin, Miramar Beach, all the picturesque coastal villages along South Walton's Scenic 30A, and Panama City Beach.

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The 20 best clear-water beaches in Florida are:
  • St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach.
  • Bean Point Beach, Anna Maria Island.
  • Inlet Beach, South Walton.
  • Clearwater Beach, Clearwater.
  • Destin Beach, Emerald Coast.
  • Smathers Beach, Key West.
  • Navarre Beach, Florida Gulf Coast.
  • Blue Mountain Beach, Santa Rosa Beach.


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The sand on the West Coast is softer and whiter, keeping it cool even when the sun is beaming on it. On the East coast, the sand is rougher and darker, which can make it uncomfortably hot to step on. However, if you prefer waves, “they don't have much waves over there,” he said.

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Clearwater Beach is a beautiful area and a renowned vacation destination. But let's get one thing straight: The water is not clear. More often blue, green or even tea-colored, the water in the Gulf of Mexico and Clearwater Harbor changes depending on the light and the algae in play.

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Which Florida beaches have the clearest water?
  • St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach.
  • Bean Point Beach, Anna Maria Island.
  • Inlet Beach, South Walton.
  • Clearwater Beach, Clearwater.
  • Destin Beach, Emerald Coast.
  • Smathers Beach, Key West.
  • Navarre Beach, Florida Gulf Coast.
  • Blue Mountain Beach, Santa Rosa Beach.


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A new survey tested water systems across the United States, and ranked Florida as having the second worst drinking water in the nation, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

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The sand on the West Coast is softer and whiter, keeping it cool even when the sun is beaming on it. On the East coast, the sand is rougher and darker, which can make it uncomfortably hot to step on. However, if you prefer waves, “they don't have much waves over there,” he said.

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