By Chris Leadbeater
Eastern Florida attracts tourists like bees to nectar. But the interior shoreline of the state, where it runs along the Gulf Of Mexico, is just as inviting – especially if you like small towns, beautiful beaches and a quieter life. Try this famous five for size:
Naples
The most southerly resort on Florida’s Gulf Coast Naples is a classic slice of small-town America. Its seafront was recently voted the best ‘all-round’ beach in the country – a tribute as much to the wide array of golf, shopping, family and cultural options in the area as the quality of the sand. Certainly, retail therapists can indulge themselves here, either in the upmarket stores around (where else?) Fifth Avenue or the arts-and-crafts outlets of the Tin City wharf. Naples is also a good base for other attractions, such as the (just) offshore Marco Island – which has superb beaches of its own (Tiger Tail Beach particularly) – and the swamp supreme of the Everglades National Park.
Stay: The Naples Beach Hotel has its own golf course – great for a little tee time.
Sanibel
For those seeking peace and calm, Sanibel ticks all the boxes. A croissant-shaped barrier island in the Gulf, 12 miles by three, it provides a taste of the undeveloped US. Roughly half of the land operates as a wildlife refuge (bird sightings – herons, egrets, pelicans – are not uncommon) while the beaches are gloriously unpolished, left to nature and littered with shells. Sanibel ‘city’ (a daft word for what is hardly a vast conurbation) takes up the east side of the island. From here, you can travel north and west to the even smaller islet of Captiva – or back to the mainland (via a causeway), where the pace is quicker among the restaurants, bars, shops and malls of Fort Myers.
Stay: The mid-range West Wind Inn occupies a lovely spot on Sanibel’s south coast.
Sarasota
For those who visit the Gulf Coast expecting a charming backwater, Sarasota is a surprise. This is the main metropolis of western Florida – a defiantly cultural city, home to the Sarasota Opera, the Sarasota Orchestra and the Ringling Museum Of Art (where you can find works by European masters such as Rubens, Velazquez and Van Dyck). However, the usual selling points are also present and correct – excellent restaurants and shopping on Palm Avenue and the truly wonderful Siesta Key Beach. The latter theme continues with Longboat Key, a long thin sliver of land that extends north-west into the Gulf, culminating in the beauty spot that is Anna Maria Island.
Stay: The Helmsley Sandcastle Hotel is the best of both worlds. It sits on Lido Key – in the bay opposite Sarasota (linked by causeway) – and just below Longboat Key.
St Petersburg
Like Naples, St Petersburg carries the moniker of a great city of the Old World. And like Naples, it bears little resemblance to its European namesake. St Petersburg USA is a light, bright seafront enclave, sat at the entrance to Tampa Bay and surrounded by water on three sides. Unsurprisingly, then, it is a place that lends itself to days on the beach. There are pristine crescents of sand on the south-western edge of town at Fort DeSoto Park – although the area’s main tourist magnet lies to the west on a barrier island. St Pete Beach – technically a separate city – offers more delightful wave-lapped stretches, as well as inviting restaurants in the historic Pass-A-Grille district.
Stay: St Petersburg’s Renaissance Vinoy Resort does classic luxury on Tampa Bay.
Clearwater
Life gets even more relaxed in Clearwater, 15 miles north-west of St Petersburg. This small city hovers on the upper left-hand lip of Tampa Bay, but also hugs the Gulf Coast – where the likes of Sand Key and Clearwater Beach prove again that western Florida has some of the USA’s finest seafront. There is an easy vibe to evenings here, thanks partly to the informal nightly gatherings at Pier 60, where food stalls and live music keep locals and visitors happy. If you like things more chilled still, Caladesi Island, further north, has nature trails and unspoiled terrain. If you prefer a touch more noise – and have kids in tow – Busch Gardens theme park is 20 miles away in Tampa.
Stay: The Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach, on Sand Key, caters for young families.
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Chris Leadbeater is a freelance travel journalist. He writes regularly for the Daily Mail. His favourite destinations are Cuba, the USA and Paris.