The summer heat is here, South Florida. There’s only one way to escape: Take a dip!
Sure, you could jump into the pool, but there’s a whole underwater world to explore at the beach. It’s perfect for a chill day swimming along the shore, or grabbing your fins and goggles for a snorkel adventure.
Lucky for us, we have some of the state’s best beaches right in our backyard, as confirmed by USA Today’s annual 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. In fact, we have the No. 1 spot: It’s Delray Beach — for the third year in a row!
Also making their Top 10 list were Lauderdale-by-the-Sea (4) and Fort Lauderdale (10).
So, are you ready to submerge yourself in the salt life? We’ve compiled our own guide to six of South Florida’s best beaches and snorkeling destinations. Here we go!
Palm Beach County
Here’s a bit of beach at the end of Atlantic Avenue and State Road A1A in Delray Beach. (Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority/Courtesy)
DELRAY BEACH
Stroll east along bustling Atlantic Avenue, lined with restaurants, boutiques and galleries, to find nature’s grand finale — the sandy shore — at the end.
Visitors will find lifeguards, chair and umbrella rentals, beach mats (compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act), restrooms, outdoor showers, drinking fountains with bottle fillers, bicycle racks and volleyball courts. No dogs allowed.
As part of its charm, the city’s municipal beach has “crystal-clear waters, 2 miles of pristine sand, and natural dunes along a coastline gifted to the public in the 1800s,” according to USA Today. “A just-completed $19 million renourishment project has made the beach wider, deeper and more resilient than ever, a breathtaking stretch of coastline lovingly cared for over more than a century.”
Delray Beach also has secured the Blue Flag designation every year since 2023 for environmental excellence and water quality (one of only three U.S. beaches awarded this year).
INFORMATION: delraybeachfl.gov.
The entrance to Spanish River Park beach in Boca Raton. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
BOCA RATON
The beach at Spanish River Park, 3001 N. State Road A1A, also received a Blue Flag designation this year; this is the second consecutive year. Information panels in the designated area, which includes Tower 18 to the southern boundary of the park, teach visitors about topics such as the Blue Flag program, water testing results, and beach safety and conservation efforts.
The city offers a variety of activities at the park site, including a bird observation area, canoe/kayak launch, fishing, nature trail, playground, sand volleyball. There also are grills, picnic areas, a lagoon and a dog beach.
Park admission per car is $35 on weekdays, $50 on weekends and holidays.
INFORMATION: myboca.us.
RIVIERA BEACH
The underwater trail at Phil Foster Memorial Park, 900 E. Blue Heron Blvd., awaits snorkelers of all levels on the south side of the Blue Heron Bridge.
About 200 feet out, explore submerged structures and shark sculptures while searching for marine life such as squid, octopuses, spotted rays and starfish.
The artificial reef was built using 600 tons of rock, including limestone boulders and prefabricated reef modules that span 2 acres in 6 to 10 feet of water, according to the county.
There’s also a guarded swimming area, if you prefer, and a shaded beach under the bridge to get out of the sun.
INFORMATION: discover.pbcgov.org/parks
Broward County
A woman sits with her dog at sunrise on Lauderdale-by-the-Sea beach early in the morning. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA
Stretching 2.5 miles, the town’s beach has seven access points offering a variety of amenities from mobility mats to chairs, showers and games.
It is “a picturesque destination that captivates visitors with its small-town charm and beautiful coastal setting,” according to the reader poll.
A highlight is the Shipwreck Snorkel Trail at Datura Avenue and El Mar Drive, just south of Anglin’s Fishing Pier. Deemed by USA Today as “a hidden gem that offers a tranquil escape from bustling city life,” the popular dive and snorkeling area provides a trail in 10 feet of water and three coral reefs just off the beach. Be on the lookout for an anchor, five concrete cannons and a ballast pile.
INFORMATION: discoverlbts.com.
A scene from spring break on Fort Lauderdale beach earlier this year. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)
FORT LAUDERDALE
“Simply spectacular.” That’s how USA Today’s reader poll described one of the world’s most famous beaches, which landed in the No. 10 spot on list.
They highlighted its “three miles of golden sand, emerald water and palm trees swaying in the breeze,” as well as its proximity to “fantastic dining, drinking and nightlife.” Oh, we know.
Lifeguards, public restrooms, outdoor showers, picnic tables, grills, a kids’ playground, water sport rentals, several parks and open spaces are available to beachgoers.
INFORMATION: parks.fortlauderdale.gov.
A snorkel mask and breather can come in handy for water-based fun in the sun. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
HOLLYWOOD
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, 6503 N. Ocean Drive, offers various spots to snorkel along the 2.5 miles of its beach. However, the star of the shoreline is the Dania Beach Erojacks, an artificial reef that runs east to west and consists of concrete jacks structures.
Here’s how to find it: Drive north to parking lot No. 1, walk across the bridge and to the right, then follow the service trail signs heading south. You will enter the beach area at the spot where the reef is less than 600 feet offshore. The Dania Beach Pier is visible just to the south. Put your dive flag out and look for eels, fish, coral, slipper and spiny lobsters, stingrays, puffer fish and starfish.
Park admission is $6 per vehicle (up to eight people); $4 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle; $2 for pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers and passengers in a vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass
INFORMATION: floridastateparks.org/mizell