Hello. I'm just wondering what kind of differences there might be, if any, between beaches on the West Coast/California and places in Florida like Miami, Tampa etc.
Reply to this Hi Will. Welcome to TB. Having been to beaches on both sides of the US, my experience has been that you have to choose the time when you go. When I was on the Atlantic coast, I experienced 3 hurricanes at this time of year. When I was on the Pacific coast a month later, the water was like having a cool bath. Personally I don't like swimming in the ocean as I live in Australia and several people have been taken by sharks recently (the last one was yesterday off Townsville in Queensland - look it up.) Your choice! People do get taken by sharks in the US also. Whatever you decide, have fun. Usually nothing disastrous will happen. You just have to decide if it is worth the risk to you. Look at all of the blogs people have posted and make your decision. Nothing ventured - nothing gained.
Reply to this In response to: Msg #208768 For me, the most important aspect of a beach is water temperature, closely followed by sand color (white) and adjacent foliage (palm trees) which can provide some shade. Per this website (<snip>seatemperature.org) you can see that water temperatures in the Atlantic (from Virginia to Florida) and Gulf of Mexico are much warmer than the Pacific.
[Edited: 2021 Oct 27 21:24 - John and Sylvia:18619 - Please do not post URLs in the Forums.]
Reply to this Beaches, beaches and more beaches. The U.S. has many and they are varied.
I love to swim in the ocean so the east coast is for me. The Atlantic waters are much warmer than the Pacific Ocean.
The beaches of Maine and Massachusetts are very different from the Carolinas and Florida.
The Pacific Ocean is cold water and in some locations has hazards as currents and logs floating in the waters.
The Northern coast of Maine is rocky and these waters don't warm up until summer.
The Gulf coast of Florida is very different than the Atlantic Coast. The Atlantic has much bigger waves. The Gulf coast generally has warmer water.
Reply to this There are differences. The California coastline is very rocky, with many cliffs and fewer open sandy beaches suitable for sunbathing or swimming. This is because, as a landform, California rising out of the sea. In California you will need to select between many popular beaches and they can be crowded. Florida has relatively more open beach space as the landform has been worn down over the millennia. Of course, beaches around cities such as Miami will be crowded. But, beaches in the Space Coast, for example, are generally not crowded.
Reply to this In response to: Msg #209613
Plus the water temperatures are very different. The Pacific Ocean is cold and requires a wet suit unless you are hardy and the Atlantic coast is a delight to swim in many months of the year.
Reply to this I grew up near the beach in Southern California and it is okay. Too cold and a lot of seaweed at times.
Just got back from Florida about a month ago, and it was great! Nice warm clear water. We went to Cortez Beach near Bradenton, and Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island.
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