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Miles of Atlantic coastline dotted with wide
sand beaches and protected wildlife areas are just the beginning
of what Florida's Central East region has to offer vacationers looking
for natural Florida beach vacations. Visitors will also find plenty
of meandering canoe trails, famous fishing piers, dark cypress swamps
and crystal blue springs to enjoy.
To the south, Florida's Treasure Coast, comprised
of Indian River and St. Lucie counties, boasts more than 40 miles
of golden Atlantic beaches edging cobalt-blue ocean waters. Nestled
along the shore, Vero Beach's small-town atmosphere and casual lifestyle
makes it one of the most relaxing of all the Florida beach vacations. In addition to plenty
of beach fun, visitors can enjoy the town's shop-lined streets and
award-winning restaurants. Small oceanfront towns dotting Florida's
Treasure Coast add to the region's affordable beach accommodations.
One of the most popular East Central Florida beach vacations, Daytona Beach, features 23 miles of hard-packed sand
shores
that stretching from Ormond Beach in the north to Ponce Inlet in the south. Offshore, vacationers can discover rock-ledge reef systems
and a number of shipwrecks, including the famous Liberty Ship, a
sunken freighter loaded with jeeps and other war materials. For
some quiet sunbathing, head to Ormond-By-The-Sea and the North Peninsula
State Recreation Area, where driving is not permitted on the beach.
Anglers will find some of the area's best fishing, and naturalists
will admire the palmetto dunes and sea turtles.
On Canaveral National Seashore, visitors will find dozens of miles
of splendid sand beaches backed by high barrier dunes. Along the
undeveloped natural shoreline, Playalinda Beach is a popular stretch
for shelling, picnicking and swimming. Lucky visitors will also
spot dolphins and whales frolicking offshore. Nearby, the Merritt
Island National Wildlife Refuge is said to be home to more threatened
and endangered species than any other refuge in the United States.
Self-guided walking trails and auto routes help visitors enjoy the
refuge's spectacular array of wildlife, including great blue herons,
reddish egret, wood storks, bobcats, otters, manatees, porpoises
and plenty of alligators.
Endangered sea turtles are often spotted
along Brevard County beaches, where they make as many as 12,000
nests each summer. In fact, Spessard Holland Park south to Sebastian
Inlet is the largest sea turtle nesting area in the United States.
From May to September, vacationers can take guided sea turtle walks
and watch as the giant creatures lumber out of the ocean and lay
their eggs in the sand, or marvel as tiny hatchlings struggle back
to the ocean in the fall.
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