Top Ten Beaches
Sun-Sentinel

Just heading east until you hit the ocean highway will take any visitor to one of South Florida's famous beaches, but for a little more than just sand and surf try these spots.

1. Crandon Park Beach
4000 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne; 305-361-5421. Take the Rickenbacker Causeway to Key Biscayne). Call 305-361-7385 for marine safety patrol and beach conditions.

Crandon Beach Park, a former coconut plantation on Key Biscayne, is consistently named among the Top 10 beaches in the nation. There are more than two miles of "lagoon-style" beach, with calm water protected by a constantly shifting offshore sandbar.

Facilities: Besides the pristine sand and quiet ocean, the park offers a winding promenade, concession stands, changing rooms, restrooms, outdoor showers, picnic areas with tables and grills, bicycle and walking paths, tennis center, golf course, marina and two restaurants. Beach chairs, bicycles and other equipment are available for rent. The Family Amusement Center open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. features a restored 1949 carousel, roller rink, splash fountain, beachfront playground and more. Surf chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but it helps to call ahead.

Lifeguards: Guards patrol from 13 towers, set about 150 yards apart on the most-traveled areas of the beach, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. April through October; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter.

Rules: No glass containers, no pets, no open fires. Swim near the lifeguards. Other rules are posted in the park.

Fees: No admission fee. Must pay to park, and there are fees for some amusement center activities.

2. Lake Worth Municipal Beach
10 Ocean Boulevard, Lake Worth, 561-533-7367; same number for beach conditions. Pier information: 561-582-9002. From Federal Highway, take Lake Avenue east over the Intracoastal Waterway.

Lake Worth Municipal Beach has more than 1,200 feet of sandy beach, plus a ballroom and a 900-foot pier housing stores offering ice cream, jewelry, places to eat and more.

Facilities: Picnic tables, restrooms, showers, playground, an Olympic pool and a baby pool, as well as volleyball areas (there's a summer tournament), two sit-down restaurants, an outside bar on the pier, food concessions and vendors who'll rent you cabanas, beach chairs and boogie boards. You can rent rods and reels at the bait and tackle shop on the pier. While you're there, take a peek at the ballroom, with its 5,000-square-foot parquet floor.

Lifeguards: On duty 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Rules: No dogs, kites, alcohol, Frisbees, glass containers.

Fees: More than 800 metered parking spots. Must pay to fish or sightsee off the pier.

3. John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
10900 State Road 703 (A1A), North Palm Beach, 2.8 miles south of U.S. 1 and PGA Boulevard; 561-624-6950.

MacArthur State Park is on a barrier island and encompasses a 317-acre coastal hammock as well as a 120-acre mangrove swamp on Lake Worth Cove, and offers unguarded swimming on the two-mile, very private beach. This is a prime turtle nesting area, and organized walks are led by rangers in June and July. Offshore reefs are easily accessible for snorkelers and divers.

Facilities: A 1,600-foot boardwalk allows for viewing wildlife, and there are two nature trails. A 4,000-square-foot nature center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day and is free with park admission. The park has bathroom facilities and outdoor showers, and offers vending machines but no concession stand. The park has two picnic pavilions available for reservation or on a first-come, first-served basis, and a small amphitheater that can be reserved for weddings and other events.

Lifeguards: None.

Rules: All plant and animal life is protected in state parks, so do not remove, damage or molest any natural resources. Do not feed any animals. No alcohol or firearms. Where pets are allowed, they must be kept on a six-foot, hand-held leash and well-behaved at all times. Service dogs are welcome in all areas of state parks.

Fees: Must pay to enter park.

4. Bal Harbour Beach
9701 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour; 305-866-4633. Public access to the beach at 96th Street and Collins Avenue, and at 102nd Street and Collins, next to the Haulover Inlet.

You kind of have to sneak in, but Bal Harbour Beach stretches behind nearly a mile of resort hotels for a glimpse of how the beautiful people hit the sand. This wide, clean beach with dunes extends almost south from Haulover Inlet. The beach is mostly private except for the two public access points, and offers a scenic walking path and a jetty for fishing and sightseeing. The area near the jetty is a favorite of surfers.

Facilities: None. Hotel restaurants are nearby for a snack or drink.

Lifeguards: None.

Rules: No bicycles, no alcohol, no pets, no tents, no fires or barbecuing.

Fees: About 50 metered parking spaces are available only during daytime hours beneath the Haulover Bridge.

5. Red Reef Park
1400 N. Ocean Boulevard (A1A), Boca Raton. Beach conditions: (561) 393-7989 or www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/oceanrescue/ocean.htm. Take Palmetto Park Road east from I-95 or Federal Highway, then head north on Ocean Boulevard about 1 mile.

Red Reef Park in Boca Raton offers easy access to snorkeling for even the most timid beginner, with plenty of fish to spot. There is a mile of beachfront in this 39-acre park, which includes the 15-acre Gumbo Limbo Nature Center on the Intracoastal side. One of the few beaches open after dark (until 10 p.m.), Red Reef offers swimming, sunbathing, surf casting, and strolling over the dunes along a boardwalk. There's a designated surfing area on south end. The natural reef is about 10 feet off shore, where even beginning snorkelers can catch sight of tropical fish, turtles, eels and stingrays, as well as the man-made reef about 100 feet offshore.

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, small playground, picnic pavilions and grills. No nearby restaurants or cafes.

Lifeguards: On duty from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Rules: No alcohol, no pets. No fishing between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. when bathers are present.

Fees: Must pay to park.

6. Haulover Park Beach
10800 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305-947-3525. Call 305-944-3040 for the beach safety patrol and beach conditions. Take I-95 to exit 13, then head east for six miles to Collins Avenue. Turn left on Collins and go over the bridge to the park.

Haulover Park Beach in Miami Beach "draws people for all walks of life... and a variety of other countries," according to the park Web site. Why? Probably because the north end is the only legal nude beach in Miami-Dade County, and maybe even South Florida. The beach itself encompases a mile-and-a-half of white sand, nestled between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean with dunes, shade and picnic facilities.

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic facilities and grills. Across from the beach, Haulover Park has a full-service marina, boat ramp, sport-fishing tour boats, dive shop, restaurant, tennis courts, family nine-hole golf course, sundries shop and kite shops, as well as shops that provide beach rental equipment such as kayaks and chairs. Surf chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but it helps to call ahead.

Lifeguards: On duty from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Rules: No glass containers, no cooking, no pets.

Fees: No admission fee. Parking is $4 per car, $10 for RVs and buses. Annual decals available to residents and non-residents. Lots across from the beach, all along its length. Tunnel access to beach from lots.

7. Matheson Hammocks Park
9610 Old Cutler Road, Miami, 305-665-5475.

While there are plenty of places to dine overlooking the beach, the Red Fish Grille at Matheson Hammocks Park is one of a kind -- and it's right ON the beach. The white sand beach is less than one-third of a mile and surrounds tidal lagoon, with 120 yards of beach at the widest point.

Facilities: Besides its man-made atoll pool and beach area, the park offers a full-service marina and a snack bar, picnic pavilions and nature trails and bike paths. Built into an historic coral rock building, the park's Red Fish Grill (305-668-8788; http://redfishgrill.net) is open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Lifeguards: Three lifeguard stations on duty from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week (until 6 p.m. on weekends under Daylight Savings Time; when school is out, guards are on duty until 6 p.m. weekdays, 7 p.m. weekends.)

Rules: Adults must accompany children younger than 6 in the water and supervise other youngsters; no flotation devices except for Coast Guard-approved lifejackets; no cooking in the beach area; no glass containers; and no unruly behavior.

Fees: Must pay to park in two beach lots. There is no park admission charge to visit the Red Fish Grill for dinner.

8. South Inlet Park Beach
-- 1298 S. Ocean Boulevard, Boca Raton; 561-966-6600. Beach conditions: 561-276-3990. North on Federal Highway from Hillsboro Boulevard or south from Palmetto Park Road, then head east on Camino Real and south on South Ocean Boulevard.

If romantic impulses take over during your visit, many couples make South Inlet Park Beach the spot for their wedding (before or after lifeguards come on duty, though), or at least their wedding pictures. This scenic county-owned park on the Boca Raton inlet goes from the ocean to the waterway, featuring a pier/jetty for fishing and sightseeing, and also offers a good place to windsurf, jet ski, canoe or kayak.

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, volleyball areas, nature area and playground. A large picnic pavilion can be reserved, and there are other picnic areas with grills. For pavilion rental, call 561-966-6611.

Lifeguards: On duty from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Rules: No alcohol, no dogs, no glass containers, no fires.

Fees: Must pay to enter.

9. Hollywood Beach
Off Hollywood Boulevard or Sheridan Street at State Road A1A. Hollywood Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts, 954-921-3404. Beach conditions: 954-921-3334. Annual resident parking permit info: 954-921-3535. North Beach Park: 954-926-2444.

Hollywood's public beach offers sun and sand for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. The beach extends north from Hallandale Beach Boulevard to county-owned North Beach Park (which has a 60-foot observation tower) and about a half-mile short of Dania Beach Boulevard. Its adjacent 2.2-mile Broadwalk is crammed with cafes, bars, shops and its own band shell and is a popular spot for strolling. There's also a sea turtle hatchery, part of the Endangered Sea Turtle Protection and Relocation Program.

Facilities: Showers, restrooms, three playground areas with slides and swings (Charnow, Harry Berry and Keating) with picnic pavilions at Charnow Park and Garfield Street. Nearby one can play paddleball at the historic Garfield paddleball courts. The Hollywood Beach Theater at Johnson Street offers entertainment and currently hosts three free musical series presented Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. (For performance information, call 954-921-3404.) Adjacent North Beach Park, at Sheridan and A1A, features a 60-foot observation tower, picnic facilities, restrooms and (on the Intracoastal side) shelters and fishing piers.

Lifeguards: Twenty-one lifeguard towers and eight first-aid stations operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day during the summer; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. other times.

Rules: No pets, alcohol or glass containers. Saltwater fishing license is not required. Oceanfront fishing is allowed only before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. No feeding animals or strays, or removing plants. No firearms or fireworks.

Fees: Metered parking on side streets. Four automated city lots are located along South and North Ocean Drive and another on South Surf Road near Minnesota Street. Some parking areas are time-restricted. Do not park in "Beach Patrol" spaces until after 6 p.m., at which time these become metered parking until midnight. Long-term parking available at the Maurice Connell parking garage on Johnson Street. Annual parking permits are available for city residents.

10. Fort Lauderdale Beach
954-828-5346. Take Sunrise Boulevard east. Beach conditions hotline: 954-828-4597. Beach Patrol Headquarters: 954-828-4595. Parking permit office: 954-828-3700.

The world-famous, Where the Boys Are beach stretches 3.5 miles, offering swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling along three reefs, as well as shops, restaurants, bars and hotels to the south, quieter stretches to the north and a dog-friendly beach in between. Palm trees and a sidewalk make for a nice seaside stroll, but watch out for skaters. The north end, from around Las Olas to Oakland Park boulevards, is quieter and unguarded for part of its length, with no restrooms. More facilities are located in South Beach Park, which starts south of Las Olas and extends south to Holiday Drive.

Dogs are allowed on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Sunrise Boulevard north to lifeguard stand No. 5. Hours for dog walking are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. April through October, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. other months. A permit is required, which must be purchased at Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Dept. headquarters, 1350 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale (954-828-7275), weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A one-weekend pass may be purchased on site.

Facilities: South Beach park has restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills, sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, exercise course and playgrounds. The northern stretch of beach has showers, a sand playground, a sand volleyball court at Sunrise Boulevard, along with beach chair rentals as well as Seadoos, aerial kites, kayaks and catamarans. There's a free boat ramp for non-motorized craft just north of the South Beach entrance. A beach wheelchair is available at Sebastian Street. Call Beach Patrol Headquarters in advance to arrange wheelchair. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, dogs are allowed on the beach from Sunrise Boulevard north to lifeguard stand No. 5. Hours for dogs on beach are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. April through October, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. other months. A permit is required, and must be initially purchased at 1350 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. One weekend pass may be purchased on site.

Lifeguards: On duty from 9:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with towers located from South Beach north to Birch State Park.

Rules: No alcohol or glass containers, no nudity, no games with hard balls or other objects, no fishing or surf casting between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. No vessel can be launched from the beach for purposes of fishing or surf casting. No sleeping on the beach between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. No pets, except for certain hours in the dog beach area.

Fees: Admission to the beach is free. Must pay to park in several lots. Free on-street parking along A1A north of Sunrise Boulevard.