Rocky Mouth Waterfall Hike: Sandy, Utah

by Outdoor Fam Fun | Jun 17, 2021 | Hiking, Mountains, Utah, Water

Rocky Mouth Waterfall Hike: Sandy, Utah

The Rocky Mouth Waterfall Hike is brief family-friendly hike, against the mountains of Sandy, Utah. This 0.8-mile, round-trip hike gains around 280 feet and to leads to a small, but beautiful waterfall that most anybody can do.

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty: Very Easy EASY Moderate Hard Very Hard

KEY FEATURES

Hiking Distance: 0.8 miles round trip
Hiking Elevation Gain: 240 ft
Terrain: Wood steps, sidewalk, dirt and rock trail, wet rocks by the falls
Time Needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour
When to Go: Spring, Summer, Fall

COST

Free

AMENITIES

No bathrooms or water at trailhead. However, this hike is in Sandy, Utah where there are nearby gas stations and grocery stores.

THINGS TO BRING

Water
Snacks
Good walking/hiking sandals or shoes
DO NOT BRING DOGS – Not allowed here due to watershed

DETAILS

Rocky Mouth Waterfall hike is a short, heavily used trail. This is a great hike for people who don’t like to hike much, but still want to enjoy a beautiful and brief hike. It took us only 30 minutes, including the time we took to explore a little at the top. Since the waterfall is small and the trail is crowded, this is probably not the best for avid hikers.

The water level does fluctuate throughout the year and we visited the waterfall when the water volume was relatively low. I rated this as a 3 star hike for our family. I think we would have enjoyed this hike more if we would have visited when it was less crowded and when the water level was higher.

Trailhead

The trailhead is accessed from a small parking lot off of Wasatch Blvd in Sandy Utah. There is some street parking available, but watch signs for the allowed areas of street parking. Dogs are NOT allowed due to the watershed in the area.

The Hike

The trail begins right off the parking lot, is well marked and starts with a series of large wood steps. After the wood steps you will come to a neighborhood and sidewalk.

Follow the signs upward through the neighborhood about another 0.1 miles to a dirt/rock path and more wood stairs in between two fences.

After another 0.1 miles, you will come to a fork in the path where the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) connects in. Do not follow BST, but take the trail upward to the left, which leads to the waterfall.

Rocky Mouth Waterfall

The waterfall is small, but really pretty. The area around the waterfall has several rock faces and boulders my kids enjoyed climbing on. The small stream coming from the waterfall is a fun place for kids to wade and play in if desired.

The waterfall area got more crowded after we got there, and social distancing guidelines were still in place from COVID-19, so we did not take the time to enjoy the area around the waterfall as much as we might have liked. Going back, the trail was a bit more crowded as well.

PROS & CONS

PROS

Easy for kids and non-hikers
Fun rocks for kids to climb on
Well shaded

CONS

Crowded
Waterfall is smaller than we expected
Have to walk through a neighborhood

NEUTRAL

Short

DIRECTIONS

Rocky Mouth Waterfall trailhead is on the east side of Sandy Utah on the east side of Wasatch Blvd and is located at 11248 Wasatch Blvd, Sandy, UT 84092. You can search the address or Rocky Mouth Waterfall Trailhead to get to the right location. DO NOT put Rocky Mouth Waterfall into your maps app–it will lead you up a private road, which is what happened to us. You must include the word “trailhead” to get to the right location.

MAPS

MORE INFO

All Trails

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Draper Suspension Bridge (10 minutes)

Horsetail Falls (35 minutes)

Alien Tower hike (20 minutes)

ABOUT

Hi, I’m Corrine! I’m an outdoor enthusiast and mother of four.

My goal is to inspire you to get outside and create your own amazing memories as a family. Life is precious and there are too many adventures to be had to spend life on the couch or in front of a screen.

Olympic National Park with Kids

by Outdoor Fam Fun | May 24, 2021 | Featured Posts, National Parks, Washington, Water

Olympic National Park with Kids

Discover tranquil beaches, sea-life, majestic rain forests, lakes, serene waterfalls and hot springs at Olympic National Park with kids. Olympic National Park is a gorgeous and diverse area, covering the majority of Washington State’s peninsula with a variety of fantastic outdoor adventures.

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty: Very Easy Easy Moderate Hard Very Hard
(Activities range from very easy to hard depending on what you are doing)

KEY FEATURES

Terrain: Beaches, ocean, mountains, bridges, lakes, rivers waterfalls, trails, temperate rain forest
Time Needed: 1 day to several days, I recommend several
When to Go: Anytime of year, but summer/early fall is best

Hiking Distance: short to long depending on what you are doing

COST

$30 entrance fee to some areas of the park (valid for seven days)
Free if you have a 4th grader with Every Kid Outdoors program
Beaches are all free
Sol Duc Hot Springs is an added cost. Cost depends on age and time of day visiting.
Fees for camping

AMENITIES

Camping (book 6 months in advance)
Lodges and Cabins (book 6 months in advance)
Hotels in gateway cities such as Aberdeen and Port Angeles
Bathrooms available at visitors centers and some trailheads
Hot Springs
Water available at campsites, resorts, visitor’s centers and some trailheads

Where to Stay at Olympic National Park

It takes over three hours to drive the coastal perimeter of Olympic national park without stopping. I recommend staying in the park to minimize drive time. Book your stay six months in advance if you would like to stay within Olympic National Park either at a campground, cabin or lodge. See below for additional information on campgrounds within Olympic National Park.

There are no hotels located within Olympic National Park. Check out hotels in the surrounding cities of Port Angeles to the North and Pacific Beach, Ocean City and Aberdeen to the south.

THINGS TO BRING

Camping gear if camping
Good hiking shoes
Food/Snacks
Good rain jacket
Water

DETAILS

Olympic National Park is one of the most diverse national parks we have visited. It has ocean beaches, mountains, hiking, camping, lakes and hot springs. Our family loves the mountains and the beach so it was the best of both worlds for us. We spent hours on the beaches exploring, discovering tide-pools and playing on drift wood and hiked through the lush temperature rain forests to waterfalls.

We spent about 5 days in the park and we didn’t even get to explore everything the park has to offer. Olympic National Park is nearly one million acres and contains 70 miles of coastline. It is no wonder we couldn’t fit everything in.

Olympic National Park with your kids will be an adventure your family always remembers. We visited with our 2, 6, 9, and 10 year old and had an absolute blast.

THINGS TO DO AT OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK WITH KIDS

Explore Beaches and Tide Pooling

Olympic National Park includes miles of serene beaches where no two beaches are exactly alike. From sand to rocks to drift wood to tide pools, each beach has its own characteristics.

The water is cold, definitely different than the beaches we were use when we lived in Florida. However, the beauty of these beaches is almost unreal and we especially enjoyed finding the diverse sea-life.

Tide pooling was our favorite part of Olympic National Park with kids. We spent hours exploring the tide-pools filled with ocean life. Make sure to visit the beaches at low-tide for optimal tide-pool viewing. Check out the NOAA tide predictions before going.

First Beach

Quileute Oceanside Resort sites right on First Beach. We camped here and loved having such quick access to this beach. There are firerings to enjoy a sunset fire and smores. My kids loved playing on the driftwood on the beach here. Walk about a half mile to the North on this beach for sea-life viewing along the side of the causeway.

First Beach

Second Beach

This is a secluded beach with majestic sea stacks and many tide pools to explore at low tide. My kids actually swam in the water at this beach, I preferred to just wade. Remember you are in Washington not Florida…The water is cold. It is about a mile walk to get to second beach, but it is well worth it. This makes it more secluded with less people.

Second Beach

Rialto Beach

Rialto beach is just north of the La Push, Washington and is 3 miles from the Mora Campground. It has many tide pools at low-tide. 1.5 miles from the beach entrance is the hole in the rock structure.

Rialto Beach

Kalaloch Campground Beach

This isn’t an official beach name because this beach doesn’t have one. This is the beach just off of the Kalaloch Campground. We walked along this beautiful misty beach for about a mile north.

If you walk just south of the Kalaloch Lodge you can find the “Tree of Life”. This large tree is right next to the beach and most of its root system is hanging in air without any soil to feed it.

Kalaloch Beach 4

This was our favorite beach because of the many star fish we found on the rock structures just north of the beach entrance. We also saw sea-lions swimming nearby. There were also tons of smooth beautiful rocks. We love collecting rocks so this was super fun for us. It is north of the Kalaloch Campground but south of Ruby Beach.

Ruby Beach

Possibly the most known beach along Washington’s coast with its famous Abbey Island. Great place for a beach stroll and tide pool exploring.

Ruby Beach

Hiking

There are countless hikes within Olympic National Park ranging from very easy to very hard. Here are the hikes we did on our trip. Full reviews on each hike to come.

Sol-Duc Falls: a 1.6 mile easy and flat hike to a beautiful waterfall.

Hoh River Trail: This trail follows the Hoh River through the beautiful rainforest. You can make this is along or short as you want. We hiked a total of 5.5 miles to the Mineral Creek Falls.

Second Beach: an out-and-back 2 mile trail round trip that walks you through Oregon’s beautiful coastal lush forest to a secluded beach. It is downhill on the way to the beach, uphill on the way back.

Rialto Beach/Hole in the Wall: A 3 mile flat beautiful beach walk with views of sea-life in tide pools to a rock formation with a large hole. Make sure to do this hike at low tide so you can walk out to the Hole in the Wall.

Hot Springs

The Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort has one fresh-water pool and 3 mineral pools that vary in temperature from 99 degrees to 104 degrees. We spent an afternoon here and had a lot of fun. It was nice to relax and do something a little different for a day. My kids love swimming no matter where we are at and will usually choose swimming over any other activity. There are cabins located right next to the resort.

Camping

Each major area of the park has camping opportunities near it. All campgrounds fill quickly and open for reservations on a 6 month rolling basis. I recommend reserving a site at the 6 month mark before traveling if you want a site in the summer months. The campgrounds that can be reserved in Olympic National Park are Kalaloch, Hoh Rainforest Campground, Mora and Sol Duc Hot Springs. You can reserve here.

We really enjoyed the campgrounds we stayed at. Here is a little information on each.

Kalaloch Campground is between the main highway and the ocean. If available, pick a site closer to the ocean than the highway. The beach is a short walk and was easy to access. You can also stay at the Kalaloch Lodge if you are not camping. It is the only place to stay that is non-camping within about 1 hour in each direction.

Sol Duc Campground is nestled in the beautiful Washington rain forest near the north end of Olympic National Park. It is near the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort and the Sol Duc Waterfall hike. It is also closer to crescent lake if you are exploring that area.

Quileute Oceanside Resort is privately owned and not operated by Olympic National Park, however it is surrounded by the park and is close to the beautiful First, Second and Third Beaches. The camping here was more KOA style and there are only a few sites. I loved falling asleep to the sound of the ocean. There are several cabins available right along the ocean-side that looked really nice. This resort books on a 1 year rolling basis and books quickly.

Explore the Lakes

Crescent Lake is nestled among Washington coastal mountains and is absolutely beautiful. I wish we had more time to explore this area. There is hiking, camping and a lodge nearby. Marymere Falls is a popular hike in the area. Kayak and canoeing rentals are available.

Crescent Lake: Photo Credit Michelle Mower Mulholland

Lake Quinault: This area is surrounded by the temperate rain forest and offers boating, hiking, camping, fishing, food and lodging. It is the gateway to the southwest base of the park.

Quinault Lake: Photo Credit Michelle Mulholland

Scenic Drive on Hurricane Ridge

This is a 17-mile road takes you through the majestic snow-capped Olympic Mountains. There are several hiking options off this road. It is a curvy road and a couple of my kids started to feel a bit car sick. Just be prepared.

Hurricane Ridge: Photo Credit Michelle Mower Mulholland

JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM

We love getting Junior Ranger books from National Park visitor centers. The Junior Ranger program keeps the kids busy while we drive and helps them learn about each park and how to preserve it.

PROS & CONS

PROS

Unique and beautiful scenery
Diverse outdoor adventures
Stunning scenery
Not crowded, park is big and people are spread out
Sea-life viewing
Mountain-life viewing
Gorgeous beaches
Waterfalls

CONS

Can rain a lot
Requires a bit of driving to get from one location of the park to another

DIRECTIONS

Olympic National Park is located on the north west portion of Washington State. If you put in Olympic National Park into your GPS device or phone you will be led to the middle of the mountain range of the park. Make sure to put the specific location within the park that you want to visit.

MAPS

Map to southwest corner of park

Map to northeast corner of park

MORE INFO

Olympic National Park official site

Olympic National Park NOAA tide chart

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Forks (20 minutes from Second Beach)

Seattle (3 hours from the park’s northeast entrance)

Portland (3 hours from park’s southwest entrance)

Oregon’s Coast (3 hours to beaches such as Seaside and Cannon beach from park’s south west entrance)

Mount Rainier National Park (3 hours)

ABOUT

Hi, I’m Corrine! I’m an outdoor enthusiast and mother of four.

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Multnomah Falls with Kids

Visit the majestic 620 ft. Multnomah Falls with kids in the Columbia River Gorge! It is a must see when visiting Portland, Oregon and attracts millions of visitors each year. Grand views of the waterfall can be seen...

Multnomah Falls with Kids

by Outdoor Fam Fun | May 24, 2021 | Hiking, Oregon, Water

Multnomah Falls with Kids

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty: Very Easy Easy MODERATE Hard Very Hard

KEY FEATURES

Distance: 0.1 to 2 miles, depending on how far you go
Elevation Gain: Flat to 800 ft, depending on how far you walk
Terrain: Paved trail and bridges
Time Needed: 30 to 90 minutes
When to Go: Spring, Summer, Fall. Early morning or late evening if you want to avoid crowds.

COST

Free

AMENITIES

Bathrooms
Restaurant
Gift Shop
Water fountain
Snack bar

THINGS TO BRING

Water container
Good walking shoes
Stroller if needed

DETAILS

Multnomah Falls with kids can be a quick stop or a longer adventure depending on where you want to view the falls. It can be easily tailored to your family’s needs.

Multnomah Falls with our kids was our first stop coming into the Portland Oregon after a full day of driving. We drove by at sunset and there were only a few other cars parked in the lot. You can see the waterfall from the interstate and parking lot but there are better views along the trail. We viewed the falls from the parking lot as we were all exhausted and wanted to get the hotel. We visited Multnomah Falls with our kids again a couple days later with a little more energy and sunlight.

Parking

We arrived around 4 pm near the end of the July and the parking lot was about 75% full. The main parking lot is in between the East and Westbound Interstate 84. You access the lot by the left sided exit 31 going either direction. We almost missed this exit so be aware as you get close. Once you park you will need to walk through a tunnel under east bound I-84 to get to the trailhead.

If you visit at a time where the parking lot is full you can drive to exit 25 to Rooster Rock State Park and take a free shuttle to Multnomah Falls. Rooster Rock does charge a $5 day use fee upon entrance into the park.

View of Multnomah Falls from Parking Lot

Trailhead

You can see Multnomah Falls from the trailhead or you can get closer by following the paved trail. This trail is steep and can get crowded. I recommend visiting in the morning before 10am or in the late evening if you want to visit at a time with less people.

There is a small visitor’s center, bathrooms, restaurant and snack bar located at the trailhead.

The Hike

Just a short walk upward on the paved trail from the trailhead, you will come to the famous views of the falls and the Multnomah Falls Bridge (Benson Bridge). Wait your turn to get an awesome picture in front of the falls.

Continue upward following a few switchbacks to get to the Benson Bridge. On the bridge you can get a closer view of the upper and lower falls.

This is where we turned around making our hike 0.4 miles round trip. You can continue to the top of the falls for a total of 2 miles of hiking or make an even longer hike by connecting to the Wahkeena trail.

This is a super touristy location but we were glad we took the time to see this beautiful waterfall with our kids. The crowds diminish as you hike further up. I wish we could of hiked further up, but we did not have the time that day.

View of Orange Orchards at Bok Tower Gardens

PROS & CONS

PROS

Beautiful scenery and waterfall
Easily accessible
Good for all skill levels and ages
Free

CONS

Can be crowded and touristy
Steep 1 mile to get to the top of the falls

DIRECTIONS

Multnomah Falls is located along the Columbia River Gorge 30 minutes east of Portland. It is directly off of Interstate 84. Simply put “Multnomah Falls Parking” into your GPS device or phone to get you to the right location. You can also follow my map below.

MAPS

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MORE INFO

All Trails: Multnomah Falls Trail

Multnomah Falls Lodge

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Portland (30 minutes)

Other hikes in the Columbia River Gorge

ABOUT

Hi, I’m Corrine! I’m an outdoor enthusiast and mother of four.

Daytona Beach: A Classic Florida Beach

by Outdoor Fam Fun | May 20, 2021 | Florida, Water

Daytona Beach: A Classic Florida Beach

Daytona Beach has miles of pristine beaches lined with hotels and tourist attractions. This classic beach features bigger waves and firmer sand than Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches, making it a perfect beach for sand castle building and boogie boarding. It is one of the few beaches in Florida that you can still park your car on.

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty: VERY EASY Easy Moderate Hard Very Hard

KEY FEATURES

Time Needed: One hour to all day
When to Go: Anytime of the year

COST

Free to $10 depending on where you park

AMENITIES

Bathrooms at Sun Splash Park or public bathrooms near drive ramps to beach at Granada Blvd. (SR 40) and Cardinal Drive.
Many ocean-side restaurants and hotels
Hotels and home rentals throughout Daytona Beach City

THINGS TO BRING

Water, snacks
Sunscreen
Beach toys, tent, chairs if desired
Boogey boards, skim boards, floaties, etc.
Frisbee, football, etc.

DETAILS

Daytona beach is my favorite Florida Atlantic Coast Beach. I feel like sometimes it has a reputation of a scandalous spring break party beach. However, I visited Daytona Beach at several different times of the year, even spring break, and never saw this. It is a great way to experience Florida’s East Coast with your family.

Daytona Beach in January

When compared to Florida’s Gulf Coast Beaches, Daytona Beach has firmer, darker sand and bigger waves. The firm sand allows for great sand castle building, biking and a game of Frisbee. We loved playing in the bigger waves and brought our boogie boards with each visit. This is a beach where surfing is available. Boogie boards and surf boards are available at several surf shops along the beach.

Daytona Beach is lined with hotels, restaurants, a boardwalk, piers and a small amusement park. Definitely a fun place to take a beach-side stroll.

My husband and his brothers drove early one morning to watch the sunrise at Daytona Beach. So beautiful! There are many hotels along the beach with gorgeous sunrise views for reasonable prices.

Skutumpah Road overlooking Grand Staircase Escalante

We ate dinner at the Cruisin Café where you get to eat in a real race car. The kids absolutely loved it!

Where to Park

You can either pay $10 to drive right on the beach or park in a nearby parking lot. Parking right on the beach was fun and it was nice to have access to our vehicle so close. We often times parked at Sun Splash Park right off the beach because it was free. The kids also loved playing at the playground here and I liked being close to bathrooms. There were also water spouts to wash the sand off your legs and feet here. I hate driving home with sand all over my legs!

Daytona International Speedway

A must while visiting Daytona Beach is to visit or drive by the Daytona International Speedway. It is huge! I was in shock. Paid tours are available to see the inside.

PROS & CONS

PROS

Classic tourist beach atmosphere
Drive and park right on beach
Nearby amenities
Waves large enough for boogy boarding and surfing
Many other activities nearby

CONS

Water isn’t clear due to waves
Not a lot of shelling opportunities
Can become crowded on weekends

DIRECTIONS

Daytona Beach is on Florida’s Atlantic coast, north of Orlando. We parked for free at the Sun Splash Park located 611 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32118. You can also take a car ramp a block north of the Sun Splash Park and drive right on to the beach.

MAPS

Map to free parking at Daytona Beach at Sun Splash Park.

MORE INFO

Daytona Beach

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

ABOUT

Hi, I’m Corrine! I’m an outdoor enthusiast and mother of four.

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Egmont Key State Park: Historical Florida Island

by Outdoor Fam Fun | May 20, 2021 | Florida, Water

Egmont Key State Park: Historical Florida Island

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty: Very Easy EASY Moderate Hard Very Hard

KEY FEATURES

Distance: 0.25 to 3 miles depending on where you go on the island
Elevation Gain: Flat
Terrain: Ocean, beaches, sandy paths, stone paths, military ruins
Time Needed: Half day
When to Go: Anytime of the year

COST

Entrance onto Island is free, however it is only accessible by boat. Here are the 2 companies I used to get to Egmont Key State Park. There are other companies out there.

Egmont Key Ferry from Fort Desoto Park

$25 Adults

$12.50 Children

Free Children (2 and under)

Dolphin Snorkeling Cruise to Egmont Key State Park

$40 Adults

$30 Children (4 – 12)

Free Children (3 and under)

Egmont Key Snorkeling Adventure

AMENITIES

No water, food or bathrooms located on the Island
Bathrooms on the Ferry or Dolphin Snorkeling Cruise Boat
Bathrooms at Fort De Soto Park before getting on boats

THINGS TO BRING

Water, snacks
Sunscreen
Swim suit
Backpack to easily carry items on the island
Floaties/life jackets for kids who need them if playing in water on the island

DETAILS

Egmont Key State Park is a beautiful, serene and secluded historical island beach, perfect for swimming, exploring, shell collecting, discovering military history and viewing wildlife.

Getting to Egmont Key State Park

Private boaters love Egmont Key because of the seclusion and beauty. However, most residents and visitors to Florida don’t own boats. The two companies I used to access Egmont Key are below. Each offer a different experiences.

Egmont Ferry Cruise

This ferry departs from Fort DeSoto Fishing Pier usually mid-morning and returns mid-afternoon. On our boat ride we saw a sea turtle and a large school of Tarpans coming out of the water. There are snacks to buy and a restroom available on the boat. Reservations are highly recommended and a snorkeling option is available to add on to your ticket for $15. Using the Egmont Ferry Cruise option gives you three to four hours on the island.

Dolphin Snorkeling Cruise

This option is about four hours and is a great way to see dolphins, snorkel and get a quick tour of the island. Because of the activities offered by this cruise, time is minimal on the actual island, but it is still a fun adventure. According to the Dolphin Snorkeling Cruise 95% of the time dolphins will play and swim and jump close to the boat in the boat’s wake. I was able to see dolphins on my cruise but I was part of the 5% that did not see the dolphins up close.

The boat parks and stays on the island so there is a bathroom available here to those on the cruise.

Things to Do at Egmont Key State Park

The Lighthouse

I am a lover of lighthouses and loved seeing a historical lighthouse still in operation. The lighthouse on Egmont Key State Park has been operating since 1858 and is 87 feet tall.

Wildlife Viewing

Egmont Key State Park is a National Wildlife Refuge. Keep your eye out for box turtles, gopher tortoises, manatees, dolphins, osprey, pelicans, white ibis, and other shorebirds. My favorite part of the island was finding gopher tortoises. They were everywhere!

gopher tortoises on egmont key state park

Explore Military Ruins

Egmont Key was home of early American military camps and was the home of Fort Dade until 1923. The old military town and fort remains were fun to explore.

Swimming

The water at Egmont Key State Park is clear and picturesque. We visited in May and the water was at least 80 degrees.

The summer beaches on Egmont key are lined with private boats. Despite the many boats, the beaches still feel remote and not crowded.

I wished that our boat options let us have more time on the island. I was a little jealous of the private boats that could spend an entire day enjoying all this beautiful island has to offer.

Shelling

Because of the remoteness of the island there is better shelling than other crowded beaches in the Tampa area. Shelling will vary on tide and time of year. Take a walk along the beach and see what you discover. The beach is natural and isn’t groomed or filled with sand from somewhere else.

Snorkeling

Bring your own snorkeling gear of rent them from your boat ride. Some of the boat rides include snorkeling gear with your fees. There are tall water grasses fish love to hid in. The boat companies I used did not take us to the submerged ruins to snorkel through but I have heard some do. Call ahead to find out where you will snorkel.

Hiking/Nature Paths

Walk along the old brick paths that once were home to a busy Fort Dade where more than 300 people once lived. There are more than 6 miles of paths that explore the island. Keep your eyes out for wildlife and ruins while walking. I loved all the red brick paths lined with palms.

PROS & CONS

PROS

Secluded beach
Good shelling
Wildlife viewing on Egmont Key and on boat to Key
Exploring old military ruins and town

CONS

No amenities on the Island, unless using the Dolphin Snorkeling Cruise
Would prefer to spend an entire day on the Island, not just a few hours.

DIRECTIONS

Egmont Key is located at the mouth of Tampa Bay and is only accessibly via boat. Two options that I used for transportation to the Island are Egmont Key Ferry that departs from Fort De Soto Bay Pier at Anderson Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33715 and the Dolphin Snorkeling Cruise which departs from 4630 29th Ave S Gulfport, FL 33711.

MAPS

MORE INFO

Egmont Key State Park Official Site

Egmont Key Ferry

Dolphin Snorkeling Cruise

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Fort De Soto Beach (just a few minutes from the Egmont Key Ferry depature point)

Tampa (45 mintues)

Anna Maria Island (1 hour)

Bush Gardens (1 hour)

ABOUT

Hi, I’m Corrine! I’m an outdoor enthusiast and mother of four.

Anna Maria Island: Florida’s Best Secluded Beach

by Outdoor Fam Fun | May 19, 2021 | Florida, Water

Anna Maria Island: Florida’s Best Secluded Beach

KIDS RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty: Very Easy Easy Moderate Hard Very Har

KEY FEATURES

Terrain: White sand beach, clear water, some boardwalk and grassy areas
Time Needed: 1 hour to all day (we prefer all day)
When to Go: Anytime of the year

COST

Free

AMENITIES

There are no bathrooms at the northern beaches on Anna Maria Island. Closest bathrooms located at Manatee Beach a few miles away. We would always stop here on the way to our favorite beach spot.
Restaurants, gift shops, gas stations, convenient stores on Anna Maria Island
No hotels on Anna Maria Island, however there are many home rentals. Check Airbnb or www.annamaria.com
Hotels nearby in Bradenton

THINGS TO BRING

Towel
Beach toys, umbrella and chairs
Snacks, lunch, water
Life jackets/floaties for children who need them
Sunscreen
Snorkeling gear

DETAILS

When we moved to Florida, I made it my quest to find the best beach in the State. Who would have guessed that we found it on our first try?

After going to more than a dozen beaches on the Atlantic and gulf coasts, in the end, Anna Maria Island remained our favorite beach in Florida!

Anna Maria Island rarely sees the same number of crowds that other touristy beaches get. There are no hotels on the island, only privately owned homes—many of which are right off of these more secluded beaches. It is a great place to rent an Airbnb for a few days.

We loved the calm tranquility of this Gulf Coast beach. The water temperature in the summers can reach 88 degrees while the winter temperatures can drop to the 60s. Anna Maria Island can be enjoyed any season.

Our Favorite Beach on Anna Maria Island

The main beach on the island is called Manatee Public Beach, which is located in the City of Homes Beach on Anna Maria Island (a bit confusing, I know). Although, the main beach is as good as several other beaches in Florida, our favorite beach on the island was actually a bit more secluded, and until recently, we did not realize it was technically a city park.

This more secluded beach on the island has the softest sand and clearest water that we found in our many beach visits around the state. Our days were filled with swimming, sand castle making, tubing, kite flying, skim-boarding, kayaking, snorkeling and many, many smiles.

THINGS TO DO

Ride the Trolley

Anna Maria Island offers a free trolley you can ride to catch a tour of the island. This is a fun way to add variety to a day at the beach. You can also park at Manatee Public Beach and then take the trolley to the less crowded beach areas on Anna Maria Island. The trolley runs every 20 minutes from 6 am to 10:30 pm.

Play in the Sand

Anna Maria Island has the softest sand in Florida. Our kids spent hours playing in the sand. Bring a few sand toys or just use your hands!

Swimming and Tubing

Anna Maria Island is where my oldest daughter fell in love with swimming. Anna Maria Island has calm water great for swimming the majority of the time. The beaches also don’t get too deep too fast, giving your littles plenty of room to swim and play.

As you enter you enter the water, its good to do the “stingray shuffle.” Essentially, you just shuffle your feet across the ocean floor to detour any small sting rays in the area. Don’t worry. We are talking about little guys that are few and far between.

When the ocean is calm, the waves on Anna Maria Island are perfect to relax in a tube on. Most of the time I would just be chilling on a tube riding the waves into the beach. So peaceful and relaxing.

Kayaking

We own kayaks, so we often brought them with us to Anna Maria Island. On calm ocean days we would dive for sand dollars, sea stars and other sea creatures in the clear water off the kayaks.

There are several places to rent kayaks, such as Beach Bums, which is located at 427 Pine Ave, Anna Maria, FL 34216. They offer paddle board, kayaks, bike, and golf cart rentals. Check out their web page www.beachbumsami.com .

On one occasion we found over 20 whole sand dollars. My husband called it a “sand dollar graveyard.” However, be careful not to take live sand dollars from the ocean, if you are lucky enough to find one. We also loved dolphin watching from the kayaks.

Snorkeling

Now, this it not the type of snorkeling you can do on the reef in the keys. This is more shell/critter/fish finding snorkeling. However, we still spent hours with our heads in the water finding whatever we could.

The water is the most calm and clear in the morning hours and then the waves usually pick up in the afternoon. Make sure to hit Anna Maria Island in the morning if you want to snorkel.

Skim or Boogie Board

The shallow calm water on Anna Maria Island creates a perfect place to skim board. My brothers and husband loved this at Anna Maria Island because of the large area of shallow water on the beach line when tide is low.

Rend a Skim Board at Lazy Turtle Beach Rentals. They also rent Boogie Boards. If there are more waves when you are visiting Boogie Boarding is a great option.

Watch the Sunset

The Sunsets on Anna Maria Island are Stunning. Whenever we could, we would stay until the sunset. It was always worth the wait.

PROS & CONS

PROS

Sand as soft as flour
Clear water on calm days
Not crowded
A few quaint shops and restaurants
Rentals available

CONS

No bathrooms at more secluded beach sites
Very limited street parking to access secluded beach sites – may need to ride trolley

Neutral

Small waves
No hotels

DIRECTIONS

Anna Maria Island is one hour south of Tampa or one hour and 45 minutes from Disney World.

The address to Manatee Public Beach on Anna Maria Island with amenities is 4000 State Road 64 and Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, FL 34217.

The City Park beach that we loved to go to is accessed off neighborhood roads that are perpendicular to the beach. Google simply calls it “City Park.” (Side note: Google states that it is part of Bradenton Beach, and sometimes Holmes Beach, but ignore that and read the instructions and maps below).

To get to the City Park beach, you have to drive north of Manatee Public Beach for a few miles on Gulf Drive. You can also get off of Gulf Dr. and onto Marina Dr. (which is what we would do), which it turns into Palm Dr. and eventually back into Gulf Dr. Either way, it almost seems like you are getting further away from the ocean as you drive through neighborhoods, but if you follow one of these roads, you should be good.

You will need to park in front of homes on side streets that serve as outlets to the beach. Pay attention to signs of where parking is allowed. The city does ticket. The main sides streets that we would park on were Palmetto Dr. or Willow Dr.

These are pretty close to the Anna Maria Island Creamery & Bakery and a few other little shops and restaurants. We would get Ice Cream there (and use the bathroom, but only if you purchase something).

MAPS

MORE INFO

annamariaisland.com

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Siesta Key (50 minutes)

Tampa (1 hour)

Bush Gardens (1 hour and 15 minutes)

Disney World (1 hour 45 mintues)

ABOUT

Hi, I’m Corrine! I’m an outdoor enthusiast and mother of four.