Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach, FL
Flagler Beach keeps an old Florida feel along its low key downtown strip, backed by a coastal highway that runs close enough to the water to wash out during major storms. The Flagler Beach Pier anchors the center of town, with free parking up and down A1A a rarity for a Florida beach town this popular.
Free parking and a genuine old Florida character make it a real local favorite, though the coastal highway's history of storm damage is a reminder of how exposed this stretch of beach really is.
How we score beachesLeashed dogs are welcome on the sand north of 10th Street and south of 10th Street, but not in the restricted zone right around the pier itself. Park along any side street off A1A rather than searching for a specific lot, spaces are usually easy to find outside of peak season.
Parking is free throughout Flagler Beach, available on side streets off A1A and in several small public lots.
Beach accesses along A1A are short, flat walks from street parking. The pier itself is a level, easy walk out over the water.
Leashed dogs (8 foot leash or shorter) are welcome on the beach north of North 10th Street and south of South 10th Street, but not in the restricted zone around the pier.
Spring and fall bring the mildest weather for walking the pier and beach. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, are real considerations given how exposed this stretch of coast is to storm damage.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
Coast Guard Beach
Eastham, MA · Atlantic Coast
A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.
Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA · Atlantic Coast
Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.
Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, NY · Atlantic Coast
A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.