Fred Howard Park
Tarpon Springs, FL
Fred Howard Park connects to its white sand beach by a mile-long causeway across open water, a genuinely unusual approach for a mainland Florida beach. Calm, shallow water on the causeway's sides makes it a popular spot for kite surfing and windsurfing alongside the swimming.
The causeway approach and calm water for kite and windsurfing make it a genuine standout among mainland Tarpon Springs beaches, though the mile-long walk in is a real commitment without a bike.
How we score beachesSunset Beach, a smaller and quieter beach elsewhere in Tarpon Springs, is worth the detour if Fred Howard's causeway crowd feels like too much, especially for picnics and sunset watching. Visit on a weekday if possible, weekends draw serious crowds along the whole causeway.
Beach parking runs about 6 dollars a day, with annual passes available.
A mile-long causeway connects the park entrance to the beach; it's flat but a real distance to cover on foot or bike.
Dogs are not allowed on the main beach at Fred Howard Park, though leashed pets can use the entrance picnic area and causeway.
Winter and spring bring the mildest weather and the biggest snowbird crowds to this stretch of the Gulf coast. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, bring the warmest water and afternoon storms.
More Gulf Coast beaches
Siesta Key Beach
Siesta Key, FL · Gulf Coast
Fine quartz sand that stays cool underfoot even in summer, sloping gently into calm Gulf water, and consistently rated among the best family beaches in the country.
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater, FL · Gulf Coast
A lively Gulf-front strip with a fishing pier, a nightly sunset celebration at Pier 60, and calm, shallow water that makes it an easy family favorite.
Pensacola Beach
Pensacola Beach, FL · Gulf Coast
Sugar-white sand within the Gulf Islands National Seashore, with dunes protected from development and water clear enough for snorkeling near the jetties.