There is so much more to Florida than crowded tourist attractions, mind-boggling news stories, and bad drivers. A closer look reveals sparkling gems dotting the coastline like lanterns that beckon and illuminate the lesser known destinations the locals actually beg us not to talk about!
Sorry, you locals, we’re here to give away some of coastal Florida’s best kept secrets: the best places to dine and to drink, and the best bungalow, boutique hotel, or privately owned vacation rental for your visit. At Beaches, Bars and Bungalows we’re committed to supporting local, family owned businesses – no chain restaurants, no cookie cutter big name hotels. We believe that when visiting coastal Florida, much of your time is spent outside the room. We do have our standards: light, fresh spaces with good design and supreme comfort are at the top of the list as well as, whenever possible, within walking distance of the chosen bar or restaurant.
Our recommendations are based on personal experience and/or many hours of research as well as speaking with locals and others who have visited the destinations.
Beaches, Bars & Bungalows is now a TV SHOW!
We are so excited to announce we are working with Discover Florida Channel as they create a Beaches, Bars, and Bungalows travel TV show! As a Consulting Producer for the show, my role is to recommend places to feature all around Florida, based on our travels, our mission to highlight independently owned businesses, and our in-depth research. The final decisions for each location are made by the folks at Crawford Entertainment, owners of the Discover Florida Channel.
Read our article about this fun new adventure, here.
As we continue to partner with Discover Florida Channel for the TV show we will also continue our travel blog, bringing you unique recommendations for locally owned places to experience.
Because the final decisions of what properties and restaurants and beach towns to feature are not ours, we do not guarantee that any businesses, properties, restaurants, shops, or towns we visit and write about will be featured on the show.
Copyright • Privacy Statement
All the information provided on Beaches, Bars and Bungalows is for general and entertainment purposes only and is the opinion of our writers based on our experiences. Beaches, Bars and Bungalows is not responsible for fellow travelers’ experiences in any way.
We make no promises, warranties, or representations of any kind regarding accuracy or reliability of any product or service, current prices, opening hours, menu items, amenities or any information, as all info is subject to change.
All photos are ours, unless otherwise noted. Use of our photos is prohibited without written consent. We love to share though – just ask! And include our link.
Any personal information, including contact info, provided to us will be kept private. We will never spam our readers or sell information.
Occasionally we are offered complimentary stays or products to review, and in this case and all others our opinions are ours alone. We have made a commitment to never give a bad review; if we don’t like a place, we won’t talk about it, and we would never review a product that we wouldn’t normally use and seek out.
Copyright 2024 Beaches, Bars, and Bungalows™, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
18 Comments
Katy
Love love love your site!!
Marybeth
Yay so do we! And we’re so happy you love it too. Keep checking back; we’re visiting off-the-beaten-path Florida whenever we get the chance. More good info to come!
Dawn @ Florida Coastal Cooking
Marybeth – I LOOOOVE the concept of this site! (Especially being on the coast of Florida.) I will send you a few of my favorites!!!
Marybeth
Thanks Dawn! I’ll look forward to your suggestions!
Russ Rhodes
Love this website. We are always looking for words to describe why we love Indialantic so much. You get it!!
Marybeth
Thanks Russ! We love visiting the “off the tourist radar” towns. Indialantic is one of the best!
Jack Richards
Love this url and look forward to some nice spots. I am buying the little beach house just up the road from you
Marybeth
Oh cool! But wait… I didn’t want anyone to know where our beach house is… 😉
Amanda
Great job! Have you visited anna maria island yet? 7.5 miles of sandy non commercial paradise. Plus my tiny biz offers massage on the beach in a tiki hut.
Marybeth
Yes Amanda, we were married there! And have visited again several times; it is our most favorite island in Florida. We will look for you next time we come! Thank you for you sweet comment.
J&W
Checking out your site is so much fun after meeting you and discovered how fun and great you are ☺️
Will be in touch for our future trip in Florida ❤️
Jacinthe & William
Marybeth
Thanks so much for checking out our site Jacinthe and William! It was awesome meeting you two! You just never know, if you’re brave enough to ask to share a table what interesting people you can meet! Yes let us know when you will be back.
John
Kinda off-topic but did I see a pet squirrel in one of your posts and if yes, what’s it like taking care of a squirrel?
Love your blog!
Thanks,
– Soon-to-be-Floridians
Marybeth
Hi John! I saw your comment but wasn’t able to answer right away because our squirrel, Illy, had had surgery and we were preparing for his 2nd one. You may have seen now that he didn’t make it through the 2nd surgery, and I’ve written a new post about this, and him. It was actually a great experience; wouldn’t change it for the world. Weird, I know, and some people looked at us like we were crazy. If you want to read more I have a pretty detailed post about him that was written a few years ago, “A Squirrel Lives in Our Beach House.” Thanks for commenting and for your kind words about the blog. This is my creative outlet and there is just so much to see and do and marvel at in our beloved Sunshine State. Welcome, in advance!
Neil Jarman
Hi I,m Neil from England I really am hooked on your website and the photos are stunning ! Hope you stay safe in these nasty times with the virus 🙁 Also must say i love Mr Squirrel ha! we have lots of them over here in England 🙂
Marybeth
Hi Neil from Marybeth and Robert!Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m still an amateur at photography but yes sometimes they turn out well! We are doing all we can to stay safe, we hope you all in England are too. Our squirrel was certainly a huge part of our family. 🙂
John Rush
Hi Marybeth! It was a pleasure meeting you and your husband at the Beach House in Bradenton Beach. It was very exciting seeing the crew from the Discover Florida Channel film the upcoming piece about the bar and restaurant. I’m sure this new venture will be very successful and more importantly very helpful for people like myself who come to visit your wonderful state. Cheers! John the hospital map guy.
Marybeth
Hello John! It was great meeting you too! How fun to be able to find fellow travelers who enjoy our sunshine state as much as we do. My husband Robert appreciated the camaraderie and getting to know a little about you as we sat and watched the show being created. Cheers back to you, hospital map guy!