Photo: iStock

Long a favorite with spring breakers and surfers, it’s rare to find this beach empty, but not impossible. Set the alarm for an early awakening, and you may be rewarded with that first glimpse of the sun peaking around the clouds, long before the crowds arrive. Photo: Ravi Pinisetti/Unsplash

The Keys are not known for their beaches, but Key West does have several sandy shores. Here too, the key to solitude is getting there early, which is a rare habit for residents of a town known for it’s late hour nightlife. Photo: Skeeze/Pixaby

To get away from it all in the Gulf Coast town of Naples, shake off your shoes and take a walk in the sand. The farther you get from a beach access lot, the better the chance of shedding other humans, and keeping company with the sea birds. Photo: Zman2711/Flickr

On Florida’s northern Gulf Coast, the barrier islands of the Gulf Island National Seashore combine powder fine white sands with emerald waters. With miles of beach to explore, there’s a good chance of creating your own space. Photo: iStock

Thanks to an east-west orientation, the beaches of Sanibel Island create a landing zone for seashells. Collectors make prized finds here on a regular basis, and its best to arrive early to begin the daily hunt for newly deposited treasures. Photo: iStock

This north Florida city boasts 42 miles of beaches, from the pristine coast of Ponte Vedra Beach to St. Augustine Beach’s lively surf and south to the wide sands of Crescent Beach. Plenty of real estate to call your own. Photo: Cassie Boca/Unsplash

Afternoon thunderclouds hover over the Atlantic along the 26 miles of beaches that make up Vero Beach, home to some of the last stretches of undeveloped coastline on Florida’s east coast. Walk these shores and you’re likely to meet more pelicans, sandpipers, and turtles than humans. Photo: Hsvbooth/Pixaby