sten up, fellow beach enthusiasts! Beach days and cold drinks go hand in hand, but the hard truth is that not every beach in the state of Florida allows the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Which means you’ll need to stay informed this summer.
When you finally decide to enjoy a much-needed beach day, all you should be worrying about is which beach read to bring, not whether you’ll be fined for bringing a cooler of your favorite ready-to-drink cocktails.
Unfortunately, Florida doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to drinking alcohol on its public beaches. Each one has its own rules about whether drinking is allowed, sometimes even specifying when and where on the beach drinking alcohol is permitted.
Don’t get your bikini bottoms in a twist about it though, because we’ve assembled this handy guide with information about all beaches in Florida that allow drinking. So, where can you drink on the beach in Florida? Find out which Florida beaches allow alcohol below.
Safety tip: While some of the beaches on this list allow alcohol consumption, none of them allow glass bottles for safety of guests and local wildlife. Leave the glass bottles at home and opt for plastic or aluminum packaging...and remember to LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS, of course. Please enjoy responsibly and only if you are 21 years of age or older.
Whether you’re in Florida to browse the iconic Cocoa Beach Ron Jon Surf Shop or explore the Space Center in Cape Canaveral, you’re never too far from a glorious east coast beach. Check out these alcohol-friendly spots:
Can you drink at Flagler Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach.
Can you drink at Cocoa Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach.
Can you drink at Playalinda Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach (and, if you’re hanging in lot 13, clothing is optional).
Pro Tip: As with any activity, safety should always come first. Make sure to check posted beachside precautions including scanning for beach flags and signs. Be sure to also pack ample water and use tons of sunscreen. It’s Florida, people! And, yes, you can still get sunburnt if your seaside sky is cloudy or overcast.
Pro Tip: There is an art to packing a cooler. For maximum chill and proper stacking, we recommend using lots of ice, sprinkling in some rock salt (it reduces the freezing point, so your ice lasts longer) and putting heavy cans at the bottom to layer foods by weight. Lighter snacks, like sandwiches and wraps, belong at the top. You can even throw a cheap, small garbage can to one side of the cooler to keep fruit or delicate items from getting crushed. If you really want to elevate your cooler game, try this Tetris-like technique when packing a canned cocktail or beer cooler for the beach:
Start by opening one end of each cardboard case and keeping the cans upright.
To neatly stack the beer, seltzers or canned cocktails, cover the open end with your hand, then flip the case over (speed is your friend with this maneuver) into the cooler and remove your hand.
Repeat this process for the remaining cases, leaving enough space between them for ice.
Once all the cases are in the cooler, tightly pack them by filling the gaps with ice and sprinkling rock salt around the ice.
To finish, slide out the cardboard cases and add more ice to fully cover the cans.
Watch this packing hack:
Enjoying some high-end shopping in Naples or taking in the vibrant street art of St. Petersburg? The west coast’s seaside cities have a plethora of boozy beaches to check out, grouped accordingly below:
Greater St. Petersburg:
Can you drink at Madeira Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach.
Can you drink at St. Pete Beach? Alcoholic beverages are allowed only in cabana areas of beachfront hotels for registered guests.
Can you drink at Treasure Island? Alcoholic beverages are allowed. However, no alcohol is allowed on the beach between the 8500 block and the 9900 block of Treasure Island Beach between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Can you drink at Redington Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach, but alcohol is not permitted on the neighboring (and similarly named) beaches of Redington Shores and North Redington Beach.
Sarasota:
Can you drink at Siesta Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach.
Can you drink at Turtle Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach.
Can you drink at Lido Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach.
Naples:
Can you drink at Naples Municipal Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach; however, they are not permitted on the pier (except beer and wine between noon and one hour past sunset). Please note that alcohol is not permitted one block north and one block south of the pier on 12th Avenue, 13th Avenue and Broad Avenue South.
Fancy a more laid-back time with the family? The Florida panhandle’s small-town charm and famous Gulf of Mexico beaches make this area the perfect spot to kick back and relax.
Panama City:
Can you drink at Panama City Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted year-round, except for the month of March.
Can you drink at Shell Island? Alcoholic beverages are permitted year-round.
Can you drink at Pensacola Beach? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the beach, omitting an alcohol-free zone located on a “... portion of the beach on the Gulf of Mexico on Pensacola Beach extending 320 feet west of the existing Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier and 225 feet north of the shoreline to the sand fencing, encompassing an area approximately 1.75 acres” (Escambia County, Code of Ordinance, Chapter 6, Sec. 6-3. - Alcohol-free zone).
Can you drink at Perdido Key? Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the sandy areas of the beach.
Pro Tip: Extras. Having extras of everything, whether that be plastic cups or playlist songs, goes a long way in minimizing stress and maximizing beach fun. This is especially true when it comes to trash bags. Bringing more trash bags than you think you need prevents the chance of running out of rubbish room and accidentally leaving more than footprints behind. Let’s make a summer pact to celebrate responsibly and keep our beaches pristine!
