By Jacob Ogles
FloridaPolitics.com
April 17, 2020
(FloridaPolitics.com, April 16, 2020) While Florida leaders caught flak for leaving many beaches open during spring break, the COVID-19 pandemic eventually led nearly every coastal government in Florida to quarantine the dunes.
Most beaches in Florida are closed, but they are slowly starting to reopen.
But some communities are ready to reopen the beaches now. So where can you find crowds in the sand unconcerned with spreading the novel coronavirus?
Florida Politics is maintaining a running compilation of local beach closures.
Panhandle
Bay County: Some beaches closed
The Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce reported all sandy beaches within the city limits are closed at least through noon on April 24. The Panama City News Herald reports County Commissioners closed all beaches in unincorporated areas. But the Mexico Beach City Council just voted to reopen the beaches for limited hours and activities, according to the Northwest Daily News. Essential activities like swimming, running, fishing, walking, biking, hunting, and hiking from 6 to 9 a.m. and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Escambia County: Beaches closed
County Commissioners voted to close down Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key Beach, according to the Pensacola News Journal. While the initial plan was to reopen on April 2, the paper has since reported the closure will likely last through the state of emergency.
Gulf County: Beaches closed
County Commissioners closed all county beaches beginning March 26 through at least April 30, according to Visit Gulf County.
Okaloosa County: Beaches closed
All public beaches in the county have been closed, according to ABC 13. The order still allows licensed saltwater fishing. But County Commissioners say they may revisit the decision soon.
Santa Rosa County: Beaches closed
County Commissioners voted to close down beaches in the county starting on March 20, reports the Pensacola News Journal. Discussion on re-opening will take place soon.
Walton County: Beaches closed
All public beaches in the county have been closed, according to ABC 13. The closure just withstood a test in court.
Big Bend
Dixie County: Beaches open
A big bend community with no reported coronavirus infections, there have been no park or beach closures announced at Visit Dixie County or the county government website.
Franklin County: Beaches closed
As of March 27, Franklin County Commissioners closed all beaches in the county. The emergency ordinance has since been extended.
Levy County: Beach restrictions
There’s no complete shutdown of recreational facilities listed on the county website. However, the popular destination Cedar Key has travel restricted so only residents and those with reservations in advance can freely come and go from the island, and visitors are not allowed. No new reservations are allowed at this time.
Taylor County: Beaches closed, boat ramps open
County Commissioners held an emergency meeting and closed county parks and beaches effective March 27, but left boat ramps open, according to the Perry News-Herald.
Wakulla County: Beaches closed, boat ramps open
County officials closed Shell Point Beach and Mashes Sands Beach as of sunset March 23, according to Visit Wakulla. But 13 boat ramps, including Wakulla Beach, remain open to use.
Tampa Bay
Citrus County: Beaches closed
All county parks are closed, including Fort Island Gulf and Hernando Beaches, until further notice, county officials said.
Hernando County: Beaches closed
The county closed its beaches per CDC guidelines as of March 19.
Hillsborough County: Beaches closed
Four beaches run by the city of Tampa have been closed, including Ben T. Davis Beach, Cypress Point Park, Davis Islands Seaplane Basin and Picnic Island Park. All beaches and parks in unincorporated Hillsborough County closed as of March 28, according to WUSF.
Pasco County: Beaches closed
County officials closed area beaches at four county-managed parks as of March 20, the county website reports.
Pinellas County: Beaches closed
All beaches in the county were closed by the County Commission starting March 20, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The county website said some beaches were originally scheduled to re-open April 7, but county officials said the situation will be addressed and the closures will be extended through the duration of the state of emergency. The beaches remain closed. All parking along the 35 areas of public beaches have also been closed. Clearwater Beach, which is within city jurisdiction, will stay closed.
Southwest Florida
Charlotte County: Beaches closed
All beaches closed down in Charlotte County effective March 22, with deputies threatening $500 fines to those breaking the rules, according to NBC-2.
Collier County: Beaches closed
The City of Naples closed its beaches as of March 18, and Collier County followed suit, closing its beaches down on March 19, according to the Naples Daily News.
Lee County: Beaches closed
All beaches in the county, including on Fort Myers Beach, Captiva and Sanibel Island, are closed until further notice and a LeeTran trolley ceased service as of March 19, according to the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau.
Manatee County: Beaches closed
County leaders elected to close down all beaches, including those on barrier islands like Anna Maria Island, starting on March 20, reports the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Sarasota County: Beaches closed
The county shut down all beaches, including those in Longboat Key, Sarasota and Venice, effective March 21, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
South Florida
Broward County: Beaches closed
Deerfield, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Pompano Beach all closed beaches starting March 18, according to Local 10 News. Gov. Ron DeSantis orderedthe rest of the beaches in the county closed as of March 20.
Martin County: Beaches closed
County Commissioners closed all public county beaches as of March 22, according to WPTV.
Miami-Dade County: Beaches closed
Mayor Carlos Giminez on March 19 ordered all beaches closed in the community, the first South Florida jurisdiction to do so.
Monroe County: Beaches open, travel restricted
County Commissioners starting March 24 imposed limitations so only Florida Keys residents and limited workers could access the string of islands via U.S. 1. Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 30 issued a safer at home order closing down all non-essential business in South Florida counties until mid-April. But beaches in Monroe, while inaccessible to most, have never been closed.
Palm Beach County: Beaches closed
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order closing all Palm Beach beaches as of March 20, originally making the closures last through March 31. But he has since issued a safer at home order for four South Florida counties that will last through mid-April, but that order was later extended statewide. The beach closure in Palm Beach is ties to that order, which will be in place through April.
St. Lucie County: Beaches closed
The county closed down all beaches effective March 23, based on failure of crowds to honor social distancing, according to TC Palm.
Central Florida
Brevard County: Beaches restricted or closed
County officials have decided to leave beaches in unincorporated county open to residents only, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Local jurisdictions have closed beaches in Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, and Melbourne Beach through April 30, but will allow walking, jogging, biking, fishing, surfing and swimming. Mayors in 16 municipalities have asked for county beaches to close completely, according to Fox 35.
Indian River Beach County: Beaches closed
County officials announced beaches in the county and in the city of Vero Beach would close as of March 23.
Volusia County: Beaches restricted
County officials announced on April 2 that all beaches in the county, including the popular spring break destination of Daytona Beach. Originally, the beaches were closed to all activity including pedestrians walking, but county officials on Saturday loosened restrictions to allow walking, jogging, biking, fishing, surfing and swimming, according to WESH. Sitting and sunbathing are still not allowed.“Conditions continue to remain dynamic,” reads a county website.
Northeast Florida
Duval County: Beaches restricted
Mayor Lenny Curry ordered all beaches closed indefinitely starting on March 20, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. Mayors of three beach communities in the Jacksonville area agreed to close all beaches in the county. But Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said beaches will begin to reopen on April 18, but only to walking, biking, hiking, fishing, running, swimming, taking care of pets and surfing, and with social distancing still enforced.
Flagler County: Beaches closed
The county has closed all beaches and parks, along with some facilities restrictions, according to News 6.
Nassau County: Beaches closed
The Sheriff’s Office announced all beaches in the county closed as of March 22, according to News4Jax. Fernandina Beach city officials closed their beaches on March 21, and have threatened fines for those in violation, reports First Coast News.
St. Johns County: Beaches closed
After a viral photo seriously shamed St. Johns County, officials there closed beaches effective March 29, until further notice. SInce then, residents have petitioned to have the beaches reopened, but County Commissioners are not ready to do so at this point, reports The St. Augustine Record.