ON THE WATER: BEACHES & BAYS Indian River Lagoon, photo by Willie J. Allen Jr. SAIL Partially enclosed by miles of coastline, Florida’s bays offer a trove of aquatic possibilities for adventure-seekers. Given how they tend to be shallow and surrounded on multiple sides by land, bays are rarely choppy and they teem with wildlife. The same characteristics that make them ideal for raising young manatees also make them a perfect setting for a kayak or sailboat. These diverse bodies of water are each special in their own way and are key to making each of Florida’s coastal regions unique. Biscayne Bay in Miami is a venue for world-class sailing. No sailboat? No problem. The area abounds with charters that’ll take you and your crew for a breezy ride. On the Gulf Coast, go for a sunset sail on Sarasota Bay, and take in sweeping, unforgettable views of the downtown Sarasota skyline. To the north, Tampa Bay is a large estuary that’s a nursery for all kinds of sea creatures and an excellent place to go wildlife spotting as well as a popular place to fish; locals will often cast a line from a bridge or pier. Seafood aficionados will want to head to Northwest Florida’s Apalachicola Bay for the region’s world-famous oysters, then head to Destin , the “world’s luckiest fishing village,” which sits on Choctawhatchee Bay . Plenty of companies offer daily guided fishing trips as well as boats you can charter. In summer, locals grab their snorkels and fins and head to Homosassa Bay on the Nature Coast in search of bay scallops. On the east coast, Palm Bay sits along the Indian River Lagoon , which is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems of its kind in the world — great for viewing from a kayak. Wherever it is you end up along the Florida coastline, bays make for some of the best kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and wildlife spotting you can find. For more on Florida bays, go to VISITFLORIDA.com. OFFICIAL FLORIDA VACATION GUIDE ✹ 23
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