BBQ breakdown: 8 Florida beaches that allow grilling

Ready to host your next seaside cookout? From coast to coast, here are the Florida beaches that allow grilling.

Imagine: the sun’s shining, a gentle breeze is blowing, and the ocean’s waves are lapping gently at the shore. You’ve invited all your friends and family members to your favorite beachside picnic spot to enjoy a day of grilling delectable dishes over an open flame. You’ve just achieved the perfect char on your chicken cutlets when a park ranger emerges from the ether to tell you that the party’s over because you don’t have permission to use the grill. Is there any bigger buzzkill to a perfect day at the beach?

Don’t let Florida’s park rules around grilling — which literally change depending on the county, city, or even park itself — prevent you from planning the ideal beach cookout. Check out this list of Florida beaches spanning from the Atlantic to the Gulf Coast that explicitly provide grills for your use. Just bring your own charcoal, fuel, and food, and you’ll be good to grill all day long.

1. Hollywood North Beach Park

Located in Broward County just south of Dania Beach, Hollywood North Beach Park offers the ideal environment for a day spent grilling up tender cuts of meat, catching up with loved ones, and, of course, enjoying a dip in the Atlantic’s warm waters.

The park’s spacious picnicking area sports numerous grills and covered shelters, while the dense seagrape that grows in all directions gives this area of the park a more intimate feel, separating it from the bustle of the nearby Hollywood Beach Boardwalk.

Arrive early to stake out your spot and set up your supplies, including your audio equipment, as weekends at Hollywood North Beach Park bring out droves of crowds who dance along to their favorite reggaeton, soca, and reggae beats all day long.

Photo by Emergent Media, courtesy of Visit Florida.

2. Nokomis Beach

Sarasota County’s oldest public beach, Nokomis Beach, has been providing Floridians with never-ending natural beauty and thrilling recreational activities since the 1950s. A recently constructed pavilion offers picnic tables and grills, as well as showers, restrooms, and a concession stand for snacks.

As your lunch heats up on the grill, cool off with a dip in either the Gulf of Mexico or the intercoastal waterway, both available to the public from Nokomis Beach. After enjoying your meal, opportunities for recreation abound, including a playground, a fishing pier, and miles of peaceful trails perfect for viewing birds and wildlife.

Photo by Eddie Kirsch, courtesy of Visit Sarasota County.

3. Bald Point State Park

This special corner of the Gulf Coast located in Alligator Point — the meeting place of Ochlockonee and Apalachee bays about 50 miles east of Apalachicola on the Panhandle — boasts 12,000 acres of unspoiled coastal and upland nature, as well as the unique opportunity to view bald eagles along their migratory path.

Grilling and picnicking at Bald Point State Park is a breeze. Pavilions, complete with grills and tables, are located at each of the park’s three access points at Maritime Hammock, Sunrise Beach, and the North End, respectively. Rent a pavilion in advance for your next family gathering by contacting the park staff at 850-349-9146.

4. Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park

This Broward County-based state park stretching from the north end of Dania Beach up to the Port Everglades Inlet is a slice of paradise amidst South Florida’s hustle and bustle.

The park’s picnicking area offers tables and grills, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis and accessible from the parking lots labeled 2, 4, and 5. If you’re planning a large-scale gathering, call 954-929-4970 to inquire about obtaining a permit to rent out Whiskey Creek Hideout, an event venue, bar and grill, and watersports outfitter located within Mizell-Johnson State Park.

Photo courtesy of Visit Lauderdale.

5. Manasota Beach

This beach park located on Sarasota County’s Manasota Key offers a pavilion and a group of covered shelters containing picnic tables, grills, and gorgeous views of the Gulf of Mexico. Located about nine miles south of Venice, a beach that many consider the shark tooth capital of the world, Manasota Beach is another prime spot to sift through the sands on the lookout for shark tooth fossils, as well as colorful seashells to add to your collection.

To rent the Manasota Beach pavilion for your upcoming cookout, contact the Sarasota Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department at 941-861-7275.

Photo by Adam Cellini, courtesy of Visit Sarasota County.

6. Round Island Beach Park

Located on the southern tip of Vero Beach on Florida’s eastern coast, Round Island Beach Park is a secluded and serene setting for your next oceanside cookout.

The park boasts five grills and five covered pavilions, each containing two picnic tables. Other points of interest include a playground and a nature trail through coastal hammock and scrub ecosystems.

The Indian River County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation reminds visitors that this park acts as a nesting ground for sea turtles, who burrow into the sand to lay their eggs between each March and November. If you dug a hole into the sand, you’ll need to fill it, as well as return any garbage to a receptacle, as these issues may prevent sea turtles from successfully nesting or hatching.

Photo by CycleHere Media courtesy of Visit Florida.

7. Fort Lauderdale Beach Park

This wide stretch of sandy oceanfront is a great location for a cookout expecting a large number of guests. Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, located just a stone’s throw from the city’s shopping and dining destinations that line State Road A1A, features a dozen or more picnic tables and grills with unencumbered views of the glittering Atlantic Ocean.

As lunch heats up, guests will have plenty of activities to choose from, as the park offers volleyball nets, a basketball court, a playground, and an exercise course. With ample parking and showers nearby, Fort Lauderdale Beach Park is a convenient way to while away a warm, sunny day.

Photo by 500PX, courtesy of Visit Florida.

8. Sombrero Beach

Sombrero Beach, located in Marathon, one of the islands comprising the Florida Keys, contains a wide, sandy shoreline and resplendent views of warm Atlantic waters. The park offers a dozen pavilions along the coastline, which are available to rent from the city of Marathon for your next family gathering.

Cookouts are very popular at Sombrero, so Marathon’s parks department created this handy video tutorial that outlines the features of each of the 12 pavilions, so you may rent the one that best fits your needs. Note that the city’s rules prohibit the use of balloons, confetti, and glass at all pavilions.

Photo by Scott Barnette, courtesy of Visit Florida.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.