Learn Why This Florida Beach is Considered the Venice Beach of the East Coast

South Florida may have long held the monopoly of the ideal Florida summer travel scene, but this trend is slowly shifting north to Atlantic Beach, slowly becoming known as the “Venice Beach of the East Coast.”

The northeastern destination is a compelling contrast to the traditional Florida vacation: Think fewer crowds, professional-grade surf and skate culture, a friendly local town and deep sense of community.

Atlantic Beach’s location just south of the Georgia border makes it a unique cultural middle ground, where surfing meets the refined slow-living Southern hospitality and aesthetic of Lowcountry like live oaks, Spanish moss, shrimp and grits, and white sands.

Unlike Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Atlantic Beach is incredibly walkable, with local institutions like Pete’s Bar, a Prohibition-era speakeasy, and artisan shopping at Beaches Town Center as the focal point. Atlantic Beach also has its own dark skies initiative to protect hatchlings nesting in nearby dunes.

And new to the destination is Dune House Hotel & Spa, a meticulously reimagined beach sanctuary right on the water, where every room has an ocean view. The hotel is also home to Atlantic Beach’s newest restaurant, Coastal Farmer, with dishes featuring the morning’s catch from nearby Mayport docks.