We know the most popular beaches. Here are the best hidden beaches in Florida

South Beach. Fort Lauderdale. Captiva. Siesta Key.

We know these are the best beaches in Florida. The Travel Channel said so in a 2022 survey. Or just ask the masses you’ll find spread out on towels all around you.

But what about the unheralded beauties, those “under the radar” beaches that don’t get all the attention?

That may change now after Fodor’s, the travel guide, released its picks for 11 “Under-the-Radar Florida Beach Towns to Visit this Winter.” The selections bring attention to “a taste of old Florida where the simple things — sun, surf, and a no-worries attitude — still reign on these quiet beaches.”

Among Fodor’s favorites:

▪ Atlantic Beach, just east of Jacksonville, was a top pick for many reasons, including the lack of chain hotels and restaurants that would make it feel like so many other beaches. “In-the-know surfers and vacationers converge for an east coast beach vibe that feels more like the Outer Banks than Florida,” Fodor’s opined. Atlantic Beach also made The Travel Channel’s list of favorites.

▪ Deerfield Beach in Broward County, just south of the Palm Beach County line and about 45 miles from Miami and about 20 from Fort Lauderdale, wowed the travel tastemakers for its “old-school feel ... that defies South Florida’s overt bling.” Surfers like the waves near the Deerfield Beach Pier.

▪ Vero Beach on Florida’s Treasure Coast, about two hours from both Orlando or Miami, is worth the visit, Fodor’s says. The subdued stretch of sand is preferable to “the ticky-tacky tourist towns [of] Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach to the north.” And if you’re jonesing for the Cuban delicacies you had the other night at Estefan Kitchen in Miami’s Design District you can still get get “excellent Cuban food and Caribbean vibes,” at Wave Kitchen & Bar at the Costa d’Este Beach Resort & Spa, which is also owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan.

▪ Ponce Inlet, which is 10 miles south of Daytona Beach, a spring break magnet, is the quieter alternative. The Ponce beach town’s attraction is its Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse that was built in 1835, and considered the largest lighthouse in Florida. Fodor likens the “unpretentious” beach town of 3,000 people to “something you’d spot along the coast of Maine.” There’s an observation tower and surrounding nature trails. Lighthouse Point Park, on the southern tip of the peninsula, has beaches with “sugar-fine sand and calm waters” and you may even spot dolphins frolicking in its waters.

READ MORE: These Florida beaches were ranked best in U.S. Two are in Broward, one in the Keys

For the other picks, visit Fodor’s site.