Best Central Florida Sandbars
January 24, 2023 7 min read
From the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys and East Coast sounds to Western reservoirs, boaters gravitate to places they can anchor or beach together. Although we generally call them “sandbars,” they can be beaches, islands, gravel bars, coves, or almost anywhere there’s shallow, protected water. For boaters in Central Florida, there are lots of fun options in both saltwater and freshwater, ranging from famous party spots to closely guarded secrets. Here are a few worth checking out.
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Disappearing Island
The best known and busiest sandbar in the region, Disappearing Island is located just inside Ponce de Leon Inlet in Volusia County. It’s a large area with room for hundreds of boats along the northeastern and southern facing shorelines as well as several other smaller islands and sandbars nearby.
The bottom and beach are hard sand, and the water ranges from clear blue to stained, depending on the weather and tide state. As a general rule, an incoming tide brings clearer ocean water to the island, while an outgoing tide brings darker river water.
At Disappearing Island, you’ll generally be pulled up to a dry sand beach, so boaters often bring canopies, chairs, games, grills and more. Dogs are allowed, and most owners allow them to run leashless. An ice cream boat makes the rounds on weekends. Disappearing Island can get crowded and rowdy on holidays, but otherwise it’s a generally family friendly atmosphere.
Keep a close eye on the tide; stuck boats are a common sight around Disappearing Island.
Keep a close eye on the tide; stuck boats are a common sight around Disappearing Island. In fact, the whole area inside Ponce Inlet warrants extra caution. Large, shifting shoals keep the local tow boat operators very busy.
Boat Launches
All of the boat launches close to Disappearing Island are heavily used and get crowded on weekends.
The Ponce Inlet public ramp offers the closest access but has fairly limited parking. The Swoop ramp in New Smyrna Beach is also nearby and has more parking. Other options within a one-hour boat ride or less include the North Causeway ramp in New Smyrna, the Kennedy Memorial Park ramp in Edgewater, and the Dunlawton ramps in Port Orange.
TaTa Island
About a mile north of Disappearing Island, TaTa Island is another popular sandbar situated directly across the Intracoastal Waterway from the popular Down the Hatch restaurant. Because TaTa Island is farther from the inlet, the water is generally not as clear as at Disappearing Island. On the other hand, TaTa is more sheltered from wind and large boat wakes. It’s not as large an area as Disappearing Island, but there’s still plenty of room.
The northern side of the island/sandbar drops off more quickly than the southern, making it easier to beach a boat. Otherwise, the atmosphere, surroundings and access are very similar to Disappearing Island.
Silver Glen Springs
At the upper end of the spring run that flows from Silver Glen Springs into Lake George in the Ocala National Forest is a wide area of flat, sandy bottom that’s mostly knee- to chest-deep. Boats of all sizes and shapes — from airboats to houseboats — anchor here to enjoy the beautiful surroundings, the crystal clear water and the company of a few hundred of their closest friends.
This is a protected area with a gentle current and a soft sand bottom, so anchoring is relatively easy. Plan to anchor your boat in around four feet of water. A second anchor of some kind — whether a traditional anchor or a powered or manual shallow water anchor — makes it easier to keep your boat right where you want it in the fairly narrow confines of the spring run.
The water at Silver Glen is a bracing 72 degrees year-round. On a muggy summer afternoon, it feels great. In the spring and fall, it can be chilly. There is essentially no dry land here, so leave the beach chairs at home and bring floats instead. If you plan to grill or serve snacks or drinks, you’ll need to do it on your boat or set your grill or table up on a pole or platform. Bring masks and snorkels, too; the spring run is beautiful.
Silver Glen has a no alcohol policy that was enacted in 2000 by Lake County to try and get a handle on what was seen as out of control partying at the springs.
Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends still get wild. For a quieter experience, try to go on a weekday or to arrive earlier in the day on weekends.
The closest public ramp is on the St. Johns River in Astor. From there, it’s about 5 miles down the St. Johns and then another 5 miles on open water across Lake George to the mouth of the spring run. Keep an eye on the weather! Lake George, the second-largest lake in Florida, has a reputation for turning dangerous quickly when winds pick up.
Salt Springs
Another massive freshwater spring near Lake George, Salt Springs is equally beautiful but less remote, with a town and RV resort nearby and a small marina at the upper end of the spring run.
Just like at Silver Glen, boaters gather in the shallow, clear water outside the spring head to chill, grill, swim and party. For boaters towing from the greater Orlando area, the best option is to launch in Astor, but that means a roughly 11-mile open-water run across Lake George, which shouldn’t be done without a capable boat and a good weather report.
Titusville Spoil Islands
Several spoil islands in the Indian River near Titusville serve as picturesque gathering spots for boaters. Just north of the Max Brewer Bridge, Horseshoe Crab Island is a vegetated spoil island with white sand/shell beaches and a sandy spit at one end. Only a quarter mile or so from Parrish Park, which has a large boat ramp and a long waterfront popular with jet skiers and kayakers, Horseshoe Crab Island gets a lot of traffic. It’s a pretty spot, but definitely not pristine wilderness.
Dolphin Tail Island, just to the north, has been largely washed away by storms but still has a few trees and a small beach. Hobo Island, about a half mile southeast of Parrish Park, has a long, shallow bar running north from one end.
Honorable Mentions
Discover the hidden gems that might not make the top spot but are certainly worth acknowledging in our exploration of sandbars.
"Ski Island"
Although it was mostly washed away by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Ski Island (aka Levi Island), near the western end of the locks connecting the Banana River to Port Canaveral, is still a popular gathering spot. Launch at Kelly Park in Merritt Island or at either of the public ramps in the Port.
"Bird Island"
Just north of Highway 528 between Cocoa and Merritt Island, a small, vegetated island often called Bird Island has a long sandbar extending southeast from its eastern tip. Boat ramps at Port St. John and Lee Wenner Park in Cocoa provide easy access.
Lake Conway Sandbar
While always underwater, this is a great place in the heart of Central Florida. Located on the southeast side of the central lake, it is a great spot if you can find a parking at a boat ramp.
Mt. Dora
Like the Conway sandbar you’ll need to bring floats, but add in that you won’t see our hands 6” below the murky water! Located on the Northwest side of the Deer Island point, this spot is growing each summer!
Sandbar Shopping List
Smart accessories and gear can make your day at the sandbar. Here are a few of our favorites:
SeaSucker vacuum-mounted drink holders — SeaSucker units like the Vertical 2 Cup Holder are ideal for sandbar days because they can be attached to the outside of your boat hull, providing a place for your beverage while you’re lounging in the water.
V-Lock mounts — V-Lock Universal Mounting Bases are great for mounting heavier accessories like grills or serving tables.
Shallow water anchor — A powered shallow water anchor like a PowerPole is great for holding your stern off the beach. But if that’s not in the budget, a manual pin anchor with a rigid mount like the Stayput Anchor Motor Mount works just as well
Serving trays — Take it to the next level with a drink and/or snack tray like the Starboard Drink Bar with Serving Tray that mounts on a pedestal, rod holder mount or even a sand spike.
Rod holder cup holders — Instantly convert your fishing machine to a sandbar queen with drink holders that drop directly into your flush mount rod holders for easy access from inside or outside the boat.
Beach beer pong set — Bring the party to the beach with a sand spike-mounted Starboard beer pong table set.
Dedicated trash can — A long day at the sandbar can produce some empties, but boaters rarely think to bring a trash container. Instead, we throw empties back in the cooler. Instead, bring an actual trash can or caddy like the Portable Boat Trash Can or even a bucket topper to keep your boat neat and make cleanup easier.
