Not many venture to this hidden secret of Brevard County, but Playalinda Beach is a gem to behold.

Get to know Playalinda Beach

From my home on Merritt Island, FL; Playalinda Beach is an hour long drive even though it isn’t far distance wise. The beach is located directly North of the Space Center and so you must drive completely around it. That means crossing two bridges and a national wildlife refuge.

Shooting with the Kornegay Family

I was contacted by the Kornegay Family to take their family portraits while they visited family in Titusville. I don’t often have clients from Titusville, so I took the opportunity to suggest shooting at Playalinda Beach. Unless you live North of Merritt Island, not many people want to drive over an hour to take photos. Which honestly, same.

Safe to say I was thrilled when they were excited to go. Kristen, the matriarch mentioned that she used to go often as a child and was looking forward to coming back with her own child now.

We arrived at 6:30 pm, as it’s summertime and the sunset is super late in the evening. Which is great for me but not always great for families with young kids. But Harper, the only child of the family, wasn’t fazed by the late hour at all. We had zero complaints from the little one and got so many amazing family shots. This was one of my easier family sessions.

Important things to know before visiting

Because getting to Playalinda Beach can be a bit of a drive, and you have to pay to enter (or have a residential annual pass like me), it’s not busy on the weekdays. We had so much beach to ourselves.

The annual pass is inexpensive and is worth it if you plan to visit just more than once. Otherwise your one time visitor pass will allow you to enter for a full week. Super neat! You can find the pricing here.

And it’s worth mentioning that the sand is very clean and bright white on this particular beach. Some of the many reasons I love coming here.

Next time you visit Playalinda Beach, take the time to visit the gorgeous wildlife refuge that surrounds it. You may see a croc or 10.

Fun fact. There are many beach access points along PlayaLinda Beach. Keep in mind that north of access 13 and up are unofficial nude beaches. So don’t be alarmed and don’t say I didn’t warn you!

If you want to learn about some other great locations spots in Central Florida, check out my blog posts about Hangars Beach, Rockledge Gardens or the Enchanted Forest.