An Insider's Guide to Florida's Best Beaches

Florida has beaches to satisfy just about everyone - sun worshippers, people watchers, romantics, families, shell collectors, snorkelers, surfers, even nudists. Most of them are free and have plenty of affordable parking - unlike other beach resort destinations.That's why there's no better place for a beach lover to live or visit.

The most beautiful beaches - the ones with the turquoise gin-clear waters you see in brochures and on TV - are located in South Florida from the Florida Keys North to West Palm Beach. Once you go further north, the water loses some of its clarity due to estuarial river deposits.

Sun worshippers who want a beautiful stretch of white sandy beach to work on a killer tan can find one just about anywhere they travel in the state - The Florida Keys, Miami Beach, Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beah,, Sanibel Island, Clearwater, Tampa or St. Pete. All these beaches are beautiful, have crystal clear water and plenty of sunshine year round. Each beach, however, has it's own personality and amenities it offers sun worshipers.

People who want to work on their tan in a more laid back setting can choose from a number of beaches in the Florida Keys. Sand Spur Beach and Caloosa Beach located just off Overseas Highway Market 37 are two of the Keys, most beautiful beaches. Part of the Bahai Honda State Recreational Area, these two beaches offer soft white coral sand and great snorkeling. There are picnic tables, a few concessions and plenty of parking.

If you want to work on your tan in style and then show it off right away, Miami Beach's South Beach is the place. Not only is there a sunny, sandy beach that runs on for miles, but about 50 yards behind the beach is Ocean Drive with it's small art deco hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs and shops. By day or by night this is where the world's tan and beautiful meet and mingle on and off the beach.

Looking for a complete, full body tan with no tan lines? About 10 miles up A1A from South Beach is Halouver Park Beach, a portion of which is reserved for nude swimmers and sun idols. There's plenty of parking. Just keep your clothes on until you enter the nude beach area.