7 Great Florida Beaches

What type of beach is right for you? The Sunshine State boasts almost 1,000 miles of flip-flop-friendly beaches, each with its own distinct style. Some Florida beaches are blessed with snow-white sand, some with an abundance of shells. Others have golden sand perfect for sand-castle building or sea-turtle nesting. Water-sports devotees also find ample opportunities, from scuba diving and snorkeling to parasailing and boating. Here's a roundup of Florida's best beaches in seven categories. By Fodor's Editors

Best for Couples: For a getting-away-from-it-all beach, this island retreat more than fits the bill: you can't even get to it by car but must take a boat. Stroll the uncrowded shoreline with your main squeeze at Caladesi Island State Park, on a 3.5-mile-long barrier island near Tampa. Water laps a quiet shore, secluded except for the many birds, from common sandpipers to majestic blue herons to rare black skimmers. You can search for seashells, swim in the clear waters, paddle a kayak through the mangroves, hike on the nature trail, or just unwind with a romantic picnic on the white-sand shore.

What to Bring: Just you and yours.

Best for Seashells: While most beaches in Sanibel are worthy hunting grounds for shell devotees, Bowman's, the most remote, tops them all. In fact, islanders here have coined the phrase "the Sanibel Stoop," for the hunched position shell-seekers assume. Reach Sanibel’s Bowman’s Beach by traipsing from the parking area through beach grass, pines, wetland, and a picnic area. Do like the veterans and get there before sunrise and collect shells at low tide. The likelihood of leaving with a bag of gorgeous shells is high. Score one of the island's most coveted shells—from the junonia, an olive-shaped, spotted gastropod—and you’ll get your picture in the local paper.

What to Bring: Something to wrap the shells and a cardboard or Tupperware container to carry them home.

Best for Pets: Soft sand? Check. Fresh water? Check. Dogs allowed? Check. Unlike many Florida beaches, Hollywood's Dog Beach, is pet friendly. Fido can frolic unleashed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at this stretch of sand about 20 miles south of Ft. Lauderdale (learn more). Latch him to his leash to explore the rest of the laid-back area. The main part of the Broadwalk has spiffy features like a pedestrian walkway, a concrete bike path, a crushed-shell jogging path, and places to shower off after a dip. Kiddies stay entertained with play areas, rental bikes, trikes, and other pedal-powered gizmos.

What to Bring: Fido’s leash, toys, and treats plus bags for cleaning up.

Best for Divers and Snorkelers: With shallow-water reefs, submerged sculptures (like the 8.5-foot bronze Christ of the Deep), and 55 kinds of coral, Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park gets top marks as the Diving Capital of the World. The first underwater park in the United States is also home to 600 varieties of fish and makes an ideal snorkeling or diving outing for newbies and veterans, as well as those who don't want to get wet at all—glass-bottomed boat tours are also available.

What to Bring: Scuba or snorkel gear; a buddy to dive with.

Best for Celebrity Watchers: It's no accident that Lummus Park (aka South Beach), the swath of beach that lines Miami's Ocean Drive between 5th and 15th streets, opens at 5 AM, when bars close and revelers totter over to watch the sun rise. Later in the day, stars such as Lindsay Lohan and Jennifer Lopez come out to freshen tans, frolic in the surf, play volleyball or rollerblade on the boardwalk. Tanning butlers, private cabanas, and trendy nightclubs are never far away—and nor are the paparazzi.

What to Bring: A glam bathing suit, some bling, and big sunglasses.

Best for Family Fun: This Tampa area beach has lifeguards on duty, showers on site, and an area for picnicking; sand suitable for building great sand castles also keeps families coming back. Gorgeous white sand, attentive lifeguards, shallow waters that are clear and warm, a pier, and plenty of showers and restrooms make Clearwater Beach a family paradise. Around Pier 60 there's a big playground.

What to Bring: Cash for parking and amenities like a beach umbrella or cabana; a pail and shovel for the kids.

Best for Partiers: Seventeen miles of snowy-white sand and sparkling emerald-green water along the Panhandle are enough to attract any beach lover, but collegiate party animals are especially drawn to the Spring Break Capital of the World. MTV's televised spring break concerts add fuel to the already hot word-of-mouth fire about partying in Panama City Beach. When they're not drinking and dancing, free spirits seeking a different kind of high can tether themselves to a parachute and a speed boat for a bit of parasailing, while party girls can get a pedicure or scour the shops at Pier Park.

What to Bring: Your wild side