I am looking for a hotel/resort in Florida that is located on a nice beach with clear blue, "snorkable" water. I do not want to be where there are alot of kids and I don't want to be in a predominantly "gay" area(not that there is anything wrong with it). We are looking at going around the week of X-Mas. I look forward to any recommendations

Looks like your requirements do not match any beaches in Florida. You are looking for reef conditions right off of a beach, and you will not find that around here. The only reefs that we have are in the Florida Keys, and even those are not "accessible" from the beach. You need a boat to get to them, as they are several miles off shore.

I have to agree with highbay ... only clear water around Florida for snorkeling will be in a swimming pool.

I took a trip to Bonaire off the coast of South America one year in March ... now that's some snorkeling water!

Well, the last 2 replies are only half correct. We just got back from a wonderful trip to the Florida Keys (July 4-10) and we were able to snorkel a coral patch reef right off of the "beach" of our inn. The water was very shallow so we could walk out to where it deepened to snorkel. We saw some very beautiful fish there as well. We also took a snorkel trip that took us out about 3 miles offshore and it was even more beautiful there.

There aren't many beaches, unless you go to a state park. We found Bahia Honda to be the most beautiful of them all, and we could snorkel there as well. There are a lot of interesting facts about the keys to be learned right in that very area.

Since you are going the week of Christmas, you are out of luck in Florida if you do not want to be around kids. May I suggest an adults only resort in Jamaica? I know you asked for Florida but it does a huge drive business and no resort will be child free.

I'd say go to Key Largo and snorkel. Again, you have to really venture out of Largo Sound into the ocean to get some great reef. I'd suggest John Pennekamp State Park and to take your children on a glass bottom boat. This would be nice for you because there is so much bird life on the mangrove trees while the charter boat is heading out 7 miles out to the ocean. Once you get there you'll see some nice marine life and coral reef without getting wet. If you choose to snorkel right in the same place are charters for that - they'll take you out and you can snorkel til your heart's content.

You mentioned the "gay" lifestyle. I've been to South Florida several times and I guess I don't look for that kind of activity going on. Even if your kids saw it I doubt they'd understand it anyway. I remember going to Treasure Island, FL on the Gulf side when I was 16, with siblings and we saw this empty beach and Mom wanted to go there. Well, it turned out that it was a gay beach but it didn't phase me in the slightest, just a chuckle since we were so naive as a family.

rock wrote that he did not want to be around a lot of kids so I doubt rock has them.

FreddieD
What inn did you stay at and what Key was it located on? The Florida Keys have very few beaches, and yes you are right about how lovely Bahia Honda is, there are also LOTS of kids there with their parents. This is a popular Christmas break location. We owned a home on Cudjoe Key for 24yrs so I am very familiar with the area.

Thank you all for your informative replies. I am quite surprised that, in most cases, you need to use a charter to particpate in some great snorkeling. Steph...I am not familiar with Florida, but I have heard that the Keys(word of mouth and posts on this sight) has a high gay population. Again, not that there is anything wrong with that, but I just don't feel like seeing a bunch of dudes holding hands and sucking face. If it was all women, now that is a different story...(just kiddin')

Rock... get a life dude.

There IS something wrong in what you say.

Jeez.

And all the times I've been to Key West I've never seen any guys "sucking face."

Maybe I went at the wrong times of year.

Rock,
The above posts have been very accurate and well presented. You can try some of the Keys optioned mentioned OR you can decide not to come to FL and get what you are looking for. Based on your latest post, I think you will be looking for things in the Keys to prove what you've "heard". Have a wonderful holiday season wherever you go.

Highbay, we stayed in Marathon on Grassy Key at the White Sands Inn. It was a very cozy little inn right on the ocean side. Only 11 rooms counting the house they rent out beside the inn. It is right next to Rainbow Bend. The only draw back was the grass at the waters edge, but, like I said, we had our own little patch coral reef within walking distance to snorkel, or if you wanted to kayak or peddle boat out to it you could do that as well. It was a very popular sight for all the hotel guests along that stretch. We also snorkeled the chanel at Curry Hamock State Park and saw some BEAUTIFUL sea life! We didn't have any children at our inn, nor did we see that many at Bahia Honda, most of them were in their teens with their families. Not a problem for us at all and we don't have any of our own! But, I have to say that coffins patch was by far the best snorkeling I've ever done! It's amazing what is right here in the good ole USA!!