Florida, Keys or Other Beautiful Beaches

My parents just came back from the Keys and said they were disappointed by the fact that there were no beaches there. I personally have never been there, but I had that confirmed by a relative who lives near there. I don't know where exactly they were in the keys, but just a thought. They said that it was pretty there, just no beaches. Off the coast of Sarasota is Siesta Key, which is quite lovely.

Never been to the Keys but agree with the other posters about Naples and Marco Island. My in laws spend their winters in Naples so we spent a lot of time over on Marco.
You may want to look into The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. The resort is right on the beach (we slept with our balcony door open just to go to sleep to the waves), you are near historic Charleston which has a ton of shops, restaurants and cool things to do and see, and the Sanctuary has one of the best spas! Just my humble opinion.

Another vote for Sanibel! I'm actually vacationing there right now as I write this. Tonight I saw a group of 40-something gals taking their wine glasses out to the beach at sunset, laughing and having a great time...this really is the perfect place for a girls retreat or a family vacation. Fun little shopping areas, great restaurants, a few spas for nails/facials/etc....and the best beach. Check it out!

Love Marco Island & Naples......as for the Keys, Key West is clean & beautiful, you can take a ferry to the Dry Tortugas for something different & beautiful snorkeling........how about Nassau, Bahamas........south beach is a lot of fun too

I am also suggesting Naples/Marco Island. (I'm from Naples so a little biased). It has the shops, the beach, the restaurants, hotels, spas. Any where near Fifth Avenue or Third Street is perfect.

my mother in law swears by Sanibel island. they try to go once a year.

pensacola beach is amazing. not far from destin. love it there!

Key Biscayne is great - close to Miami, Coral Gable, Coconut Grove for great eating, people watching, shopping, etc. Sanibel and Captiva are awesome but more family oriented.

Our favorite beach in FL is Panama City Beach. The water is emerald/blue green, and the beaches are soft sandy white. There's the new Pier Park Mall with everything you could ever want, including Jimmy Buffets Margarittaville, restaurants galore. We stayed at a luxurious condo right on the beachfront thru www.funbeachcondos.com This is a smaller company that manages their own condos. Fantastic vacation!

The Keys are fabulous and will definitely have what you are looking for. You can also rent little mopeds while you are there (how fun is that!)! I do agree with the other poster that Sanibel Island is beautiful. That area also has similar types of stuff. Honestly, I would see what there is to do in each area that you all are interested in and pick from that! Have fun!

love naples/marco island. we go every year. upscale boutiques, great outdoor restaurants, beautiful beaches and sunsets. fifth avenue and third street are lined with shops, galleries, restaurants and cafes.

Hi - you might also consider the Naples/Marco Island area (fly into Ft. Myers). The shopping is great in Naples and the Ritz Carlton is lovely. On Marco (much more mellow than Naples) I would recommend the Marriott. Both areas have beautiful beaches and the weather is still nice in November :)

Sanibel is beautiful but keep in mind that the beaches are very shelly - as in most people need shoes of some sort. We've been staying in Blue Mountain Beach the last few years and it's got a secluded resort feeling but it's right between Destin and Seaside (easy car ride for shopping, golf and Buster's for fried pickles :P ). For a weekend with the girls I might also look at Grayton Beach - more of a fun/beach bum/Margaritaville vibe. There's a great dive bar there called Red Bar if you like live music.

Sanibel is beautiful!