Best Florida Beaches (as per the Travel Channel)

Tonight there was a special on the Travel Channel highlighting the 10 "best" beaches in FL. Firstly, it was supposedly based off some guy's book that I can't even find on Amazon.com. Secondly, it didn't even list our local favorite, not that I am surprised. New Symrna (pictured at left) is probably nothing out of this world, but it is a quick and easy place to get to from central Florida (~ 45 min.) that does typify the classic casual slow-paced lifestyle that is beach life.

Just for anyone interested, here is the list they presented on the show with the specialty for each:

10 - Daytona Beach: activities and driving up and down the beach
9 - Sanibel Island (Gulf side): sea shell collecting
8 - Panama City: Spring Break
7 - Sandspur Beach (Bahia Honda): Nature preserve
6 - Smathers Beach (Key West): island-style
5 - Clearwater Beach: boating, even a pirate cruise
4 - Lover's Key Beach (outside Ft. Myers): seclusion/couples (Lover's Key Beach Club Resort)
3 - Palm Beach: living the high life, shopping (The Breakers Hotel)
2 - Siesta Key Beach: soft sand (Sand Sculpture Contest)
1 - South Beach (Miami): international scene (latin influence), winter fashion, non-stop nightlife

Now my question is- are you really a Floridian if you've only been to 3 or 4? I know I've been to Daytona numerous times, as it probably is the second-closest beach to where I was raised. If I went to Sanibel, I think I was in the single digits, so I'm not too sure about that one. Panama City- nope. Sandspur- nope. Key West for sure-- the Smathers Beach- not so sure. So I'm halfway through the list, and I've definitely been to one. I think I've been to Clearwater beach as the area is huge and I think includes Flaglar. Lover's Key- nope. Palm Beach- definitely not the beach. Siesta? - nope. South Beach- I think I burned myself laying out there when I was 12 for about 20 minutes. Maybe I'm more like a 2-3 then. Anyway, I apparently need to visit more, as I'm sure we all do! That's why I thought this was a good suggestion list, just in case anyone has some time to lie around and do nothing, and wasn't sure of where to do it.