You may not have guessed it, but the best beaches in the Bay Area are not on the mainland; they're in the Gulf of Mexico, on barrier islands like St. Pete Beach, Clearwater Beach and Madeira Beach. With powder-soft white sands, these strands all compete for the title of prettiest beaches in Florida, and one usually takes home the crown. St. Pete Beach is the most developed, and therefore the most crowded; while Clearwater Beach, farthest north, has room to spare for lively beach volleyball contests. To get away from the throngs, try Fort De Soto Park, Treasure Island or Sand Key Park, just beyond Belleair Beach.

If the only sand you want to see is in fairway bunkers, check out www.florida golfing.com. It lets you compare dozens of courses within an hour's drive of St. Petersburg so you can find the right links for your rusty swing—er, skill level. Mangrove Bay Golf Course (875 62nd Ave. NE, 727-893-7800), in northeast St. Petersburg, is routinely recognized as one of the country's top municipal courses, and with greens fees as low as $45 including cart rental, you won't have to lug your clubs through the midday heat.

Once you've polished your putt, try your hand at tennis. You can play on any of the city's 66 free public tennis courts, including the 15 Har-Tru soft courts at the St. Petersburg Tennis Center (650 18th Ave. S., 727-823-2225; www.sptcfirstserve.org). Teaching pros are often available if you're in the mood for a lesson, or seeking a little round robin action.

For just about any activity imaginable (all in one spot), head for The Pier (800 Second Ave. NE, 727-821-6164; www. stpete-pier.com), the waterfront entertainment complex in downtown historic St. Petersburg. You can rent bikes and boats alike, including 24-foot electric boats that soundlessly welcome up to 12 people for a spin around the bay. There's even a floating wedding chapel where you can get hitched in front of 120 of your closest friends. Now that's a way to cap off your holiday.

Featured Videos

Clearwater Beach

Sporting 35 miles of white sand beaches, Clearwater Florida is a beach lover's paradise. But that's not all: learn more about Clearwater's other passion—boating—in this Travel Channel clip.

Contractors and New Agers

What kind of beach tourist are you? In this Travel Channel video, meet some beach "contractors," who practically set up homes at the beach, and "New Age" beach goers, who find the serene beach scene a good place to do Yoga.

Tattos and Body Hair

Tattoos and Body Hair

Skimpy beach wear exposes more than skin—it also shows off body art and body hair. This Travel Channel video weighs the pros and cons of exposing tattoos, chest hair—and even back hair.

Fair or Fried

This Travel Channel video takes a humorous look at two extreme kinds of beach goers: sun worshippers, who slather on baby oil in lieu of sun block, and sun avoiders, who hide under sun block, clothes and towels to keep the sun off their skin.

Hot Beach Bodies

This Travel Channel video takes a light-hearted look at attractive beach bodies—from average Joes to "hot" lifeguards—and the hard work it takes to get them that way.