I would never live near a beach. Just too many things to cause a tsunami these days.
I gotta admit though, Florida beaches were always very nice when I visited my parents. Jupiter and Cocoa beaches were both nice. The gulf side has some nice beaches as well.
We live about 100 metres from the waters edge, only small beaches though as its on a peninsula. The water recedes about 200 metres at low tide and at high tide its too shallow to swim in, anyhow its winter here so I wont be swimming. Lots of wildlife, - Sea lions, penguins and an Albotross nesting site at the peninsula heads. Good area for bird watching but no coconuts though
I live in Florida, on the east coast and I dislike the beach. I have salt water in my back yard and enjoy the view and pleasure it affords me while smoking with no sand in my feet, car, shower and clothes. 8)
My brother lives in Bradenton, and we visited him just after New Years Day. We had a great time. I bought a few tins of Esoterica from a tobacco shop in Sarasota, and I was probably the only pipe guy on the beach that weekend.
We have a house on Bolivar Penisula just north of Galveston that we try to use as much as we can. This is another place where the piper population balloons up to one some weekends.