Q: I will be spending some much-needed vacation time in both Miami and South Beach and was considering driving down to the Keys for a couple of days to do some snorkeling and exploring. From all the literature I have come across thus far, it seems as though there is nowhere in the Keys that I can just plant myself on a beach and snorkel at my own leisure. It sounds as though most snorkelers are taking boats and are joining tours. That is not for me. I would much rather spend a day in and out of the waters and not be rushed or limited to an hour and a half with 40 other people. Can you tell me if there is such a place within the Keys that allows this? Thank you -- Elayna Katz

A: Elayna, you certainly can snorkel right off a beach if you like. As you drive along the narrow strip of U.S. 1, which is the main road that threads through the Florida Keys all the way to Key West, you may see people doing just that.

The reason many snorkelers and divers take boat charters in the Keys is that they want to get to the good stuff -- to the fabulous coral reefs.

If you'd like to laze on a beach and snorkel whenever you feel like it, I'd recommend Bahia Honda State Park in the lower Keys. There are actually few real beaches in the Keys, and this is one of them. You'll regularly find people snorkeling just yards from the shore, and if you need any equipment or sunscreen, the park concession has it. And if you decide to try a boat tour and visit the reefs after all, you can arrange that, too, through the park concession. Closer to Miami, of course, is sister park John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which also has a beach, but which tends to be more crowded.

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