Suggested beaches in the Florida keys?

Travel Info
I'm planning on taking the family on vacation to the Floriday Keys next month. I'm getting conflicting information as I research things to do. Many people are saying that there aren't many beaches in the Keys. Is that the case? Given its geography/topography, it seems pretty surprising. I kinda planned on making a few random stops on Hwy 1 to sit on the beach for a while.

Travel Tips

John Pennekamp Park is great - it's near Key Largo, so you can stop there as you enter the keys. http://www.pennekamppark.com/

Bahia Honda is unique in that it is an entire island, so if you happen to be there on a windy day, you can go to the beach on both the bay and gulf sides and have calm water on one and some mild waves on the other. There are beaches all over the park, not just one. A couple of these beaches are straight stretches, but there is one very nice one (far side of the concession area parking lot) that is in a very protected cove - great for smaller kids. . http://www.bahiahondapark.com/

Anne's Beach at mile marker 73.5 in Islamorada is a nice "side of the road" stop.

Founders Park in Islamorada has a nice small beach - what's especially nice here is that it's in a very protected little cove, so it's very safe for smaller kids. There are also many other activities here, including a nice skate park. http://www.islamorada.fl.us/newsite/foun...

In Key West, my two favorite options are:
路Take the boat to the Dry Tortugas & spend the day 鈥? snorkeling, interesting fort/lighthouse and history, great day in the sun/water http://www.nps.gov/drto/
路Fort Zach (Fort Zachary Taylor Park) 鈥?see the fort, walk the beach/grounds, a good place to swim in Key West within walk/bike distance of downtown

There are other public beaches in Key West, including free access ones, but you will see some homeless folks hanging out - since you pay a couple of bucks to get in to Fort Zach, they don't go there. It's also got more shady areas, which is nice, and more trails to walk and things to do along with the nice beach.

There are dozens of small beaches - sandy or rocky - where you can pull over and walk, swim, etc. If you're looking for the wide expanse of sand, though, go to one of the above. Lots of tourists don't stop at the "roadside beaches" because it's literally right off the side of the road, which I guess seems a little odd and not too private, but you will notice areas for parking at most of these -- this is where locals go to fish, swim, and hang out.

Feel free to contact me for more info on other things to see and do locally - I live here! :)
Others

Just south of the seven mile bridge is a park called Bahia Honda. They have a lovely beach. http://www.bahiahondapark.com/ Some hotels may have some manmade beaches. Most of the shoreline is coral. Bahia Honda is nice because it has a beach specifically for fishing apart from the swimming/snorkeling beach. Have fun.
personal experience