MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA

Perfect for: Sun-starved singles ready to make sexy time

The scene: You're looking for a year-round party place that's easy to get to, always warm, and where bare skin conquers all? Let's be honest: Miami Beach (view slideshow) is still it. It's undeniable that the barrier island spits in the face of good taste—where else do you see zebra thongs and anabolic biceps proudly shown off with zero sense of irony? (South Beach's patron saint, after all, is still Gianni Versace.) Best to simply embrace it. Stay at the latest overpriced beach hotel (currently, that would be the Gansevoort South), spring for bottle service at the hot club of the moment (Set, same owners as Mansion), and go skin-tastically wild. Just bring enough dough to throw around, and as many of your good-looking, single friends as you can fit on the plane.

Don't miss: The beach itself. Yes, it sounds obvious, but too many visitors get caught up in their hotel's poolside scene to appreciate the beauty and extraordinary width of Miami Beach's excellent strand, which runs nearly uninterrupted for the length of the island. The water's warm, the sand is clean, and the local are an eyeful. If you lean toward Latin love, you'll find South Americans south, near 2nd and 3rd streets. The hard-bodied gay scene is centered around 12th Street. But, really, just pick a spot, rent a chair, and do as the locals do: Eat, drink, swim, and flirt.

Between the sheets: The Gansevoort has huge rooms, an outpost of New York's Philippe Chow restaurant, and a shark-filled tank in the lobby. Throw the bucks you save on airfare into bottles of Champagne at the expansive 18th-floor roof pool and bar (adults only, mind you).

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