Rose Bar at the Delano (South Beach; tel. 305/672-2000): If every rose has its thorn, the thorn at this painfully chic hotel bar is the excruciatingly high-priced cocktails. Otherwise, the crowd here is full of the so-called glitterati, fabulati, and other assorted poseurs who view life through (Italian-made) rose-colored sunglasses.

SkyBar at the Shore Club (South Beach; tel. 305/695-3100): Surly, attitudinal doormen aside, there's no denying that the SkyBar (the Miami cousin of the original LA SkyBar at the Mondrian) and its multiple bars, couches, beds, and posing stations is one of Miami's hottest celeb and hipster haunts.

Mac's Club Deuce (South Beach; tel. 305/673-9537): Standing on its own amidst an oasis of trendiness, Mac's Club Deuce is the quintessential dive bar, with cheap drinks and a cast of characters ranging from your typical barfly to your atypical drag queen.

Tobacco Road (downtown Miami; tel. 305/374-1198): Al Capone used to hang out here when it was a speakeasy. Now, locals flock to this road-well-traveled place to hear live, local bands perform, as well as national acts such as George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars, Koko Taylor, and the Radiators. It's small, it's gritty, and it's meant to be that way, here at the proud owner of Miami's very first liquor license.

Upstairs at the Van Dyke Cafe (South Beach; tel. 305/534-3600): Even though this jazz bar isn't located in a basement, but rather on the second floor of the Van Dyke Café, it resembles a classy speakeasy in which local jazz performers play to an intimate, enthusiastic crowd of mostly adults and sophisticated young things, who huddle at the small tables often until the wee hours.

La Covacha (West Miami; tel. 305/594-3717): This hut, located virtually in the middle of nowhere, is the hottest Latin joint in the entire city. Do not wear silk here, as you will sweat. Friday is the night, so much so that the owners had to place a red velvet rope out front to maintain some semblance of order.

crobar (South Beach; tel. 305/531-8225): With its intense, dance-heavy sound system, an industrially chic ambience, and huge crowds, this Chicago import has raised the bar on South Beach nightlife with crazy theme nights (the monthly Sex Night is particularly, uh, stimulating), top-name deejays, and the occasional celebrity appearance.

Level (South Beach; tel. 305/532-1525): The megastore of nightclubs, Level is a 40,000-square-foot space featuring four dance floors, three levels, five rooms, and nine bars. It's like a nocturnal video game, in which your status is determined by which level you can land on.

Nikki Beach Club (South Beach; tel. 305/538-1111): What the Playboy Mansion is to Hollywood, the Nikki Beach Club is to South Beach. It's here where Survivor meets The Brady Bunch in Hawaii, with a bit of St.-Tropez thrown in for taste.

Club Space (downtown Miami; tel. 305/577-1007): This cavernous club, composed of several converted warehouses, is known for its 24-hour liquor license and its stellar roster of international celebrity dance and trance deejays.

Fox's Sherron Inn (South Miami; tel. 305/661-9201): The spirit of Frank Sinatra is alive and well at this dark and smoky watering hole, which dates from 1946. Everything down to the vinyl booths and the red lights makes Fox's a retro-fabulous dive bar.

Automatic Slim's (South Beach; tel. 305/695-0795): Proudly billing itself as a place where "the beautiful people come to get ugly," Automatic Slim's is a good-time bar in which anything goes and pretenses are left at the door.

Twist (South Beach; tel. 305/538-9478): South Beach's most popular and long-lasting gay bar, Twist is where the who's who of the gay community convene for cocktails, consorting, and, at times, contorting.

Duval Street (Key West): South Florida's own version of Bourbon Street, Duval Street is party central with bars galore.

Clematis Street (West Palm Beach): Until recently, nightlife in Palm Beach County was either an oxymoron or reserved for haughty private clubs on the island of Palm Beach. Thanks to a downtown revitalization, downtown West Palm now boasts a strip of its own with trendy restaurants, clubs, and bars.

Las Olas Boulevard/Riverwalk (Fort Lauderdale): Moving off the beachfront strip and onto the more quaint (but no less calm) riverside, Fort Lauderdale now boasts its very own downtown nightlife scene with restaurants, bars, and clubs.

Biba Bar (West Palm Beach; tel. 561/832-0094): The harder to find, the hipper it is, so they say, which is why this dimly lit, loungey hotel bar is tucked away in the middle of this mod motor inn -- a hangout for in-the-know locals and visitors.

The Dock at Crayton Cove (Naples; tel. 239/263-9940): Right on the City Dock, this lively pub is a perfect place for an open-air meal or libation while watching the action on Naples Bay.

CityWalk (Orlando; tel. 407/363-8000): This 12-acre entertainment complex is a collection of eateries and nighttime entertainment spots. It's also a haven for theme restaurant aficionados, featuring a Hard Rock Cafe, a NASCAR Café, a Motown Cafe, and an NBA-themed restaurant. Additionally, you'll find plenty of places to dance the night away to the sounds of jazz, reggae, hip-hop, and pop.

Pleasure Island (Orlando; tel. 407/934-7781): This 16-acre, all-in-one complex of clubs, restaurants, and shops runs the entertainment gamut from jazz to modern rock to dance music. Catch an improvisational comedy show or hustle along on the disco floor -- there's something here for everyone. Big-name artists occasionally make special appearances on two outdoor stages, but a nightly fireworks display ensures that every night here ends with a bang.

Ocean Deck Restaurant & Beach Club (Daytona Beach; tel. 386/253-5224): Reggae rules at this hot, noisy, packed, and always-fun beach bar near Daytona Beach's municipal pier, the town's "happening" district. By contrast, the upstairs restaurant is suitable for children, and it has great ocean views to accompany its fine and inexpensive fare.

Seville Quarter (Pensacola; tel. 850/434-6211): In Pensacola's Seville Historic District, this restored antique brick complex with New Orleans-style wrought-iron balconies contains pubs and restaurants whose names capture the ambience: Rosie O'Grady's Goodtime Emporium, Lili Marlene's Aviator's Pub, Apple Annie's Courtyard, End o' the Alley Bar, Phineas Phogg's Balloon Works (a dance hall, not a balloon shop), and Fast Eddie's Billiard Parlor (which has electronic games for kids too). Live entertainment ranges from Dixieland jazz to country and western.

Flora-Bama Lounge (Perdido Key, near Pensacola; tel. 850/492-0611): This slapped-together Gulf-side pub is almost a shrine to country music, with jam sessions from noon until way past midnight on Saturdays and Sundays. Flora-Bama is the prime sponsor and a key venue for the Frank Brown International Songwriters' Festival during the first week of November. Take in the great Gulf views from the Deck Bar, and, if you're coming in late April, don't miss the Interstate Mullet Toss and Beach Party.

Shuckums Oyster Pub & Seafood Grill (Panama City Beach; tel. 850/235-3214): "We shuck 'em, you suck 'em" is the motto of this extremely informal pub, which became famous when comedian Martin Short tried unsuccessfully to shuck oysters here during the making of an MTV spring-break special. The original bar is virtually papered over with dollar bills signed by old and young patrons who have been flocking here since 1967.