I like the clear water. Some of the Gulf beaches further south seem to have muddy water.
My girlfriend once took me to the beaches at Galveston. They were awful. Brown sand and muddy water. South Padre Island is a little better but still can’t compare to the Florida Panhandle.
I think it is the Mississippi. The current runs West from there and causes the muddy oceans. East of the Mississippi is clear water and white sand.