I haven't dived south of West Palm Beach, so I can't talk about Fort Lauderdale, or the Keys. But the drift-diving in West Palm and Jupiter is really fun, and dare I say, doable for beginners?
The Jupiter crowd dives a little deeper and more spear-fishers on the boats. Still, you can ride the top of the (non-coral but still decent) reefs and drift along northward (usually) over the reefs at say 60-70 feet (the sand being about 90 feet down), watch the nice plants, fish, rays, turtles and a few small sharks. Really nice, your air lasts longer as does distance-covered, since you ride with the current along the reefs, never against it. And the boat follows the Dive Master's marker, so stay near the DM and whenever you surface, the boat is close. You do have to surface without an anchor line to grab onto, but it's not difficult, just dump a little BC air early and often, then level out at 15'
The West Palm scene is in general a little more friendly for newbies, ledges a little shallower on average, fewer spearguns. Probably more insta-buddies available who are happy to make it a 55-65' dive rather than 85, if that's what you prefer. Same flora and marine life as Jupiter.
Consider it, anyway. I second the Blue Heron Bridge, also known as Phil Foster Park. I usually "save" that dive for a day when it's too rough outside for the dive boats to go out. Also you need high tide for that dive, so check the tide tables for a daytime high. And try to avoid weekends when the parking lot fills up with lots of beachgoers, as it's a nice sheltered beach.
Also, you can be tourists in Palm Beach, the Island is fun to see all the grand old hotels and buildings and rich folks who hide their houses behind incredibly tall hedges (the exceptions being the Trump mansion and a few others).