Maybe you'd be surprised how many newly minted divers immediately take that first dive trip. I was one of them. I got certified because I was already planning a trip to Australia. The next dive after certification--my first dive ever outside of the OW course--was the Great Barrier Reef. But the dive operator was aware I was a total newbie, and they made sure they had me diving on an appropriate site. As I recall, I was on a boat that also carried some snorkelers, and they dumped us over a reef in about 30 feet of water. This was over 20 years ago, and the reef was spectacular.
If I were you, I'd feel free to go ahead and book a trip, and sure, if possible, visit a quarry to refresh your dive skills before the trip. When booking, the dive operator will either ask you how many dives you have done, or you can (and should) volunteer that information. As rjack said, choose your dive operator wisely; some are more attentive to individual diver needs than others, though I suspect it would be a rare dive op that put a beginning diver over a site way too advanced for the diver's skill level. For the most part, dive ops are pretty good at taking care of newer divers' needs. If you need specific dive op recommendations once you have picked a destination, ask in the appropriate SB forum for the destination.
