7 Popular U.S. Beaches

Beaches could be your vacation spot if you are fond of sand, waves and water sports. The United States has a long coastline and many legendary spots adored for their assets.

If you love white sand, dancing waves and thrilling water sports, beaches will always be the preferred destination for you. With the vast number of locations available within the United States, the list below provides a great start to help you determine which beach should be the destination of your next vacation.

Here are some of the most popular beaches in the United States:

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Enjoy picnicking on sweeping sand with the backdrop of a huge rock rising from the sea. The beach is named for the several cannons that washed ashore from the wreck of the warship Shark. There is plenty of room to toss a Frisbee or go for a run on its long stretch of sand. Have beach volleyball with your family and friends.

Venice Beach, California

Stars like Julia Roberts and Nicolas Cage have chosen Venice Beach for their homes, a fact which speaks a lot about the beach. The perfect spot for people watching, the beach has enough to keep you busy for the day. You can enjoy yourselves with street performances, beach games, haggling with vendors of all types, restaurants and food stands and even a roller-skating opportunity at a nearby rink.

Ocean City Beach, New Jersey

Rates as one of the beat family beaches in the United States, Ocean City has a 2.5 mile board walk and miles of beautiful white life-guarded beaches. The famous boardwalk is normally buzzing with activity and entertainment and dining options abound. Beach recreational activities are numerous, with many options for water sports, fishing, sight-seeing, day spas and more.

Ogunquit, Maine

Along the southern coast of Maine you will find a beach that will tempt you to right a poem on. You will love to soak in the view, or pamper your feet with the sand treatment. The beach has miles of white sand you would love to play on. Visit with your family and friends with a basket full of eatables and volleyball.

Clearwater Beach, Florida

Having broad and sandy shores, Clearwater Beach has the reputation as a very popular vacation destination. The beach is nestled between the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the tranquil Tampa Bay to the east. It is family vacation spot with many fun-filled activities. You can enjoy all sorts of water sports like surfing, snorkeling or swimming. Sun bathe on white sandy beaches or enjoy beach volleyball.

Shi Shi Beach, Washington

It is a clean and pure sand beach with a scenic landscape full of rugged wilderness. Known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States, it is also one of the most difficult to reach beaches. The crescent-shaped beach's remote location has allowed it to revel in its own quiet wilderness. Hikers traversing the coastal headland trails leading to the beach are rewarded with an unspoiled coastline and the adventure lover's enjoy exploring the difficult terrain.

Laguna Beach, California

Among the most popular beaches in the United States, Laguna Beach has emerged as perfect vacation place. Famous for art galleries and a meeting point for artists, its Summer Art festivals draw people from all walks of life. Sweeping sands, hillsides and crystal clear water look very inviting. Visit the beach for water sports or sunbathe for a golden tan. The beach is perfect for unwinding at the clean, white and warm sand. The one cautionary note is that the area can become quite crowded during peak season so plan your vacation and booking your accommodations in advance.

When plan your travel to different beaches, you should spend some time researching beach house rentals which are available near almost all beach vacation destinations. A beach house with the proper facilities and services can maximize your vacation experience.

East Coast Florida Beaches

Although people planning a vacation in Florida often concentrate on places like Walt Disney World, Miami Beach and Palm Beach, there are miles of white sand beaches which lie along both the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf Coast of Florida. Unlike other Atlantic Coast beaches, Florida's sandy stretches are actually increasing in size rather than decreasing due to erosion. If you were to walk the beaches of Florida at the rate of one mile per day, you would be enjoying the beaches for more than two and a half years. Although this sounds like an enjoyable way to visit the beaches of the state, for most people this is not feasible. Instead, most choose to visit the major beaches, arriving by automobile and spending a day of beach combing, observation of flora and fauna, or just enjoying the sun and the water.

Just a few of the Atlantic beaches of Florida can be noted here. Some are very well known, others are hideaway type expanses of beach where you can walk for miles without seeing another person. Traveling from north to the southern tip of the state, here are some favorite beaches.

Jacksonville/Amelia Island/American Beach

Amelia Island

Beaches in this area are generally wide and sand. They're typically lined with sand dunes and have a rich natural history including bird locations such as at Huguenot Memorial Park and Fort Clinch State Park. Most beaches in this area do not require access tags. Specific beaches of interest are those near Jacksonville and Little Talbot Island State Park. American Beach is a well known historic and cultural landmark. Founded in 1920 by Abraham Lincoln Lewis, it is a mecca for blacks from across the South as a vacation site.

Accommodations and food are plentiful in the area especially along the main north-south route. You can find everything from Victorian tearooms to high rise resort developments in this section of the coast.

Daytona Beach/New Smyrna Beach

Daytona Beach Boardwalk

This 23 mile stretch of the North Central Atlantic Coast is known for its fascinating mix of bustling action and quiet stretches of beach perfect for vacationing families. Most communities have streets that provide beach access. Ormond-By-the-Sea is an example of the largely residential beach community where you can enjoy the sand and surf. Ormond Beach is the location of the Birthplace of Speed Park where the first American timed trials took place.

Daytona Beach of course is well known for the emphasis on racing action, but this beach features an old-fashioned boardwalk, pedestrian only zones and lots of surf fishing and para-sailing.

Canaveral National Seashore provides a barrier island environment with more than twenty miles of undeveloped seashore. You can visit the Eldora House Historical Site and the Turtle Mound Archaeological Site.

There are plenty of accommodations in this stretch, suitable for families with children and mature beachcombers as well.

Palm Beach

Jupiter Beach

The beaches are wide and flat, lined by gently swaying palm trees and with sparkling white sand. This stretch is a nesting area for sea turtles. Until recently Jupiter Beach has been known only for sand dunes covered with sea grapes and Australian pines. It is now well on its way to being a prime resort area with developed beach areas, some wheelchair accessible areas, plus plenty of well-appointed lodging places and trendy restaurants where you can find any type of cuisine you desire.

Many of the beaches in this area feature lifeguards, picnic grounds, nature trails and even boardwalks where you can enjoy rollerblading or bicycling.

Although Palm Beach itself is known mostly as a playground for the wealthy, you can find much in the area for families on a budget as well. Anyone who considers shopping a recreational activity will be certain to enjoy this stretch of Florida's Atlantic Coast.

Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale

Long known as the destination for college students on spring break from winter bound campuses in the north, the character of Fort Lauderdale has changed in the past few years. Strict policing of the miles of warm sands in the area have resulted in the beaches once again being suitable for families and young children. The wavewall and the promenade along the beach front is the perfect location for soaking up the atmosphere of the old city.

Surf City U.S.A - Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach Pier

Most baby boomers will remember that teen-age anthem "Surf City" and its promise of "two girls for every boy."

In truth, the male/female ratio was a bit more even than that, but Jan and Dean's teen anthem called "Surf City" put themselves and Huntington Beach on the map. In those days it was hard to distinguish musically between Jan and Dean and the Beach Boys - but there was no mistaking the message both groups were sending: California in general - and Surf City in particular - were the places to be.

The surfing culture that launched this musical phenomenon still exists to various degrees up and down the California coastline. But no one place comes closer to the real thing than Huntington Beach, the undisputed surfing capital of the world and the place many think best epitomizes the mythical beach paradise described in "Surf City."

You'll, of course, get an argument from Santa Cruz, which lays claim to bigger waves and more surfing history than its friendly rival to the south. Santa Cruz also likes to promote itself as Surf City but that city has one significant disadvantage: Dean Torrence - yes, THAT Dean - is still hanging 10 musically around Huntington Beach and is, in fact, on the Executive Committee of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. So take that, Santa Cruz!

With 8.5 miles of uninterrupted, incredibly wide beaches, it's not hard to see why Huntington Beach has attracted L.A. beach-goers for decades. These sparkling sand beaches stretch so far that it all seems far removed from the L.A. megalopolis -- when in fact it's part of it. Even more interesting is how the Main Street and pier areas have retained their charm even though they are just blocks from the endless subdivisions and freeways of Orange County.

We don't surf, but our trip to Huntington Beach offered us a chance to walk right into a three-dimensional model of Jan and Dean's song, right down to what seemed like "two girls for every boy." While the beaches just south of the pier were populated on this particular weekend with families and lots of young people, the surfers were congregated just north of the pier where we could get a bird's-eye view as dozens of them tackled the modest but apparently exhilarating waves.


During the day, families would stake out their parcels, many of them erecting partial tents, others content to enjoy the sun full-on. As sunset approached, fires could be seen up and down the coast as visitors took advantage of the city's 600 fire rings for cooking or just a beach campfire. Then by morning it was all gone, and out came the city crews to spruce up the beach for another day and another 30,000 visitors - the average for Huntington Beach.

Of course, there is also a lot to see and do once you leave the grounds of your hotel. The beach is just across the Pacific Coast Highway and running along the beach is a pathway that offers an ongoing parade of visitors - not just surfers, but youngsters, oldsters, families, couples and a cross-section of anybody and everybody. On this weekend there was a steady stream of 60's muscle cars cruising the Pacific Coast Highway. The latest and most expensive sports cars were in abundance as well.

A short walk is the pier and the downtown area of Huntington Beach - just a few blocks of stores altogether, but a definite blast from the past. Surf shops abound - indeed, there is an International Surfing Museum to peruse -- while several restaurants and outdoor cafes add to the festive feeling. Shoppers are most often clad in bathing suits - or maybe cover-ups for the more modest - and the feeling is pure California beach town. The boutiques here tend to feature simple, youth-oriented fashions. Rock music blares from one or two of the stores, while the occasional surfer pedals through town with a board three times as long as his bike.

For such a small downtown area, the restaurant selection is wide and varied. Beer pubs, sushi bars, fish tacos, Asian, Thai, Italian, Hawaiian - it's all represented within just a couple of blocks. On this weekend the most popular place in town seemed to be the Sugar Shack Café, reputed to have breakfasts that are well worth a significant wait to get in the door.

Down by the pier, row after row of volleyball nets are in place and young guys and gals are usually out there taking full advantage of them - even on weekdays. Restaurants and surf shops are also located right out by the beach where you can rent a variety of beach toys including surf boards, boogie boards, and a side selection of bicycles and other vehicles to pedal up and down the beach walk.

Tern at Bolsa Chica

With just a little investigation, visitors will find that Huntington Beach features more than just beaches and surfing. The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, for example, is a bird-lover's paradise comprising 330 acres of coastal wetlands. Nearly 200 bird species are documented here each year, and the reserve is open to foot traffic with parking just off the Pacific Coast Highway.

If you're planning a family vacation that is to include many of the Southern California theme parks, most are within easy driving distance of Huntington Beach. Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure are 16 miles away, Knotts Berry Farm is 14 miles and Knott's Soak City is just 14 miles from Huntington Beach. Shopping is close by, too - both South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island are within easy driving distance.

But a trip to Huntington Beach is really all about the beach - a beach that is an average of 100 yards wide and that seems to be endless. Whether you stay at the Hilton or drop in just for a day of beach fun, this part of Southern California still delivers on the legacy created by Jan and Dean -- even if you're now married, have teenagers of your own, and no longer care if there are "two girls for every boy."

AT A GLANCE
WHERE: Huntington Beach is located in Orange County, about an hour's drive south from Los Angeles.
WHAT: Huntington Beach is one of the most popular surfing spots in California and now is home to the US Open Surfing Championships. The town and area retain the flavor of the 60's when surfing was hot in music and movies.
WHEN: Any time of year. The climate is sunny and comfortable year-round.
WHY: A chance to enjoy one of California's best beaches and soak up a completely different culture while also enjoying a stay at a luxury resort.
HOW: For more information about Huntington Beach, visit the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau website at www.surfcityusa.com or phone 800-729-6232.

Ten Off-The-Beaten-Sand Beaches

1. Konkan coast, Maharashtra, India

Pure white sand, backed by thick, lush forest, characterizes a string of gorgeous beaches running along a 370-km stretch of coast between Vasai and Vengurla. Hedvi, Velneshvar, Takarli, Harihareshwar and Ganpatipule, with its wonderful, red wooden 400-year-old temple, are among the delightful beaches awaiting the traveler ready to go the extra mile to find them. You can get to the coast from Mumbai by train or by air from Goa.

2. Nicoya peninsula, Costa Rica

Reef snorkelling, horseriding, jungle trekking and viewing the forest canopy from a zip-wire, along with the usual beach activities such as surfing, are treats on offer in this fairly remote, far northern region of Costa Rica. The wildlife is extraordinary: half a million turtles lay their eggs on the sand at Ostional beach, every two or three weeks from August to November, and the forests are full of howler monkeys, anteaters, coatis, armadillos and an array of spectacular birds, including the Resplendent Quetzal, with its shimmering green plumage, scarlet belly, white tail feathers and green tail, the rare and rapacious Harpy Eagle and over 50 species of hummingbirds and 75 different flycatchers.

3. Koh Mak, Thailand

Palm trees and the clearest of waters along a stretch of shore 25km long, as well as peace and quiet away from the crowds, are what you can expect on Thailand’s so-called ‘family island’. Set in the Gulf of Thailand, a little less than 50 km from the Cambodian coast, it’s reachable by boat from Trat on the mainland. You can stay here in a bamboo hut, a guesthouse, a thatch and rattan cottage or a good, but budget-priced hotel, and with luck you’ll see no one on the bit of beach you choose.

4. Obzor, Bulgaria

The Black Sea coast of Bulgaria has taken off lately as a destination for beach tourists, and nice and clean the beaches are too. Crowded during high season, however, they may not appeal to those who want something more secluded, who may instead look to Obzor, roughly halfway between Bourgas and Varna, where the E87 highway emerges from forested hills into a brief, open coastal stretch. Despite its convenient location and 6-km-long sandy beach (the largest between Golden Sands and Sunny Beach), this remarkably pleasant spot can be almost yours for the taking, even during peak season.

Vik, Iceland

5. Vik, Iceland

Not a place for sunlovers, the remarkable, 10-km-long, black-sand beach at Vik was named one of the ten most beautiful beaches on Earth by Islands magazine in 1991. It is no less beautiful now, with its setting on the crisp-coloured south coast of Iceland, its bird visitors from a nearby colony and the Reynisdrangar, black lava columns sculpted by the sea, nicknamed The Three Trolls. The sea off this coast is rather wild and stormy: even in summer, it feels cold, it looks cold, it even sounds cold! But it is a marvel and a place of glorious seclusion.

6. Ile Sainte Marie, Madagascar

Ile Sainte Marie is a granite island 57 km long and lies 8 km off the eastern coast of mainland Madagascar. Frequented by pirates between the 17th and 18th centuries, it is now a tourist destination, with enchanting beaches, bordered by coconut palms and backed by rainforest. A long, white beach at Pointe des Cocotiers features a marvelous tropical garden and a 20-bungalow hotel. On the eastern coast’s peninsula of Amphanihy are more beautiful beaches. Between July and September, the island is a fabulous place for viewing humpback whales, which pass through the channel that separates the island from the mainland between July and September. Go later in the year, October to December, and you can enjoy scuba diving near two wrecks. This tropical paradise has one significant drawback: it rains a lot, even in the ‘dry’ season.

7. Wild Coast, South Africa

Relatively untouched, the Wild Coast of Eastern Cape is a well-named wild and rocky, typically African haven, where waterfalls tumble into the sea along a stretch of nearly 100km. Its beaches, open spaces and pristine forest areas provide an opportunity for the adventure traveller to discover a variety of leisure options, including fishing, abseiling, snorkelling, diving and trekking in the hinterland. Tourist accommodation is sparse but intimate, which helps to guarantee a memorable holiday there.

8. Angra dos Reis, Brazil 

Tourism is highly developed here, but then with a mainland coastline and 365 islands to choose from, you are always bound to find a wonderful beach to yourself, with pristine waters perfect for swimming – among rainbow-coloured fish, if you like – or scuba diving. The town is 151 km from Rio de Janeiro, from where you can take a coach day tour. Better still, stay in the town and do your own exploring of the 2000 beaches. If you can’t find one to suit you, you’re not looking.

9. Hilton Dahab Resort Beach, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

OK, you won’t be the first to discover it, but if you want nothing more than a beautiful beach at a comfortable resort with a quiet, remote, end-of-the-world atmosphere, this beach may be the place for you. The mountains of Arabia face you across the water, and the beach itself offers good opportunities for swimming and snorkelling.

10. Cote de Massa, Morocco

A 90-km strip of golden beaches between Agadir and Tiznit, this coast is still almost untouched, with just one recently opened hotel, sited on the dunes that rise away from the sea. To the far right of the beach at Sidi Moussa d’Aglou, there are three prehistoric fishermen’s cave dwellings, but you need to be pretty hardy to visit them. Beware: strong currents make swimming hazardous. The wetland reserves of Souss-Massa National are within near reach.

Discovering The Worlds Most Beautiful Beaches - A Trip To Paradise

When looking for a place to get away for a while, "paradise" is a keyword that piques most people's interests. And when one thinks of paradise, a beach with powdery white sand, swaying palms, and glassy turquoise water often comes to mind. Thankfully, there are places like this all over the world where you can make a quick getaway, whether it's with your family, your significant other, or just yourself.

One place you may want to consider is Brazil for a visit to Fernando de Noronha. Declared to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world by UNESCO, It is located 200 miles off the coast of Brazil and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. This network of small islands provides beautiful sand, huge rock formations and lush landscape that enhance the visitors relaxation and enjoyment.

The Indian Ocean is home to the Maldives and is comprised of a group of beautiful islands known throughout the world. This particular area is known to provide seclusion and a quiet, relaxing atmosphere for the relief of many a visitors stress. Beautiful silky sand, lush palm trees and crystal water present the feeling that this area of the world is practically untouched by civilization.

The Philippine Islands host another great opportunity for a beach get-away. Boracay is known as a lush, tropical paradise for those who want to get away from the busy, noisy typical tourist locations. The slow pace, beautiful weather and consistently moderate climate provide the perfect opportunity for the dream beach paradise vacation spot. If you have any doubts, just look at some of the pictures of this paradise and you will be on your way in no time at all.

Once thought to be the actual location of the Garden of Eden, Anse Source D'Argent has been declared another must see beach and one visit will make it crystal clear why. Crystal clear also describes the waters that rise to the sandy beach areas. Powdery, white sand provides a soft, clean experience for the beach lover and makes it a place that is really quite hard to leave. Surrounding reefs provide an opportunity to enjoy snorkeling and diving that attract many water sports lovers. Lined with huge boulders and small mountain ranges, this palm tree laden beach is beautiful beyond description.

It's hard to imagine a vacation and not imagine beaches; and it is going to be hard to decide between these beautiful suggestions. One you do decide though, all you have to do is pack the sunscreen and bathing suit and head to the beach!