There are dozens of great beaches in the United States. In fact, there may be as many in Hawaii alone. What makes a beach great can be different for different people: good surfing and swimming; natural beauty; site visits and things to do in the area; or just a relaxing and quiet place. The following examples cover all these ideas for a great beach.
Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina
The Outer Banks of Cape Hatteras beach has its perks year-round, but it’s a great place for a winter beach vacation. Even in December, the weather can be comfortably warm. The beaches are much more secluded than during busy summers and winter is the best time to search for shells on the beach.
The Cape Hatteras area also offers six different lighthouses to explore, including America’s Lighthouse. It is 208 feet tall and is the tallest brick lighthouse in the country. It is there to remind ships of the sandbanks that move under the surface of the water.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
This beach is divided into two categories: relaxing, peaceful and natural beauty. Cannon Beach is on Highway 101 in Oregon and is a very popular vacation town. But it’s not this quaint, flower-bedecked little town that draws visitors here. It is the four miles of beach, the breathtaking beauty of the towering rock formations, and the tranquility that draw people to this beach. The water is usually too cold to swim in, even in summer, but any time of year is perfect for strolling along the beach and around these massive monoliths. In the early morning, the tide pools around these rocks are filled with multicolored starfish, sea anemones, and other unusual sea creatures.
Haystack Rock is the famous landmark of Cannon Beaches and rises 235 feet above the ocean. In the early morning or evening hours, when the light is right and the moon shines on Haystack, this rock formation resembles some kind of mythical monster emerging from the ocean.
Hanalei Bay, Kauai
This beach is crescent shaped and literally carved into the bottom of a sheer cliff. One end of the two-mile beach narrows to a rocky point. Most of Kauai’s north shore is too rugged for swimming, but on the west end, where Hanalei Bay sits, there’s an area of calm shoreline perfect for swimmers. In the summer, the water is as smooth as silk, and you’ll find dozens of sailboats moored here as their occupants come ashore to walk, swim, and paddle. In winter, the calm of the waters subsides and becomes perfect for surfing. This is on the list of the top ten beaches in the United States.
Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
This beach is part of the Cape Code National Seashore and is also known as one of the top ten beaches in the United States. It is probably the most popular surf spot along the Cape and is also perfect for swimming. An old coast guard post extends along the entire coastline of the beach.
Other great beaches
Some of the other great beaches in our country include Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida, Coronado Beach in San Diego, and Main Beach in East Hampton, New York.