Maybe you already have a favorite beach — a beach where you already know how to get a free parking spot, where the best shady spot is, and when the soft-service truck makes its rounds.
If you’re looking to mix it up this year, on the Fourth of July or all summer long, here are six beach destinations in the United States to inspire a new adventure.
Keep in mind that AAA predicts that this Independence Day holiday season will be a record. Nearly 71 million people are expected to travel 50 or more miles from home between June 29 and July 7, including more than 60 million on the road — so be safe and allow plenty of time for driving.
Which US beach do you think is unbeatable? Let us know in the comments (or protect your secret — we get it).
The next time you’re sitting in traffic headed to the Hamptons, Cape Cod, or some other congested beach, consider the virtues of South County, RI (officially known as Washington County). This Ocean State gem, with 100 miles of coastline, is two and a half hours from Manhattan and one and a half hours from Boston, requiring no planes or ferries. Between the coastal communities of Watch Hill and Charlestown, 14 public beaches beckon.
Racing down the Dune Climb, a 300-foot dune, is one of the most popular activities in a corner of northwest Michigan called Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The children gallop and roll down, their squeals as loud as the cries of the herring gulls above. At the bottom you’re sweaty and out of breath — but waiting for you is sparkling, sapphire-blue Lake Michigan, endless as an ocean. Just be prepared for the oxygen-sucking climb, slipping and sliding back uphill.
The Wailea Beach Path, which winds along Maui’s southern shore, reflects the island’s almost contradictory personalities: On one side of the path, luxury resorts flaunt swim-up bars and nightly touch ceremonies. A more subtle drama unfolds on the opposite side, where native flora such as honey-scented Naio bushes, thorny hala trees and hibiscus flowers flourish along the rocky shoreline. Cool off along the way with a dip in the waves.
West Coast travelers who stick to US 101, the main north-south coastal highway, are missing something spectacular. The Three Capes Scenic Loop traverses 40 miles along windswept cliffs, through towering forests of century-old Sitka spruce and beautiful beaches, including those along Netarts Bay, home to a number of oyster farms.
Have you ever visited a beach so unbelievably gorgeous, you’re afraid it might not live up to your fondest memory? For writer Mya Guarnieri, that gorgeous stretch of golden sand was Punta Caracoles Beach (as it’s listed on some maps) in Puerto Rico, about an hour’s drive west of San Juan. Her journey to rediscover it took her to several others on the north coast of the island – including La Poza del Obispo, whose natural rock formation creates a crystal-clear pool perfect for floating in – which could also become the your perfect beach.
The coast along State Road 30A—a 24-mile stretch of the Florida Panhandle—is famous for its soft “sugar sand,” the powdered quartz crystal washed down stream from Appalachia thousands of years ago. Dig your toes into Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, which offers three miles of undeveloped shoreline. Look for the sail-shaped sand dune rising 25 feet that gave the park its name. (Before swimming at beaches along 30 A, visitors should check the beach for warning flags that may indicate hazardous conditions.)
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