502 Best Sights in USA

Formerly known as Galilee State Beach, Salty Brine was renamed in 1990 for a Rhode Island radio legend. It's a small but popular destination, especially for foodies. Located near the state's largest commercial fishing port of Galilee, Salty Brine is permeated with the sights, sounds, and scents of Rhode Island's maritime culture. The 100-yard-long beach, near bustling seafood restaurants, provides the best seat in the state for viewing the steady parade of ferries, fishing boats, and charters moving in and out of the channel while noshing on a lobster roll or fried clams. People flock here for the annual Blessing of the Fleet parade of vessels on the last weekend in July. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: saltwater fishing; sunset; swimming; walking.

You'll find a wide gravel beachfront at this park 10 miles west of Friday Harbor, overlooking waters where orcas often frolic in summer, plus grassy lawns with picnic tables and a small campground.

One of Vermont's best swimming beaches is at Sand Bar State Park, where a 2,000-foot stretch of sand leads into shallow water perfect for wading in gently. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming

In addition to a lovely beach (a mellow alternative to the often-crowded Clearwater Beach to the north), this 95-acre park has plenty of green space, a playground, and a picnic area. Parking is a flat $5. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee) showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming.

Stretching some 6 miles across a peninsula that ends at Sandy Neck Light, this rock-strewn beach is one of the Cape's most beautiful—dunes, sand, and bay spread endlessly east, west, and north. The marsh was harvested for salt hay in the past; now it's a haven for birds, which are seen in the greatest numbers in morning and evening. One of the secrets of this beach are its hiking trails that meander alongside and around the dunes, a fairly strenuous but lovely trek in the sand. As you travel east along Route 6A from Sandwich, Sandy Neck Road is located just before the Barnstable line, although the beach itself is in West Barnstable. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

This sleepy little community just south of Patrick Air Force Base, about 15 miles south of Cocoa Beach on Route A1A, sits on a narrow barrier island with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Indian River lagoon on the other. Its beach is protected by dunes, and sea turtles flock here to lay their eggs. A popular spot for family vacations because of its slow pace and lack of crowds, Satellite Beach has several beachfront parks with playgrounds, pavilions, and picnic facilities. One park, which teaches visitors about the importance of the dune system, has boardwalks that meander over the dunes to the beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking.

With generally moderate surf, this 42-acre beach has stunning views of where the Narragansett Bay empties into the ocean—although the scent of a nearby wastewater treatment plant can sometimes mar the experience (this long beach is split into north and south sections; the former is farthest away from the facility). There's a concrete boardwalk with gazebos and an observation tower. A grassy section on the southern end of the beach is good for kite flying and picnicking, and a trail connects it to Black Point, a scenic fishing and hiking area along the rocky coastline. RIPTA buses service the beach, making it the easiest to access by transit. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

Known for its wild surf and for its dunes, this beautiful spot is repeatedly blasted by winter erosion. Restaurants and restrooms are in the nearby village. Amenities: lifeguards. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

Proximity to the ferry makes this beach fronting the Sea Camp campground the most popular beach among day-trippers, though with only 300 visitors allowed on the island daily, it's never very crowded. Hard-pack trails and a boardwalk allow short nature walks, and the beach has good beachcombing. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunrise.

Like Main Beach to the north and Peters Point to the south, Seaside Park allows limited beach driving if you have a permit, but beware—vehicles here frequently get stuck and have to be towed. There are several pavilions with picnic tables and dune walkovers to the beach. It's a great place to fish or to ride bikes at low tide. Bikes and other beach equipment can be rented at The Beach Store and More, right across from the park. Also nearby, Sliders Seaside Grill is a venerable oceanfront restaurant where you can enjoy food and drinks inside or at the tiki bar overlooking the beach, often with live music. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

The Seawall on the gulf-side waterfront attracts runners, cyclists, and rollerbladers. Just below it is a long, free beach near many big hotels and resorts.

During low tide these flat, driftwood-strewn expanses are perfect for long afternoon strolls. Second Beach, accessed via an easy forest trail through Quileute lands, opens to a vista of the Pacific Ocean and sea stacks. Third Beach offers a 1¼-mile forest hike for a warm-up before reaching the sands. Amenities: pit toilets. Best for: walking.

The small cove north of the Children's Pool remains remarkably under the radar and is typically less crowded than nearby beaches like La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores. The secluded beach is accessible by stairs at the south end of Ellen Browning Scripps Park and has clear water and tide pools. The reef comes all the way up to the shore, making it a less-than-ideal spot for swimming, but children love to wade in the shallow water. Step with caution, as rocks can be extremely slippery. As the name would imply, tiny shells make up the sand near the water's edge. It's beautiful but coarse and can be hard on people's feet. Your visit is better spent exploring than sunning. The exposed rocks off the coast have been designated a protected habitat for sea lions; you can watch them frolic in the water. Picnic tables, showers, and toilets are available near the cove. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude.

Shuttles to this pristine paradise run out of Pass-a-Grille and Dolphin Landings, and you can catch them in the morning and early afternoon most days. If you do, expect some amazing snorkeling, shelling, and bird-watching. (You can also kayak or canoe here from a launch near Ft. De Soto.) Rustic overnight camping is allowed here in the part of the island not designated as a bird sanctuary. Watch for rip currents when swimming, as they can be pretty strong. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Rocky cliffs bookend this ¼-mile sandy beach. It's amid Ellis Park, which has a playground, basketball courts, a paved walkway, and free concerts in summer. Leashed pets are allowed, though dog-walking hours are limited between late May and late September. Shops, restaurants, and other attractions are all nearby. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

This quiet beach on a narrow sand spit allows visitors a unique opportunity to experience both the Pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay. The 2½ miles of the ocean side is great for surfing and other water sports while the bay side, accessible via foot tunnel under Highway 75, has calmer, warmer water and great views of the San Diego skyline. Lifeguards and rangers are on duty year-round, and there are places for biking, volleyball, and fishing. Picnic tables, grills, and firepits are available in summer. The beach is close to Loews Coronado Bay Resort and the Coronado Cays, an exclusive community popular with yacht owners. You can reserve RV sites ($85 beach; $65 inland) online. Four day-use parking lots provide room for up to 1,000 cars. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

In a quiet Cape Ann town 32 miles north of Boston, this beach gets its name from the musical squeaking sound its gold-color sand makes when you step on it. The beach is popular with both locals and out-of-towners in summer, but parking is quite limited and near impossible for nonresidents. It's also worth a visit in fall, when the crowds have gone home and you'll have the splendid shores all to yourself. There's a snack bar at the beach, but it's worth taking a 10-minute stroll up Beach Street into town. The easiest, and cheapest, way to get here is by MBTA's Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail line from Boston's North Station to the Manchester stop, which is a 15-minute walk from the beach. From downtown Boston the train takes 45 minutes. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

On Cape Cod Bay, Skaket Beach is a sandy stretch with calm, warm water good for children. When the tide is out, you can walk seemingly endlessly on the sandy flats. The parking lot fills up fast on hot July and August days; try to arrive before 10 or after 2. The many tide pools make this a favorite spot for families. Sunsets here draw a good crowd. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

If your idea of a good beach day involves empty stretches of sand, unobstructed views, plenty of privacy, and the sound of crashing waves, then you should test the waters at the south end. As its name suggests, the south end is located at the southern tip of the island where Tybee's Back River meets the Atlantic Ocean.  Riptides and strong currents are prevalent here, so use extreme caution when swimming and obey all signage.

At low tide, the waters recede to expose a stunning system of sandbars that are great for shelling and spotting sea life. Check the tides to make sure you don't get stranded on the sandbars. This is one of Tybee's prettiest beaches, and is worshipped by locals for its seclusion. There are no restaurants in the immediate vicinity, so it's a good idea to bring a cooler packed with snacks and beverages. Parking is tough—just two very small metered lots. In high season, arrive on the early or the late side, when crowds are thinner. Amenities: parking (fee). Best for: sea kayaking; sunset; walking; windsurfing.

This 2-mile public beach on the southern end of the island is part of San Juan Island National Historical Park.

Perched high up on a dune, a large open-air pavilion at the east end of Palmetto Park Road offers a panoramic view of what's in store below on the sand that stretches up the coast. Serious beachgoers need to pull into the main lot a quarter mile north on the east side of A1A, but if a short-but-sweet visit is what you're after, the 15 or so one-hour spots with meters in the circle driveway will do (and not cost you the normal $15 parking fee). During the day, pretty young things blanket the shore and windsurfers practice tricks in the waves. Quiet quarters are farther north. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

This very popular and accessible 3-mile stretch of Atlantic-facing beach is backed by high dunes. The protected salt pond cove is good for families on one side, while big waves on the other side draw surfers. Amenities: toilets; lifeguards; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; sunrise; walking.

There are fine street- and beach-level promenades at Carlsbad State Beach, where people come to surf and swim at Ponto and Tamarack beaches. On the bluff, there's overnight camping for self-contained RVs ( 800/444–7275) and tents (  From $50 with $8 reservation fee). Farther north at the foot of Tamarack Avenue is Carlsbad State Beach. You can't camp here, but there's fishing and jogging trails and the beach has separate swimming and surfing sections. In summer, the south swell creates good surf when other San Diego beaches are bereft. The cement walkway that borders the beach continues into downtown Carlsbad, which has plenty of restaurants. Carlsbad State Beach has a paid parking lot on Tamarack Avenue and at South Ponto. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

The ⅓-mile-long town beach—with a playground, a boardwalk, a volleyball court, and picnic tables—cannot be seen from the road and doesn't fill as quickly as the nearby state beaches. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

The land for this 100-acre park, situated at the southern tip of the island, was originally purchased by John Ringling in 1920 as part of an ambitious plan to develop properties; alas, his scheme collapsed with the Florida land bust of 1926. The park sits amid four significant bodies of water: the Gulf of Mexico, Big Pass, Sarasota Bay, and Brushy Bayou.

Although it has one of the region's best beaches, swimming isn't recommended owing to the swift rip current, and there are no lifeguards. Still, the stretch of sugary sand has plenty of early-morning sand dollars to find, and there are nature trails to hike and canoe and kayak trails to paddle. The park is also a popular place to fish, enjoy a picnic, or watch as the sun sets amid the Australian pines and into the water. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

At 76 acres and including extensive nature trails, this is by far one of the largest ocean parks in the southern half of Palm Beach County and a great pick for people who want more space and fewer crowds. Big groups, including family reunions, favor it because of the number of covered picnic areas for rent, but anyone can snag a free table (there are plenty) under the thick canopy of banyan trees. Even though the vast majority of the park is separated from the surf, you never actually have to cross A1A to reach the beach because tunnels run under it at several locations. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.

Popular with local families because of its reef-protected waters, this white-sand beach is probably the safest beach in West Hawaii for young children. It's also generally safe for swimming year-round, which makes it a reliable spot for a lazy day at the beach. There is a little shade, plus a volleyball court and pavilion, and the soft sand is perfect for sand castles. It tends to get crowded with families and campers on weekends, but the beach is mostly clean. You won't see a lot of fish if you're snorkeling here, but in winter you can often catch sight of a breaching whale or two. The beach park lies just below Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site. Amenities: lifeguards (weekends and holidays only); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

Stretching south of Glory Boardwalk to the St. Andrews Picnic Area at the very southern end of the island, this narrow beach backs up to dense maritime forest, making it a quiet, secluded bit of coast and a great spot for wildlife viewing or beachcombing. At the picnic area, a short trail leads to a viewing platform overlooking the outflow of Jekyll Creek—keep an eye out for dolphins cruising near the shoreline. A memorial and memory trail honors the landing of one of the last American slave ships, The Wanderer. Amenities: parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: solitude.

Just south of Anastasia State Park, this beach has a livelier setting, thanks to the restaurants, bars, and shops along Beachfront Avenue and the 4-acre St. Johns County Ocean Pier Park. The park offers a playground, small splash park, sand volleyball courts, a covered pavilion, and a Wednesday-morning farmers' market. From May to September, Music by the Sea concerts are offered for free. Speaking of free, the beach doesn't charge a fee, but the popular fishing pier does ($6 fishing pass, $2 pier pass for spectators). In addition, there are some areas designated for driving on the beach. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Though this sandy stretch is technically in the city of Treasure Island, the city of St. Petersburg owns and maintains it. Due in part to a concession stand and playground, it's excellent for families. The beach here is extremely wide, near hotels, and great for volleyball. Amenities: food and drink; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; partiers; sunset; swimming.