502 Best Sights in USA

In the shadow of Krakatau, the volcano that looms over the park, is this wide beach with chairs by the hundreds. Arrive early to claim the best spot, or upgrade by renting a premium seat that includes a sun canopy. Park yourself in a chair and do absolutely nothing, or venture into the water, where, every so often, a set of waves washes across the bay. So the choice is yours: swim and splash, or rest and relax. Or maybe a little of both. For people with disabilities: A sloped entry makes it easier for guests using wheelchairs to enter the pool unassisted or with the help from someone in their party.

The northern end of a 2-mile stretch of golden sand, Wells Beach is popular with families and surfers, who line up in the swells and suit up on the boardwalk near the arcade and snack shop. The beach's northern tip is a bit quieter, with a long rock jetty perfect for strolling. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

Away from the hustle and bustle of Wolfeboro on pretty little Lake Wentworth, this simple park features a quiet beach with good fishing, picnic tables and grills, and ball fields. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

The most popular beach in the park is also the most developed, with lifeguards, showers, year-round restrooms, and picnic facilities. Three interconnected loop trails crisscross the area: Dune Succession Trail (0.9 miles, moderate), West Beach Trail (1.2 miles, easy), and Long Lake Trail (2.2 miles, moderate). Dune Succession offers some of the best dune views, while Long Lake is a prime birding destination. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (entrance fee required); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

This is one of the best beaches on the south shore (Nantucket Sound), with the crowds to prove it. A breakwater was formed here in 1837 in an effort to protect the mouth of Bass River, but that was abandoned when a sandbar formed on the shore side. It's a long, wide, and popular sandy beach, stretching for 1½ miles, with marshland and the Bass River across from it. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking; windsurfing.

This famed promontory is a Malibu pilgrimage for any visitor to the area. Go tide-pooling, fishing, snorkeling, or bird-watching (prime time is late winter to early spring). Hike to the top of the sandstone cliffs at Point Dume to whale-watch—their migrations can be seen between December and April—and take in dramatic coastal views. Westward is a favorite surfing beach, but the steep surf isn't for novices. The Sunset restaurant is between Westward and Point Dume ( 6800 Westward Beach Rd.). Otherwise, bring your own food, since the nearest concession is a long hike away. Some pathways and stairways may be temporarily inaccessible due to construction work. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

This clean, sandy, 3-mile beach, with a dozen volleyball nets, gymnastics equipment, and a playground for kids, is an all-around favorite. The surf is gentle, perfect for swimmers and beginning surfers, and crowds are frequently smaller than in other spots along the shore. However, it's best to avoid the beach after a storm, when untreated water flows from storm drains into the sea. Amenities: parking; lifeguards; toilets; food and drink; showers. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

A 4-acre beach that swarms on hot summer days with residents and visitors, Willard Beach offers easy swimming and boating, as well as views of Fort Gorges. Convenient and free parking, lifeguards, a snack shack, and restrooms all add to its popularity. Dogs are permitted after sundown in the summer or all day in the off-season. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

This wide, sandy beach edges a protected cove on both sides of San Simeon Pier. Fish from the pier or from a charter boat, picnic and barbecue on the bluffs, or boogie board or bodysurf the relatively gentle waves. In summer you can rent a kayak and paddle out into the bay for close encounters with marine life and sea caves. The NOAA Coastal Discovery Center, next to the parking lot, has interactive exhibits and hosts educational activities and events. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Off South Coast Highway, Wood's Cove is especially quiet during the week. Big rock formations hide lurking crabs. This is a prime scuba-diving spot, and at high tide much of the beach is underwater. Climbing the steps to leave, you can see a Tudor-style mansion that was once home to Bette Davis. Street parking is free yet limited. Amenities: none. Best for: snorkeling; sunset.

Clean, wide beaches here provide the setting for all sorts of water sports. Surfers dominate the sunrise waves at Crystal Pier. Kayakers, parasailers, and paddleboarders all share the waters here while shoreline runners and walkers hit the sand, which is also perfect for sandcastle building and people-watching. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (Memorial Day to Labor Day); parking (fee); toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming.

The public beach in downtown Yachats is more like the surface of the moon than your typical beach. A wooden platform overlooks the coastline, where the waves roll in sideways and splash over the rocks at high tide. The beach is paralleled by an upland walking trail and dotted with picnic tables, benches, and interpretive signs. Visit to spot the sea lions that frequent this stretch of coast. Or join the intrepid beachcombers who climb the rocks for a closer look at tide pools populated by sea urchins, hermit crabs, barnacles, snails, and sea stars. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: walking; sunset.

This small, somewhat secluded stretch with gentle surf is favored by locals, particularly families. It's near a shady park, restaurants, and other attractions. Between late May and late September leashed dogs are allowed only before 8 am and after 6:30 pm. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

This 2-mile stretch of white sand, usually dotted with tanning teenagers, has it all, from fishing and kitesurfing to swings and volleyball courts. Beachgoers looking for quiet or privacy should head elsewhere. Stay alert in the water: the surf is rough and inconsistent, and riptides can surprise even experienced swimmers. A new metered parking program limits visits to 90 minutes at a time, but there are abundant spaces. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.

This 12-acre beach park is popular with local families who enjoy the lovely Brazilian-walnut hardwood boardwalk, plethora of parking spots, and sail-shade canopy-covered walkways and benches. Kids will get a kick out of the playground and adorable large sea turtle sculpture (grown-ups will appreciate that it was made of repossessed metal from an oil rig by a local artist). Free beach wheelchairs are available, as are umbrellas and lounge chair rentals for a small fee, and a concession dishes up sandwiches, salads, and snacks like ice cream. Divers love the four sunken ships off the coast as part of Florida's artificial reefs program. Amenities: lifeguards; food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; sunset; swimming.

White sand beaches, blue-green waters, and a tall lighthouse mark this quiet beach at the southern tip of Cape Lookout National Seashore. A boat is the only way to get here. Passenger ferries leave from Harkers Island and Beaufort, while passenger and vehicle ferries leave from Davis and Atlantic. Land on the sound side, then walk across a path to the beach, where you'll be greeted by a long beach strand full of seashells, including large whelk shells. In season, you can also climb the lighthouse tower or tour a museum in the keeper's quarters. Amenities: toilets. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.

A reef break draws surfers to this beach, popularly known as George's, and there are great cafés and restaurants nearby, such as Las Olas and Ki's. Stones run along the highway but then give way to a nice swath of sand. A walk south provides access to some of Solana Beach's secluded coves. Pay attention to the incoming tide, or you may have to wade or swim back to the parking lot. The beach begins at the parking lot immediately north of the cliffs at Solana Beach. Your best bet for a nearby coastal hotel is Cardiff by the Sea Lodge. Amenities: lifeguards, parking (fee), showers, toilets. Best for: surfing, swimming.

This 4-mile stretch of sand is perfect for long walks, kite flying, and picnic lunches, though the frigid water and strong rip currents make swimming inadvisable. There are three access points (Francis, Venice, Dunes) and four beaches (Francis, Venice, Dunes, Roosevelt). One access point (Francis) is in Half Moon Bay; the others are north of town off the highway. To find them, look for road signs that have a picture of footsteps. There's a visitor center and BBQ pits at Francis and picnic areas at Francis and Roosevelt. Dogs are prohibited. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: camping; solitude; sunset; surfing; walking.

Just off the coast at Half Moon Bay is Mavericks, one of the biggest surfing breaks in the world when there's a big swell. Waves here have reportedly reached 60 feet in height, and some surfers get towed out to them by Jet Skis. The break is roughly a mile offshore, so seeing it from the coast can be tough and requires a challenging hike. Every year, if the conditions are just right, the word goes out that the Mavericks surf competition will take place, and the world's best surfers rush to town for the famous invitational. The Mavericks competition is best viewed on closed-circuit TV at local bars.

Ten miles east of Biddeford lies Ocean Park, a vacation community founded in 1881 by Free Will Baptist leaders as a summer assembly with both religious and educational purposes, following the example of Chautauqua, New York. The 1881 Temple, in an unusual octagon shape, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the community hosts an impressive variety of cultural events, from concerts to sand-sculpture contests. There's even a public shuffleboard area for vacationers not interested in the neon carnival attractions in Old Orchard Beach just up the road. Get an old-fashioned raspberry-lime rickey at the Ocean Park Soda Fountain, at Furber Park.

If a quarantine is not in effect (watch for signs), from November through April you can look for mussels amid tidal pools and rocky outcroppings at Pescadero State Beach; a fishing license is required. Any time of year is good for exploring the beach, the north side of which has several secluded spots along sandstone cliffs. Across U.S. 101, the 243-acre Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve has hiking trails and is the site of a large and active blue-heron rookery. Early spring and fall mornings are the best times to come, when there are lots of migrating birds and other wildlife to see. No pets on the beach or in the preserve. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.