502 Best Sights in USA

Across the street from Blue Shutters Town Beach, this tranquil and unspoiled barrier beach spans 3 narrow miles of shoreline that separates Ninigret Pond from the ocean, dead-ending at the Charlestown Breachway. East Beach stands in stark contrast to Narragansett's bustling Scarborough Beach, and it's a rare East Coast beach that permits beach camping and four-wheel drive vehicles on the sand. Parking is limited, and the lot fills up quickly. Be careful when swimming: the ocean side is known for riptides. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; walking, camping.

Portland's only public beach, it's set at the bottom of the hill of the Eastern Promenade. Its panoramic views of Casco Bay make it a popular summer spot, as do amenities like convenient parking, picnic tables, and a boat launch. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; sunsets; swimming; walking.

A ¾-mile-long ocean beach, Easton's has a boardwalk and playground. Public facilities include restrooms, indoor and outdoor showers, an elevator, and beach wheelchairs. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

A quiet lake surrounded by woods in the shadow of Beech Mountain, Echo Lake is one of Acadia’s few swimming beaches. The water is considerably warmer, if muckier, than nearby ocean beaches, and dogs are allowed in the off-season. The surrounding trail network ascends the mountain, and the trailhead for the challenging Beech Cliff Trail begins at the parking lot. A sign alerts you when the iron ladders and steep cliffs are ahead; for an easier hike, soak up the view at the overlook before the ladders and head back down. A boat ramp is north of here along Route 102 at Ikes Point. From May to October, parking at Echo Lake requires the purchase of a park entrance pass, but there are no additional lot fees. Amenities: parking (free); toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming.

Edisto's south edge has 4 miles of public beach. At its western end, the beach faces St. Helena Sound and has smaller waves. There is beach access at each intersection along Palmetto Boulevard and free public parking along the road. The beach itself has narrowed due to storm erosion, so you'll have more room to spread out if you time your visit at low tide. These clean coastal waters teem with both fish and shellfish, and it's common to see people throwing cast nets for shrimp. It's a great beach for beachcombing. Alcohol is allowed as long as it is not in glass containers. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming.

What sets Ehukai apart is the view of the famous Banzai Pipeline, where the winter waves curl into magnificent tubes, making it an experienced wave-rider's dream. It's also an inexperienced swimmer's nightmare. Spring and summer waves, on the other hand, are more accommodating to the average person, and there's good snorkeling. Except when the surf contests are happening, there's no reason to stay on the central strip. Travel in either direction from the center, and the conditions remain the same but the population thins out, leaving you with a magnificent stretch of sand all to yourself. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; surfing.

Families enjoy this secluded 600-foot sandy beach and park on the southwestern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. Ellacoya, with views of the Sandwich and Ossipee mountains, has a shallow beach that's safe for small children, sheltered picnic tables, and a small campground. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; swimming.

This beach is popular with teenagers, although beachgoers of all ages frequent it. Though it attracts crowds, it's easy to find your own patch of beach. Parking can be tough on busy weekends. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming.

The most undeveloped area of Mission Bay Park, this is popular with bird-watchers (there's a large protected nesting site for the California tern at the northern tip of the island) as well as with dog owners, because it's the only place in the park where pets can run free. Firepits are scattered across the island for public use. In July the annual Over-the-Line Tournament, a competition involving a unique local version of softball, attracts thousands of players and oglers.

A great spot for watching sunsets over Cape Cod Bay, First Encounter Beach is rich in history. Near the parking lot, a bronze marker commemorates the first encounter between local Native Americans and passengers from the Mayflower, led by Captain Myles Standish, who explored the entire area for five weeks in 1620 before moving on to Plymouth. The beach is popular with families who favor its warm, calm waters and tide pools. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

While it’s not ideal for swimming because of the many sharp shells on the sand and in the water, this secluded public beach is a terrific spot for a walk, bird-watching, or shell- and shark tooth–hunting. It is not on the Atlantic Ocean, but rather on Port Royal Sound. Bonus: It neighbors historic Mitchelville, the site of the first Civil War–era community that was built and self-governed entirely by formerly enslaved people. Amenities: parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunrise; walking.

stretches for 1,600 feet on Northport Bay and includes a boardwalk, playground, and summer lifeguards.

Most of the beaches in the little city of Solana Beach are nestled under cliffs, and access is limited to private stairways. At the west end of Lomas Santa Fe Drive where it turns into Plaza Street, however, there's an entrance to this small beach, along with parking lot, picnic area, playground, and restrooms. The softest sand can be found by the cliffs, and it gets a bit coarser as you near the water's edge. During low tide it's an easy walk under the cliffs to nearby beaches, but high tide can make some of the beach impassable. At the northern end of town there are also restrooms, a pay lot, and easy beach access. The City of Solana Beach and the Belly Up Tavern often host free summer concerts at Fletcher Cove, and there are plenty of great restaurants nearby on Highway 101 and on Cedros Avenue. Tides and surf conditions are posted at a kiosk by this parking lot. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; surfing; swimming; walking.

The Folly River and the Atlantic Ocean hug the peninsula of this palmetto-fringed park, 12 miles southwest of Charleston. There are lifeguards in designated swimming areas, and the water is generally calm here, making it the best bet on Folly Beach for families. Depending on the tides, there are often little tidal pools that toddlers can safely enjoy. The sand is the hard-packed taupe variety, ideal for making sand castles. Seasonal amenities include a snack bar, beach chairs, and umbrella rentals. During winter, it's possible to watch the sun set over the water with scarcely another person in sight. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

Located next to Driessen Beach, Folly Field Beach Park is a treat for families. Though it can get crowded in high season, it's still a wonderful spot for a day of sunbathing and swimming. The best waves for surfing anywhere on the island break here. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking.

This spot offers excellent swimming, beachcombing, and bodysurfing opportunities, as well as a boat launch for kayaks, small boats, and stand-up paddleboards. Typically less crowded than neighboring Ogunquit Beach, it’s reached by crossing a footbridge that runs over the Ogunquit River. Dogs are welcome from September through March. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best For: solitude; sunrise; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

If you need to relax after a long day of playing in the water, this remote beach is it, and getting here is half the fun. Situated at the terminus of Fort Island Trail, the same road where you'll find the Plantation on Crystal River, the beach is a 9-mile drive through wetlands with sweeping views along the way (though the Crystal River nuclear plant looms to the north). The beach itself is raw and subdued, with few frills, though there are picnic shelters, barbecues, and a fishing pier. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset.

Across the inlet at the northern side of Hutchinson Island, a fishing oasis lures beachgoers who can't wait to reel in snook, flounder, and bluefish, among others. The park is also known as a prime wave-riding locale, thanks to a reef that lies just outside the jetty. Summer is the busiest season by a long shot, but don't be fooled: it's a laid-back place to sun and surf. There are covered picnic tables but no concessions; however, from where anglers perch, a bunch of casual restaurants can be spotted on the other side of the inlet that are a quick drive away. Note that the area of Jack Island Preserve has been closed indefinitely. Amenities: lifeguards (summer only); parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; surfing; walking.

A former military site, this section of the Rockaway peninsula is still dotted with intriguing detritus. Two brutalist concrete batteries—Battery Harris West and Battery Harris East—are covered in graffiti and overgrown plant life, making for astonishing sights and choice photo backdrops. There are also two other batteries buried beneath the sand, as well as an underground missile silo, but you'll largely have to imagine what those looked like as they're blocked by a tall chain-link fence. Thanks to its relative inaccessibility (you really need a car, or be prepared to take a long subway ride followed by a bus), the beach itself remains blissfully empty for much of the year. Amenities: toilets. Best for: swimming; solitude.

It comes in two parts: a shady mainland picnic area with barbecues and a white-sand beach island. The causeway is a popular hangout for windsurfers, and the entire area is great for birding. The beach itself is very relaxed and family-friendly, and you can find kayak rentals on the island's eastern side. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; windsurfing.

If you want a party scene and beach bars with live music and dancing, then this stretch of Isle of Palms is for you. Its string of businesses is the only beachfront commercial district in the area. Bicyclists are welcome, as are pets on leashes. Parking regulations are strictly enforced. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee). Best for: partiers; swimming; windsurfing.

Galveston Island State Park, on the western, unpopulated end of the island, is a 2,000-acre natural beach habitat ideal for birding, walking, and renewing your spirit. It's open daily from 8 am to 10 pm. The Nature Center is open weekends from 10 to 2.

Horry County's southernmost beachfront is backed by a causeway that crosses creeks and tributaries feeding into Murrells Inlet. The coastline is a curious collection of a few high-rise hotels, older condo buildings, and cute, stilted beach houses. Beachfront disappears at high tide farther south—so much so that it slaps up against the pilings and sea wall. The Garden City Pier is a must for fishing ($10), strolling (free), playing arcade games, or dancing to live music at the partially covered bar perched at the very end. Other beach activities include kayaking, Jet Skiing, kiteboarding, parasailing, banana-boat rides, and boogie boarding. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (sometimes); parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunrise; surfing; swimming; walking.

The 400-foot with a playground, beach house, and summer lifeguards, faces Huntington Bay.

This beach has calm, waveless waters and soft sand, and is surrounded by grassy dunes, making it perfect any time of year. In summer (June, July, and August), it is lifeguard patrolled and wheelchair accessible, and there is a snack bar if you don't feel like packing in food. The restrooms and showers are also accessible, and you can pick up beach toys at the concessions. On weekdays parking is plentiful, but the lot fills by 10 am on weekends. Reserve a space online to avoid disappointment. In June, green flies can be bothersome. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

In the 1920s, a little guesthouse called Gray's-by-the-Sea stood on what is now a very narrow strip of sand that's best for walking, admiring the ocean, and imagining a Waikiki of yesteryear. (Note that the tides often put sand space at a premium, so you have to use the elevated concrete walkway most of the time.) Catamaran charters launch from this beach throughout the day, sailing out for views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach. You can get a great view of Diamond Head here, and you can also sip a mai tai at House Without a Key, a legendary beach restaurant at the Halekulani hotel a few steps away. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: walking.

Starting just north of the entrance road on South Beachview Drive, this 20-acre stretch of beach runs alongside Main Street and the convention center to South Dunes Beach at Glory Boardwalk (built when the final battle scene of the film Glory was shot here), next to the soccer complex. This is one of the most accessible beaches on the island, with parking at both ends and good shower-restroom facilities. The white-sand beach is backed by dunes, which are protected wildlife areas, while calm, shallow water, and a mild shore break make this a good spot to swim and play in the surf. It's the most popular beach for families on the island. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

The easiest access to the sandy shore below Elk's cliff-top lodgings is at this state beach, whose parking lot sits across Highway 1 from the town's general store. A trail leads from the lot down to the shore, where the waves crashing against the huge offshore rocks are the perfect backdrop. Amenities: parking (no fee). Good for: sunset; walking.

Just across the inlet on the northern tip of Longboat Key, Greer Island Beach is accessible by boat or by car via North Shore Boulevard (you can walk here at low tide, but be sure to leave before the tide comes in). You'll also hear this place referred to as Beer Can Island. The secluded peninsula has a wide beach and excellent shelling, but no facilities. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; walking.

Unspoiled beaches, the Gulf’s largest fishing pier, and an 18-hole golf course provide recreational opportunities on 6,150 seaside and lakeside acres. Hiking trails, a 900-acre fishing lake, tennis courts, a large pool, and an interactive nature center supply more fun. Camp or rent a cabin—or rent a well-appointed cottage that's far from rustic and right in the park.